A Substância

This movie really stuck with me for a while and was thought provoking. Luckily at the grotesque bits I was looking away so I wasn't plagued by nightmares like the other person I watched it with. There are very graphic scenes, but I feel it added to the campiness and I didn't see the really gross ones. The message was clear cut and necessary in this day and age. My only real question that I never felt was addressed was how separate and connected their minds were, overall they both acted as entirely separate beings and I thought part of the point was that they were the same being but the disconnect between the characters mentally and their actions and how they affected each other was surprising.

Every scene of this film wowed me at TIFF. The casting, atmosphere, visual and sound design, music, and, of course, the symbolism of it all.

Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley couldn't have been more perfectly cast as leads. Their devotion to the process and trust in their director was clear to me. Their vulnerability pulls this off and leads to a very compelling fever dream.

Everyone involved should be really proud of this film. To me, it's a future cult classic.

It is body/psychological horror, so don't expect jump scares. It's deeper than that. I found myself getting lost in reflection during the film (as a 47 year old woman it really spoke to me).

But it's also extremely fun to watch!

Take it seriously as a true work of art, but don't at the same time, and you'll have a blast.

The Substance had the potential to be a gripping commentary on beauty and the grotesque, but it relies too much on excessive gore to deliver its message. The film's visual effects are impressive, but the horror becomes repetitive and gratuitous, detracting from the deeper themes it initially sets up. Rather than building tension, the shock value feels forced and overdone, leaving the story lacking in impact.

While there are moments of brilliance in its direction and performance, particularly from Demi Moore, the film doesn't capitalize on its strong start. The unnecessary violence overshadows the nuanced points about vanity and societal expectations, making the film feel hollow. A 5 out of 10 reflects its strong visuals but missed narrative potential.

Let me start with the positives. There are a LOT of them. The casting? Perfect. The acting? Pretty flawless. All performances drew me in and added greatly to the story. The concept was phenomenal and super interesting. A really great idea for a movie. The cinematography was unique and very good. The score also greatly added to the suspense. The first 2 thirds of the movie executed all of these things to a T

So why 6 stars? THE ENDING. Took the believable and suspenseful story aspects and threw them out the window in favor of indulging the director's Cronenberg fantasy and desire to max out the special effects budget. It came off as completely disorganized, almost like they had no idea what to do with the ending or any desire to make it interesting. A movie with so much going for it and I left the theater disappointed.

Side notes: enough with the butt shots. We get what you're trying to do, that's enough. Also, if you want to disgust your audience, put in the work in the writers room. Adding over the top squelching sounds to almost every scene is lazy.

The movie started off with an intriguing premise. Seeing Demi Moore back on the big screen, portraying a character grappling with age-related insecurities, was both refreshing and powerful. Moore, as one of the most stunning and graceful mature actresses I've seen, brought a rawness to the role that really hit home. Her character's struggles with the pressure of maintaining physical beauty in a society obsessed with youth and appearance were deeply relatable, and it felt like the film was setting up to explore these important themes in a thoughtful and impactful way.

As the plot unfolded, it continued to develop in a promising direction. It took a darker turn, delving into the complexities of self-perception and the destructive obsession with physical perfection. The themes of fractured identity and a lack of self-love were poignant, and for a while, the film seemed to be handling these modern issues effectively. The storyline, touching on the fragmentation of personalities and the psychological consequences of societal pressures, was gripping. I was fully invested in seeing how the narrative would conclude.

However, when it came to the ending, it all fell apart. What could have been a profound and thought-provoking conclusion instead devolved into a senseless and, frankly, off-putting sequence that left a bad taste. It felt like all the promise of the earlier parts of the film was undone by a chaotic, incoherent, and ultimately unsatisfying resolution. The ending not only failed to tie up the themes but also undermined the strength of the narrative. It was a great idea, but the execution at the end dragged the entire movie down, leaving me disappointed and questioning what it had all been for.