''The Substance'' is a 2024 body horror film written and directed by

Coralie Fargeat Coralie Fargeat (born 1976) is a French film director and screenwriter. She is best known for her 2017 debut feature film ''Revenge'', for which she received awards from independent film festivals across the world. Fargeat lists David Cronenbe ...

, and starring Demi Moore,

Margaret Qualley Sarah Margaret Qualley (born October 23, 1994) is an American actress and model. A daughter of actress Andie MacDowell, she trained as a ballerina in her youth. She made her acting debut with a minor role in the 2013 drama film ''Palo Alto'', a ...

and Dennis Quaid. The film premiered on 19 May 2024 at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, and was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or in its main competition section, where Fargeat won the

Best Screenplay Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporatio ...

award.

Synopsis

Elisabeth Sparkle, star of an aerobics show, is fired on her 50th birthday by her boss because of her age. When she returns home, her morale at its lowest, she receives an unexpected proposal. A mysterious laboratory offers her a miraculous "substance": if she injects it, she will become "the best version" of herself, "younger, more beautiful, more perfect".

Cast

* Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle *

as Sue * Dennis Quaid as Harvey * Hugo Diego Garcia * Phillip Schurer *

Joseph Balderrama Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the mo ...

* Robin Greer

Production

In January 2022, it was announced that Demi Moore and

would star in the film, with Working Title Films producing and Universal Pictures distributing. In February 2022, it was announced that Ray Liotta had joined the cast. Liotta died in May 2022, which led Fargeat to later recast the role with Dennis Quaid. Filming was projected to begin in Paris in May 2022. In August 2022, '' Deadline Hollywood'' reported that the film was "currently in production." Later that same month, Qualley confirmed in an interview with '' W'' that she was currently doing work on the film. Filming officially wrapped in October 2022.

Release

''The Substance'' was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the

2024 Cannes Film Festival The 77th annual Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in C ...

, where it had its world premiere on 19 May 2024. The film received a standing ovation with conflicting reports that it lasted either nine minutes, 11 minutes or 13 minutes. Prior to, Mubi acquired worldwide rights to the film, planning to distribute it theatrically in North America, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Latin America, Benelux as well as holding rights for Turkey and India, while its subsidiary The Match Factory will handle sales elsewhere.

Metropolitan Filmexport Metropolitan Filmexport is a French film distribution company founded by brothers Samuel Hadida, Samuel and Victor Hadida, along with their father David, in 1978. It distributes films in France, alongside Entertainment One in Canada, United Kin ...

acquired French distribution rights from The Match Factory. The film was originally set to be distributed by Universal Pictures.

Reception

Critical response

''The Substance'' received acclaim from critics after it’s Cannes premiere. David Ehrlich of IndieWire graded the film an A, calling it "an epic, audacious body horror masterpiece... an instant classic. The most sickly entertaining theatrical experience of the year". Nicholas Barber of the BBC awarded the film four stars out of five, while singling out Moore's performance: "Ripping into her best big-screen role in decades, Demi Moore is fearless in parodying her public image." Phil de Semlyen's five star review in ''

Time Out Time-out, Time Out, or timeout may refer to: Time * Time-out (sport), in various sports, a break in play, called by a team * Television timeout, a break in sporting action so that a commercial break may be taken * Timeout (computing), an enginee ...

'' says it is "Moore who glues it all together, going full Isabelle Adjani-in-

Possession Possession may refer to: Law * Dependent territory, an area of land over which another country exercises sovereignty, but which does not have the full right of participation in that country's governance * Drug possession, a crime * Ownership * ...

in a vanity-free performance full of bruised ego, dawning horror and vulnerability". Owen Gleiberman in '' Variety'' praised the film's director: "Coralie Fargeat works with the flair of a grindhouse

Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...

in a weirdly fun, cathartically grotesque fusion of

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Doctor is an academic title that originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb 'to teach'. It has been used as an academic title in Europe since the 13th century, w ...

and Showgirls." Radhika Seth in '' Vogue'' called it "audacious piece of filmmaking... the most exciting release to have debuted on the Croisette so far" and that it was her "current pick to win the Palme d'Or". Damon Wise in '' Deadline'' said it is "a riotous, dreamlike horror-thriller that ends in a delirious symphony of blood, guts and otherwise undefinable viscera". Peter Bradshaw's 4-star review in '' The Guardian'' called it "a cheerfully silly and outrageously indulgent piece of gonzo body-horror comedy".

Accolades

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Substance, The 2024 films Working Title Films films Films shot in Paris Films directed by Coralie Fargeat Films produced by Tim Bevan Films produced by Eric Fellner American body horror films 2020s American films 2020s feminist films American feminist films 2020s French films 2020s British films 2020s English-language films