I, an unfashionable androgynous lesbian, watched The Substance. Here are my first thoughts!

I wrote this on the train, so it's scattered. Sorry!

Note: One of my goals for this blog was to get better at long form writing, which needs editing. I barely edited this so it’s probably not great, but I also felt weirdly embarrassed posting 850 words for a Letterboxd review. So here ya go!

There are so many horror movies about beauty, youth, and appearance, to the point where the path feels well-trodden. Helter Skelter. Eyes without a Face. X (And to a lesser extent, the rest of the Maxxxine trilogy). I am new to being a film geek, so I’m probably just scratching the surface here, but there are plenty more. Society loves youth so it makes sense that there are a lot of movies about fear of aging. The Substance, directed by Coralie Fargeat is the French New Extremity version of that common theme. It focuses on the strangeness of the (in this case, feminine) body and it gets super, super gross. I’m talking Cronenberg body horror turned up to 11. But while the other films intertwine their themes on beauty with other topics, the Substance turns body horror into a manifestation of women’s insecurities and self hatred.

I don’t think it is a bad movie, but I think it is being heralded as a feminist horror movie because we have so little horror directed and/written by women and it’s very striking in imagery.

The Substance focuses on fitness star and entertainer, Elisabeth Sparkle (played by Demi Moore). She is convinced to try a new substance (weirdly called “The substance” — like, there’s no marketing firm behind this? C’mon.) that promises to make her a version of her that’s younger and more beautiful. There are ramifications, obviously. The movie is over two hours long! There’s gotta be some ramifications. 

Demi, you are already beautiful. Don’t do it!

There isn’t much of an explanation as to why Elisabeth tries the Substance. We don’t witness too many hints of an inner monologue. All we know is that she is in the entertainment industry, it’s her birthday (and therefore she is aging) and she is being slowly pushed out of her job because they are searching for the hot, new, young thing. She doesn’t like this. Okay, sure! But according to the movie’s satirical logic, it is a given that she would react the way she does (i.e. through taking the Substance). I am not quite convinced. Sure, she craves attention and relevance, and young people get that more often than middle aged people, but middle aged people can still get it. Maybe we are supposed to think she is naturally youth obsessed because she is in Hollywood and because she lives in a SOCIETY. Regardless, it’s clear from her apartment that she can afford plastic surgery instead. 

Because I try to go in knowing little to nothing when I watch new movies, I had assumed that Elisabeth was duped or forced into taking the Substance by someone else. Nope! She gets drunk one night and then just decides to do it.

I don’t want to discount the very real effects the patriarchy and specifically ageism has on women, but this satirical body horror paints with a broad brush. I am not sure if Elisabeth is supposed to be a stand in for how all women feel, or a Hollywood caricature. But personally, I don’t think I mind being unattractive. I kinda like being ugly sometimes! It means I can go about my day normally, and it makes it a bit less likely that men don’t waste my time. Because of my lived experience (very tumblr in 2012, but you get me) I naturally have a different reading of the main character than what was perhaps intended.

And here is my one, light criticism of The Substance and a lot of horror movies about beauty. Without an exploration of how class, race, sexuality and even profession impact someone’s reaction to beauty standards, I am afraid that “Did you know women are under high pressure to look young and beautiful because of society?”

Can turn into and/or be interpreted as:

“Did you know that women are so dumb, they think the worst thing to be is OLD and UGLY?”

Of course that isn’t true. When Elisabeth Sparkle is older, she doesn’t have to pretend to like talking to any man to be polite. When she sees her next door neighbor, she just says “Fuck off!” Her body isn’t for male consumption. I find that aspect freeing! But she doesn’t, otherwise the movie wouldn’t happen.

I’m not sure if The Substance is very deep or even supposed to be deep. It feels more like primal scream in the face of gender expectations. Which is valid! The editing and flashes of imagery, the scenes of Elizabeth’s hot young alter-ego Sue, and gratuitous shots of asses - all of it reminds me of a music video I would watch on MTV during its heyday, and I’m sure that’s purposeful. It feels like cinematic fast food. It can be argued that the style IS the substance in these moments - focused on a woman’s body as a product! Objectifying the female form! I get it. When the style turns gruesome and the movie ups the body horror, the whiplash is even stronger.

I don’t think The Substance is without value! It is probably the movie that encourages audiences to respond the most out of any I’ve seen all year! Someone next to me said “oh my GOD” many times at all the right moments. I am somewhat taciturn in theaters and I’ve been watching a lot of Cronenberg, but I still couldn’t help but to say “WHOA” at some points. My stomach of steel actually turned. On a surface level, I do like a “girl body horror” style and theme. Ladies should get to be goopy, too!

It’s clear that Fargeat really thought this through and created this from a personal place. But when you say “feminist horror” I expect something different, and maybe that’s on me.

The Substance is out in US theaters now.