I started watching the movie “The Substance” because it was newly added to Disney Plus. I chose it because Demi Moore was in it, but it turned out to be a truly difficult film to watch. I understood the plot, but the entire viewing experience was anything but easy.
Demi Moore, who gained immense popularity with “Ghost,” was an actress whose image often overshadowed her acting skills. However, in “The Substance,” she delivers a truly dedicated and intense performance. She wasn’t known for her acting prowess, but now she really shows some horrific acting (in the sense of being powerfully disturbing and committed to a difficult role).
“The Substance” primarily revolves around an aging, once-famous celebrity who succumbs to the temptation of regaining her youth. It follows the predictable trajectory of gaining something significant but losing something equally important in return.
However, perhaps due to director Coralie Fargeat’s influence, the visuals themselves make it incredibly hard to watch. From scenes that, to put it nicely, are “messy,” and more frankly, evoke a sense of disgust, to truly horrific imagery – the film presents a series of challenging visuals. This must be why “Horror” is listed as its genre on Disney Plus.
I looked up the director, Coralie Fargeat, and she’s a female director, with “The Substance” being only her second feature film. She definitely possesses a unique power to create unsettling and uncomfortable experiences for the viewer.
Margaret Qualley’s performance, playing the younger version alongside Demi Moore, also stands out. There are many close-up shots of exposed bodies, and while I’m not sure if the role utilized her background, I imagine it was a very challenging part to take on.
My Thoughts on “The Substance”
- A film that shows a different side of Demi Moore.
- The cinematography and visual composition are remarkably fresh.
- It’s not scary in the traditional sense, but it’s genuinely hard to watch.
- It exposes human desires in an incredibly raw and blatant way.
- It was one of those rare films that made me deeply uncomfortable and left me wondering, “How could someone make a movie like this?”
- I can tell it’s a well-made film, but it’s simply not an easy watch.
I would find it very difficult to recommend “The Substance.” It’s hard to watch, and at times, frustration builds up, but it undeniably has a compelling power that makes you see it through to the end.