The Substance

A stunning movie — a kind of modern Picture of Dorian Gray and Frankenstein combined. A film that explores the dangers of beauty standards and misogyny.

Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley both performed magnificently. The visuals are like candy — colourful and fun. And the set designers and costume designers did a great job too.

I felt that The Substance perfectly captures the situation in which patriarchal society provokes, supports and reinforces insecurities and low self-esteem in women — while simultaneously selling us body surgeries and beauty treatments. And when women push themselves to the point where they look like freaks or caricatures of themselves, society still rejects them — now for looking unnatural and ridiculous. Bottom line: we can’t win this game playing by their rules anyway.

This is especially well shown at the end of the film. It’s also worth noting that the vast majority of men in the film aren’t exactly handsome — many are old, potbellied and unpleasant, and they don’t even know how to behave. But beauty standards (and age limits) simply don’t apply to them. Just like in real life.

The only thing I didn’t like was the ending — or rather, the last 10 minutes. Those scenes were the weirdest, most out-of-place and cheapest-looking parts of the film, which slightly spoiled the overall impression. But at least the madness only lasted 10 minutes!

A heads up: some scenes in this film are quite unpleasant — and for some people, even nauseating — so be careful if you’re sensitive to that.