Movie Review: The Substance (2024)

“Holy shit.”
The first words I spoke after watching this movie can be the first two of the review. 

It took me awhile to get around to this one because I just kept forgetting. I did manage to stay largely in the dark about the premise and even the casting; Demi Moore, WOW. 

This movie had tastes of Excision and Requiem for a Dream in the best ways, with the valley girl coolness of neon title cards. I don’t consider myself a squeamish person (particularly about pointy things) but the effects were real and brutal enough to have me squirming in my seat throughout the whole movie.

I only knew Margaret Qualley’s name in a pop culture-in-passing type of way prior to watching but she was phenomenal here. She and Demi Moore were such a powerful pair to lead this film, A+++. 

The themes of the movie are presented so jarringly that they’re impossible to ignore but done in a way that leaves you room for more. The scenes of the Pump It Up show were particularly effective at making you question when is it too much? And thinking about it…isn’t that the question we should already be asking?

Smart, so fucking smart. 

As I said to my friend Markie while watching, this is the best bit of body horror I’ve seen since Brand New Cherry Flavor. High praise. 

5/5 stars