Writer-director Coralie Fargeat (Revenge) helms this dark comedy/body horror film about fading celebrity Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), who takes a black-market cell-replicating drug that promises to create a separate, younger, more “perfect” version of herself. Birthed out of Elisabeth’s back, the new version calls herself Sue (Margaret Qualley). They soon discover the drug, and its required subsequent protocols and therapies, comes with horrifying side effects. (140-min.)
Glen: This one’s not for the squeamish. I don’t know what the fake blood and guts budget was, but no expense was spared. At its core, the film explores our obsession with youth, our impossible-to-meet beauty standards for women especially, Hollywood’s unkind treatment of aging women, and vanity itself. Elisabeth has just turned 50, she’s fired from her job as a TV fitness guru, and as she’s driving home, she sees her billboard being taken down. She gets into a car accident and finds herself in the hospital where a handsome nurse (Robin Greer) slips her a note and flash drive about “The Substance.” She watches the presentation on the drive in her amazing apartment overlooking LA. Its central feature is a huge photograph of her in her prime. The allure of reclaiming her youth is too great, but be careful what you wish for, Lizzy!
Anna: It’s interesting that we don’t really get to fully know the character of Elisabeth. Instead, the audience is left to piece together the puzzle of her life. She’s got a beautiful high-rise apartment, but beyond a housekeeper and a nosy neighbor, she never seems to have anyone else around her in it. At work, she’s used until she’s deemed no longer useful. She doesn’t seem to have a team there that has her back either. It just feels utterly lonely, so when the prospect of getting back in the limelight comes, she can’t help but take the bait. The fact of the matter is that Lizzy is her own worst enemy, and now she’s given agency to the part of herself that is fed by ego. This movie is uncomfortable, and there’s no shortage of blood, guts, and viscera—so take heed before watching.
Glen: Dennis Quaid stars as Harvey, a repellant studio exec who Fargeat films in the most unflattering way: close-ups on his face with a near-fisheye lens that make him look carbuncular. In one scene, we see him eating shrimp, and it’s as gross as the creature effects to come. Fargeat’s direction throughout is spellbinding, and Moore—holy toledo! This is a committed, raw, and highly effective performance. She’s 61 playing a 50-year-old, and she looks stunning. That’s part of the message. Elisabeth is gorgeous and seems to have it all, but there’s never enough attention for her. The film has a real mid-career David Cronenberg vibe. Think The Fly (1986), Crash (1996), and eXistenZ (1999). Very unsettling.
Anna: Quaid does a great job of being repulsive here—that shrimp scene is especially off-putting. Sue’s decisions affect Elisabeth and vice versa, but given the chance, Elisabeth can’t seem to let go of her younger half, despite its having nasty effects on her 50-year-old self. The whole dynamic is that two are one, but Sue doesn’t seem to have much consideration for Elisabeth, and Elisabeth is growing increasingly frustrated with her younger self. Youth is wasted on the young, right? Moore is spectacular here, and vulnerable. I think every actress who has lost a role to a younger counterpart can feel the sting that we see play out on-screen. This film is weird, but it rings true. Ego is a monster that lives in all of us, and if you don’t follow the rules, it will surely take over.
New Times Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Sun Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Sep 26 – Oct 6, 2024.
