Movies With a Message: The Substance

There’s a good reason horror fans have been so consumed by “The Substance” — a witty and potent dark satire on validation and addiction.

In 2024, The Substance became a standout in dark satire horror and topped many “Best of 2024 Horror” lists.

Directed by Coralie Fargeat and starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, the film follows Elisabeth Sparkle, a mature TV entertainer fired by her producer due to ageist discrimination. After a near-fatal car crash, Elisabeth encounters a young man who secretly reveals the key to regaining her youth and beauty: a black-market drug called The Substance.

Consumed by self-loathing and a desperate craving for validation, Elisabeth begins experimenting with the drug to reclaim her former self.

In one of the film’s most haunting sequences, Elisabeth’s reckless experimentation in the nude—set in her bathroom—further emphasizes her inner turmoil and self-hatred. From this act, a new version of Elisabeth, Sue, is born from her spine.

Sue is an enhanced version of Elisabeth—exactly what the drug promised—but as the two women grapple with their shared existence, their growing animosity becomes apparent. The fractured balance begins to unravel, leading to chaos.

After a concerning brush with a tragically unkept man at a local diner, Elisabeth begins to ponder the extreme changes to her body and decides to put an end to the use of the drug. However, Elisabeth is unsuccessful as the male phone operator convinces her that it is more straightforward than it seems; all she is required to do is respect the balance—a nod to the extreme drug problem(s) our society contends with.

The film’s disturbing visuals, including extreme close-ups of wound detail and the repulsive yet captivating men in power, mirror Elisabeth’s descent into madness.

Elisabeth’s yellow coat, symbolizing hope and caution, contrasts sharply with her deteriorating mental state.

Moore’s emotional performance—particularly in the bathroom scene—powerfully reflects the destructive desire for validation many women face. The cinematography, with its careful lighting and visual nods to classic horror films, adds another layer.

References to THE SHINING (the carpet), REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (Moore’s red dress bathroom sequence), and THE FLY (the grotesque transformation) pay homage to the genre’s great moments.

The haunting music complements the film’s gruesome climax, concluding with Elisabeth’s monstrous transformation, a reflection of society’s obsession with perfection.

This film is excellent and thought-provoking as it requires the viewer to confront the uncomfortable topics of discrimination, the fragile perspective of reality, and the unrealistic expectation of beauty standards in contemporary society.

The Substance won Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival, and Moore’s portrayal earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress, amongst other prominent awards.

If you missed one of 2024’s most harrowing and thought-provoking horror films, it’s now streaming on Mubi or available for rent. Now is a great chance to discover why it was among the most buzzed-about and widely heralded films of the year.