REVIEW: THE SUBSTANCE

4/5

Substance Abuse 

141 Mins. Starring: Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley & Dennis Quaid. Screenplay: Coralie Fargeat. Director: Coralie Fargeat. In: Theatres.

Hollywood's Walk of Fame begins this motion picture. A star of Demi Moore, playing another one, in the form of Elisabeth Sparkle (amazing name) is seen through the ages. From crowds of cameras to ketchup spilt like blood symbolism, as this actress goes from the talk of the town, to walked all over. Kind of more like how Demi has been treated throughout her career. The 'Ghost' and 'A Few Good Men' icon, turned 'Indecent Proposal', 'Disclosure' and 'Striptease' star, and then industry afterthought. Shaving her head in 'G.I. Jane' for a powerful performance garnered headlines, but not the same commercial success. Now, that great movie is known as a joke that turned into the most infamous moment at The Academy Awards. How Hollywood regards its women kind of reminds me about what Moore's jaded character in the 'Bobby' ensemble told fellow 90s legend Sharon Stone. "You know, we're all whores." Never that. Even though that's how some ignorant people in the industry treats its stars.

Baring all for 'The Substance', Demi Moore won all the awards...except the elusive Oscar. Losing out to Mickey Madison's amazing 'Anora' and a love letter to the dedication and sacrifice of sex workers. Madison's moment is fully-deserved, but that doesn't make Moore's monumental one any less than. Tomorrow, it will be a calendar since this Coralie Fargeat ('Revenge') unforgettable movie made its debut at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, but this weekend, it finally sees its release in Japan. The last of the Oscar season pictures to debut here, from 'Conclave' to 'Emilia Perez', over the last few months. Expect its substance to be pipped to the post by the spy style of Tom Cruise's latest 'Mission: Impossible' blockbuster, as 'The Final Reckoning' also previews in the Far East, this weekend. Yet, it still holds its own, despite all that. And never mind what those Hollywood types say about Moore's Sparkle in this movie. She still looks absolutely beautiful, and is much more than all that, too. Just like Cruise, also at 62, she is defying both age, and her name being associated with just previous best roles to date.

Bold, brutal and beautiful, Demi is defiant and redefining in a performance of punctuated pain and profound power. The only sore point we have, in a year defined by best picture actors going against their own co-stars in categories (see 'Emilia', for more information), why 'Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood' star Margaret Qualley isn't getting the same kind of shine in a movie that also stars a delightfully despicable Dennis Quaid (raiding a Wurlitzer organ player's closet) and a voice we recognize, but can't place? Andie MacDowell's daughter playing the "better" version (they're both perfect) of Moore's Elisabeth has made good lately with Yorgos Lanthimos ('Poor Things', 'Kinds Of Kindness') and become an indie star darling thanks to one of last year's best, 'Drive-Away Dolls'. She shows us the joy of youthful vibrancy on your side, tempered with the need to realize an entitled attitude is only going to lead you to more disappointment in the future. Meanwhile, Moore goes deeper than the smeared make-up and injected substance that could give Botox a run for its fillers. Showing real beauty lies in no age, and holds true inside. Even if her character can't see that for the fog in the bathroom mirror.

Chemical imbalance with a caustic colour. Heightened sound. Grotesque, hyperrealistic imagery. This horrific satire will do more than make your skin crawl, as it hits you like the large, glaring and blaring titles. This is a 'Black Mirror' episode for the Ozempic advances. You'll look away, but what you hear will heighten your senses even more in an overloaded picture. In the same weekend that Japan also sees the release of January vampire-horror 'Nosferatu', this one will scare you s###less even more. And you've seen those images of Lily-Rose Depp. Yet when the blood is spilled here on this MUBI picture, it will really drain you. Blowing you a kiss between egg yokes, palm trees and carpets straight out 'The Shining', this is another classic on the real horrors of humanity, like a Stephen King book. 21,000 litres of fake blood was spilled, along with all the puppetry, prosthetic make-up and practical effects used to show the societal pressures both on women's bodies and ageing. But that's got nothing on the tears shed, or repressed, that we don't see. In the epic end of 'The Substance', the ensuing 'Carrie' like bloodbath will have you running for the emergency exits, as you won't be able to hold your popcorn and candy. Just like its protagonist, this body-horror movie doesn't know when to stop, but perhaps that's precisely the point. Maybe it's time for Hollywood to have a little more substance. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'The Neon Demon', 'Death Becomes Her', 'The Thing'.