The Substance proves that the quest for eternal youth always ends badly

Picture this: an opening sequence focusing on Elisabeth Sparkle’s (Demi Moore) star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  The star goes from being newly minted and adored, to having food splattered on it and cracking in the middle.  This bittersweet imagery leads to the introduction of a mysterious drug called “the substance.”

The Substance is two movies in one… and I much preferred the first part.  Moore begins with a performance that is both intense and risqué.  Perhaps drawing from her own personal experience, Moore captures the pressure to stay young forever as she continuously gazes at herself in the mirror.  Coupled with an intense pulsing soundtrack it’s like the movie is giving you a musical earworm, but with an ominous undertone.  It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Moore take on such a taxing role and she truly delivers.  The movie is sleek, artsy… and sadly undone in the second half.

The Substance’s transition into a gory hell was both surprising and not entirely successful.  One could analyze this film to death and say that the shift in tone symbolizes how the first half of life is filled with energy and beauty, while the latter can feel somewhat lackluster. Despite what might be an intentional juxtaposition, I did not love this.  The Carrie-like blood bath at the end was disgusting to watch and ultimately degraded the overall experience.  Moreover, the genre shift midway took a thought provoking storyline and imploded it in nightmare fashion.  Nevertheless, I must concede that The Substance is worth watching due to its daring performances regarding our obsession with juvenility