Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance (2024, Coralie Fargeat) follows a fading star, Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) as she is given the cold shoulder by show business. She decides to use a drug known as ‘the substance’ to create a younger version of herself (Margaret Qualley), who she must swap consciousness with every seven days. This younger substitute, Sue, finds fame of her own, but refuses to follow the rules of the substance. Although the dialogue was pulpy and unnatural at times, the lead actors delivered brilliant, emotive performances. Their joint desperation for fame and agency was striking.  

The Substance is best viewed with a large group, with plenty of people to react to the grossest parts of the film. In fact, the film was an exploration of filth and gore, from eating with your mouth open to vomiting a dismembered breast; the practical effects certainly bolstered the impact of the more extreme moments. The visuals, score and costuming were unique and modern with an 80’s twist; the over-the-top sound design only added to the – already strong – body horror elements of the film.