I’m sure you’ve seen the images already: Margaret Qualley splattered with blood and Demi Moore’s agony as she smears on makeup while gazing in a mirror. They’re both (honestly, two of the least disturbing) moments from the latest body-horror film from director Coralie Fargeat, The Substance.
The film stars Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle, a TV star who is fired for the unforgivable crime of aging. Sparkle gets her hands on a black-market drug that promises to restore her to a younger version of herself, played by Qualley. What could go wrong?!? For the next two hours, The Substance is relentless in its portrayal of society’s disposable treatment of women and our fear of mortality. The film tackles issues of ageism, misogyny, and self-hatred. But there’s a reason that The Substance is one of our favorite horror flicks of the year—it’s every bit as entertaining as it is terrifying.
Where Can I Stream The Substance?
The Substance is now exclusively streaming on Mubi, just in time for Halloween. You can try a seven-day free trial or sign up for $14.99 a month to gain access to its film library. The movie is also available for digital purchase via the usual suspects: Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+.
After the film won Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival, Fargeat told Esquire she was “more than thrilled to have such a positive reaction.” She spent five years working on The Substance. “It was sticking to my conviction,” she said, “making my choices and following my intuition that the movie had to be really bold.”
