The Substance

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A fading celebrity decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.

Credits: TheMovieDb.

A fading celebrity decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.
Cast:

Elisabeth: Demi Moore
Sue: Margaret Qualley
Harvey: Dennis Quaid
Fred: Edward Hamilton-Clark
Oliver: Gore Abrams
Troy: Oscar Lesage
Man at Diner: Christian Erickson
Male Nurse: Robin Greer
Doctor: Tom Morton
Diego – Boyfriend: Hugo Diego Garcia
Casting Director: Daniel Knight
Assistant Casting Director: Jonathon Carley
Girl Auditioning / New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Jiselle Henderkott
TV Host: Akil Wingate
Man in Suit #1 – Harvey’s Office: Vincent Colombe
Man in Suit #2: Billy Bentley
Man in Suit #3: Lennard Ridsdale
Assistant Director – Pump It Up Show: Jordan Ford Silver
2nd Assistant Director – Pump It Up Show: Oscar Salem
Sue’s Assistant: Viviane Bossina
Floor Runner: Matthew Luret
Maria: Jana Bittnerová
Alan – 2nd Agent: Olivier Raynal
Stylist: Tiffany Hofstetter
Guy in the Elevator: Nicolas Royer
Assistant Director – New Year’s Eve Show: Nathan Rippy
Little Girl – New Year’s Eve Show: Manon Arizmendi
Mother – New Year’s Eve Show: Virginie Kotlinski
Director of Photography – New Year’s Eve Show: Brett Gillen
Screaming Woman: Charlotte Marquardt
Screaming Woman: Léa Hengl
Screaming Woman: Gaëlle Raymond
Screaming Woman: Claire Lemaire
Screaming Woman: Lila Boughoufala
Screaming Man: Aurélien Lorgnier
Screaming Man: Ivan Sellier
Screaming Man: Philip Schurer
Shareholder: Christian Bourmier
Shareholder: Martin Graham
Shareholder: Christian Bordeleau
Shareholder: Patrick Hamel
Shareholder: Didier D’Hondt
Shareholder: Jacques-Yves Dorges
Shareholder: Jean-Claude Matthey
Shareholder: Olivier Jarcin
Shareholder: Jean-Luc Magneron
Allison – Diner Waitress: Charlotte Murray
Greeting Person: Aaron Kahn
Greeting Person: Gabriela Arnon
Greeting Person: Nancy Josephson Lahoussine
Greeting Person: Andrew Eldridge
Greeting Person: Denise Powers
Greeting Person: Bryan Jones
Happy Birthday Person: Adam Carage
Happy Birthday Person: Maria McClurg
Happy Birthday Person: Andrew Desmond
Happy Birthday Person: Rebecca Lafont
Isabella: Laura Puech
Stagehand: Ryan Chidester
Elisabeth (Young) – Walk of Fame: Céline Vogt
Clumsy Burger Guy – Walk of Fame: Yannick Guérin
Worker Walk of Fame: Jean Miel
Worker Walk of Fame: Paul Descoings
Worker Walk of Fame: Benoit Lévêque
Cocktail Bartender: Arthur Molinet
Cocktail Lounge Couple: Manon Sachot
Cocktail Lounge Couple: Bastien Jorelle
Female Assistant – Towel: Kelly Hoarau
George – Harvey’s Friend: Michel Juskiewicz
Restaurant Waitress: Louise Greggory
Guy Looking at Sue: Christophe Sartirano
Guy Looking at Sue: Florent Torres
Billboard Technician: Romain Caldeira
Billboard Technician: Barthelemy Thomas
Photographer: Axel Baille
Additional Voices (voice): Ashley Lambert
Additional Voices (voice): Ranjani Brow
Additional Voices (voice): Chase Fein
Additional Voices (voice): Shane Sweet
Additional Voices (voice): William Calvert
Additional Voices (voice): Michael Corbett
Additional Voices (voice): Stephen Apostolina
The Substance (voice): Yann Bean
Pump It Up Show Dancer: Audrey Alcide
Pump It Up Show Dancer: Jonathan Jenvrin
Pump It Up Show Dancer: Mimi Maury
Pump It Up Show Dancer: Amelye Solange
Pump It Up Show Dancer: Kévin Table
Sparkle Your Life Show Dancer: Laura Boera
Sparkle Your Life Show Dancer: Cissy Duc
Sparkle Your Life Show Dancer: Sophie Mercier
Sparkle Your Life Show Dancer: Marie Valton
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Katrina Budzynski
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Alicia Maury
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Megane Adamik
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Annalisa Pagnotta
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Maelle Dantigny
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Aleksandra Fontaine Kedzierska
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Pauline Sagetat
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Agustina Fitzsimons
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Elena Shcheglova
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Eve Marchant
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Lola Donati
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Kate Matthews
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Ophélie Jonard
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Pauline Richard
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Laureen Cappelliez
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Daria Panchenko
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Delphine Beaulieu
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Victoria Brun
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Cara Chapman
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Katharine Matthews
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Alexandra Faget
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Clémence Juville
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Margot L’Entete
New Year’s Eve Show Dancer: Hillary Sukhonos
Bob Haswell (uncredited): Matthew Géczy
Silhouette (uncredited): Namory Bakayoko
Happy Birthday Person (uncredited): Gregory Defleur
Elizabeth’s Arm During Injection / Monstro Elisasue (some shots) (uncredited): Coralie Fargeat

Crew:

First Assistant Director: Matthieu de la Mortière
Third Assistant Director: Anne Juin
Executive Producer: Erik Baiers
Production Design: Stanislas Reydellet
Director of Photography: Benjamin Kračun
Editor: Jérôme Eltabet
Set Decoration: Cécilia Blom
Hair Department Head: Frédérique Arguello
Special Effects Makeup Artist: Frédéric Balmer
Prosthetic Makeup Artist: Denise Boccacci
Prosthetics Sculptor: Andrea Leanza
Concept Artist: Sebastian Lochmann
Prosthetics Sculptor: Richard Martin
Assistant Art Director: Krystell Morantin
Visual Effects Supervisor: Bryan Jones
Stunt Double: Marie Bouvet
Stunt Coordinator: Jérôme Gaspard
Stunt Double: Guillemette Buffet
Stunts: Ahmed Chouikhi
Stunt Driver: Joffrey Darel
Stunts: Jérémie Delaboudinière
Stunts: Arthur Delapierre
Stunts: Stephane Girondeaud
Stunts: Lucile Perez
Stunts: Céline Richard
Stunts: Marie Sergeant
Second Assistant Camera: Chloè Acher
Electrician: Edouard Alvernhe
Camera Intern: Vianne Burquier
First Assistant Camera: Laure Caniaux
Additional First Assistant Camera: Benjamin Colleye
First Assistant Camera: Marie-Sophie Daniel
Camera Operator: Steve de Rocco
Electrician: Charles Droudun
Video Assist Operator: Yann Festinger
Camera Operator: Catherine Georges
Additional Grip: Tanguy Goasguen
Key Grip: Thomas Gros
First Assistant Camera: Gustin Guillaume
Gaffer: Guillaume Lemerle
First Assistant Camera: Stella Libert
Electrician: Nahi Margot
Digital Imaging Technician: Baptiste Marnière
Electrician: Olivier Maurin
Third Assistant Camera: Jonas Poignant
Grip: William Renaud
Best Boy Electric: Olivier Sargatal
Still Photographer: Christine Tamalet
Steadicam Operator: Ludovic Tobaldi
Grip: Eddy Trouillot
Costume Supervisor: Camille Damag
Costume Supervisor: Fabienne Menguy
Location Manager: Noémie Lance
Location Scout: Nadege Marti
Location Production Assistant: Katia Sourzac
Production Accountant: Baptiste Herment
Colorist: Fabien Pascal
Assistant Editor: Benjamin Durfort
Props: Baptiste Bonin
Property Buyer: Benjamin Bouygues-Faugeron
Writer: Coralie Fargeat
Producer: Eric Fellner
Producer: Tim Bevan
Executive Producer: Alexandra Loewy
Executive Producer: Nicolas Royer
Original Music Composer: Raffertie
Special Effects Makeup Artist: Olivier Afonso
Key Hair Stylist: Jean-Marc Benois
Makeup Artist: Oriane Cattiaux
Special Effects Makeup Artist: Marison De
Special Effects Makeup Artist: Sandrine Denis
Prosthetic Supervisor: Dave Elsey
Prosthetic Supervisor: Lou Elsey
Key Makeup Artist: Stéphanie Guillon
Additional Hairstylist: Mélissa Jacob
Special Effects Makeup Artist: Brian Kinney
Makeup Artist: Lucky Nguyen
Special Effects Makeup Artist: Bryony Rumble
Hair Supervisor: Marilyne Scarselli
Makeup Artist: Cynthia Scigliuto
Hairstylist: Caroline Vlieghe
Production Accountant: Julia Besnier
Unit Production Manager: Benjamin Celliez
Production Coordinator: Pierre-Yves Frohard
Post Production Supervisor: Abraham Goldblat
Post Production Supervisor: Tiva Nagchin
Assistant Production Manager: Honorine Sutter
Third Assistant Director: Clément Audebrand
Third Assistant Director: Mateo Cejoco
Third Assistant Director: Louis Tellier
Second Assistant Director: Benoit Seiller
Carpenter: Louis Celnik
Assistant Art Director: Marion Didier
Props: Elise Duvignau
Set Dresser: Barthelemy Thomas
Art Direction: Amélie Meseguer
Graphic Designer: Marjane Texier
Assistant Property Master: Elsa Rolland
Property Master: Chloé Zobel
Special Effects Supervisor: Jean Miel
Special Effects: Olaf Taittinger
Digital Compositor: Louis Auger
Digital Compositor: Téo L’Huillier
Visual Effects Supervisor: Guillaume Le Gouez
Digital Compositor: Louis Lion
Digital Compositor: Jacob Rogers
Camera Trainee: Guillaume Billy
Additional Second Assistant Camera: Christophe Arnaud
Steadicam Operator: Thomas Burgess
Extras Casting: Jacques-Emmanuel Astor
Extras Casting: Raphaëlle Beck
Casting Assistant: Aurélie Boutet
Set Costumer: Elsa Manunta
First Assistant Editor: Jimmy Zhao
Location Assistant: Isalys Gillet
Assistant Location Manager: Steve Sebir
Assistant Location Manager: Christophe Riso
Music Supervisor: Guillaume Baurez
Script Supervisor: Marianne Huet
Editor: Valentin Féron
Makeup Effects Designer: Pierre Olivier Persin
Set Decoration: Marion De Villechabrolle
Art Direction: Stéphane Bécimol
Art Direction: Arnaud Denis
Art Direction: Gladys Garot
Art Direction: Julie Plumelle
Art Direction: Nathalie Vaïsse
Costume Designer: Emmanuelle Youchnovski
Boom Operator: Claire Bernengo
ADR Mixer: Patrick Christensen
Sound Designer: Valérie Deloof
ADR Editor: Anna Devillaire
Sound Editor: Victor Fleurant
ADR Mixer: Judah Getz
Supervising Dialogue Editor: Olga Pasternak
Boom Operator: Margaux Peyre
Dialogue Editor: Thomas Pichon
Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Victor Praud
Supervising Dialogue Editor: Lucien Richardson
Foley Editor: Antoine Swertvaegher
Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Stéphane Thiébaut
Sound Mixer: Emmanuelle Villard
Foley Artist: Grégory Vincent
Casting: Laure Cochener

Catogories:

I like constituents, because they are clever.

If you follow the instructions, what could go wrong?
Language:
English
Production:
France,United Kingdom
Company:
Working Title Films,Blacksmith
Popularity:
1205.748
Date:
2024-09-07
Year:
2024

Manuel São Bento: The Substance delivers an intense, visually mesmerizing commentary on the entertainment industry’s obsession with youth and outward beauty. Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley offer remarkable, maybe even career-best performances, with Dennis Quaid excelling in his role as well. Coralie Fargeat explores how aging stars, particularly women, are discarded when they no longer meet the industry’s strict beauty standards. Moore’s character, haunted by the memory of her former fame and beauty, goes down a dark path in pursuit of a “better” version of herself. The story is also a sharp critique of power dynamics, with white men controlling who’s in front of the spotlight, while women are pitted against one another for validation.
The film’s production is equally impressive, especially the makeup and prosthetic work that elevates its body horror elements. While the first half of the movie is more subdued, the gore ramps up significantly as the plot unfolds, culminating in a chaotic “fourth act” that will leave audiences bewildered. The fast-paced editing, paired with an impactful score, heightens the tension and surrealism of the narrative. Though there’s a part of me who prefers a version of the film that ends before the wild final act, the overall experience is an unforgettable, audacious exploration of vanity, control, and desperation in the entertainment world.

Rating: B+
good.film: For a film that’s laser-focused on the human body, it’s gloriously on point that THE SUBSTANCE begins with a freshly cracked, bright yellow egg yolk.
Eggs are the ‘giver of life’, right? They’re the origin of all of us. Gleaming and plump, the yolk suddenly gets pricked – not by a fork, but a syringe.

That’s the first juicy visual metaphor of many in this meaningfully bonkers body horror, for which French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat picked up the prestigious Best Screenplay prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

To call the film ‘bold’ is a weapons-grade understatement. It’s an audacious, jaw-dropping examination of what screens & billboards demand of women (especially as they age), and how laughably impossible it is to meet those demands. Well, if you didn’t laugh, you’d cry. After watching THE SUBSTANCE, you might do both.

Here’s our deep dive for good.film: https://good.film/guide/holy-sh-t-the-substance-is-a-weapons-grade-takedown-of-the-male-gaze
griggs79: Demi Moore’s performance in The Substance is so potent that it’s hard to tell what’s more intoxicating; her inevitable Best Actress win or Coralie Fargeat’s razor-sharp screenplay that’s already got the Oscar in the bag.
Brent Marchant: There’s a big difference between being funny and being laughable, yet the latest from writer-director Coralie Fargeat has somehow found a way to be both. After amassing a considerable amount of largely well-earned cinematic goodwill in the film’s opening segments, the picture mercilessly squanders that support in the final act with an overlong, meandering, disgustingly gratuitous and grotesque exhibition of utterly bad taste. This story of an aging actress (Demi Moore) who seeks to revive her career by retrieving some of her lost youth with the aid of an enigmatic injectable follows her grand misadventures when the mysterious substance prompts the emergence of a younger doppelganger (Margaret Qualley), who becomes a Hollywood sex kitten sensation virtually overnight. To make this experimental venture work, however, the two individuals must follow a complex set of rules, dictates that become increasingly difficult to follow as they each vie for their respective shares of attention. And, as this scenario unfolds, tension grows between them, leading to complications and unexpected developments that become progressively harder to manage. But that’s where what works in the film ends. As the story plays out from there, it becomes stupendously absurd, and, even though there are some hearty laughs in this, there are even more ridiculously implausible and unexplained occurrences that try audience members’ patience and tolerance, so much so that I couldn’t wait for this trainwreck to end. In addition to the foregoing shortcomings, the film includes myriad changes in tone, making it difficult to determine whether this is supposed to be a serious thriller or a campy road, very much in the same way as in the incomprehensible French offering “Titane” (2021). It also shamelessly “borrows” elements from other movies in various ways, most notably imagery and narrative references from “The Shining” (1980) and “Young Frankenstein” (1974), costume designs from the “Hunger Games” franchise, and bafflingly inexplicable soundtrack excerpts from films like “Vertigo” (1958). Then there’s the picture’s obvious, heavy-handed message about the perils of misogyny, observations that, as important as they are, could easily stood to have been turned down more than a few notches (yes, we get it already). At the same time, though, there are also some fundamentally innate questions about the narrative that go wholly unanswered, leaving us with numerous head-scratching moments. Sadly, these failings detract significantly from the elements that do work (at least early on in the film), such as the fine performances of Moore and Qualley, the picture’s inventive cinematography, and a central premise that could have made for an engaging story if handled with greater finesse. But these strengths are effectively cancelled by what ultimately results when this release goes off the rails. Indeed, how “The Substance” captured the 2024 Cannes Film Festival award for best screenplay is truly mind boggling. I’m certainly a fan of the weird, wild and wacky, but this release undermines the virtues of those cherished qualities. Regrettably, I was seriously looking forward to seeing this offering, and I was decidedly impressed by what I saw in its opening acts, but that was all wiped out by how this one ultimately played out, a picture that, in the end, ironically relied more on style than “substance.”
CinemaSerf: This takes a logical step on from Coralie Fargeat’s earlier “Reality+” (2014) drama, only this time it takes a much more substantial swipe at all things vain. “Elisabeth” (Demi Moore) has been at the top of her fitness game for many a year when her boss “Harvey” (Dennis Quaid) decides that she’s now too old and that a younger model is needed to present those programmes we all saw on the television of gorgeous, fit and healthy, people showing us how to exercise on a mat in from of our televisions each morning. Distracted by her imminent removal, she is involved in a car accident that introduces her to an handsome young nurse (Robin Grear) and then to a curious invitation to test out a mysterious fluid that can essentially give her her cake and eat it. In best “Jekyll and Hyde” tradition, injecting this quite literally creates a split personality. One is her current self, the other a perfect, younger specimen. They work in a rota system each gets a week of consciousness then has to take a week out. Thing is, the more vivacious character “Sue” (Margaret Qualley) is not so religious about sticking to these sharing rules and we quickly discover that what is “borrowed” can never been returned – with increasingly harrowing results. With the gushing “Harvey” determined to capitalise on his new ratings winner, things become decidedly irritating for the now marginalised “Elisabeth” – but shat can she do? There’s no going back…! I think this is Moore at her best. Her palpable sense of evolving fury, exasperation and frustration is expertly captured as is the selfishness of her alter ego by an on form Qualley. Quaid steals his scenes as the truly odious epitome of corporate greed for whom it’s all about the business, the money and never the actual people concerned. The denouement is reminiscent of something concocted by one of the David’s – Lynch or Cronenberg, and allows the throbbing ghastliness of this story of vanity gone mad to demonstrate just how fickle life can be when there’s little actual substance at all to their shallow and vacuous lives. A savage indictment of the short-term and unprincipled “beauty” industry that aims squarely at just about everyone and everything involved, is engagingly toxic and well worth a watch.
r96sk: Certainly an experience!
‘The Substance’ is a lot. It’s one of those sorta movies that I needed to let settle in my mind before I even started to think about reviewing it. I’m not even sure where to start. It’s insane from pretty much the beginning to the very end of its 140 minute run time, some scenes are particularly rough to watch unfold!

I think the only body horror flick I’ve seen up until this point is David Cronenberg’s ‘Crimes of the Future’ from 2022, which I found to be solid enough but it came across, at least to me, as a bit too forced for shock value. This 2024 release has plenty of that, if not more, but it somehow feels totally at home with what surrounds it.

The story itself is fascinating, even taking out all the craziness with the gore et al. So by no means is this a film that is style over substance (sorry). It isn’t anything actually overly original in terms of the base plotline, though the way it is portrayed and brought to life is astounding – every inch is expertly crafted.

Demi Moore is outstanding in this! I haven’t seen her in much, at least anything released post-2002, but here she is top quality throughout. Margaret Qualley is obviously the opposite in terms of the former, though is just as fantastic in regards to the latter – great performance!

If you see anyone giving warnings ahead of watching this, they are very much warranted! Even with all the graphic twistedness, which will turn many away, this is an impressively enthralling picture. I may need a lie-down though.
badelf: I love French comedic films, and this one is no different. Coralie Fargeat crafted a seemingly simple story on the subject of Hollywood’s obsession with youth and beauty, and then directed it right into the status of cult, horror, midnight, grade B (the good kind) movie genre. Brilliant!
While on the face, this movie is about aging out of Hollywood’s graces, the script is also laced with interesting subplots: having a proxy that ages for you a la Oscar Wilde’s Dorian Gray, and the subject of shallow self-hate and self-love, along with that “needy for applause” character that so many actors have and must either learn to deal, or fail at life.

Demi Moore is nothing short of awesome here. Dennis Quaid and Margaret Qualley are right up there with her and Fargeat in playing over-the-top choices.
VicSur: **The Substance (2024)**
A Visceral Exploration of Youth Obsession and the Fear of Time

“The Substance” is a bold cinematic experience that masterfully resurrects the practical effects of 1980s horror, delivering a visual and auditory feast that is both nostalgic and groundbreaking. Directed with a keen eye for detail, the film delves deep into society’s obsession with youth and the inevitable passage of time, offering a thought-provoking commentary wrapped in visceral horror.
The film follows a renowned actress, portrayed by Demi Moore, who grapples with the fear of aging and losing her fame. In a desperate attempt to reclaim her youth, she becomes entangled with a mysterious substance that promises vitality but comes with horrifying consequences. As she navigates this treacherous path, the lines between reality and obsession blur, leading to a descent into madness.
At its core, “The Substance” is a critique of the 21st-century fixation on youth over the value of life experience. It echoes themes from classics like “Death Becomes Her” and “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” highlighting the shame associated with aging and the societal pressure to maintain perpetual youthfulness. The film questions whether society promotes a ‘sexy reality’ at the expense of genuine substance and wisdom.
The narrative explores the concept of cheating death, not just literally but metaphorically, as a fear of social death—being forgotten or replaced. This is poignantly portrayed through Moore’s character, who embodies the desperation of clinging to relevance in a world that idolizes the new and discards the old.

**Practical Effects and Gore**
From the opening scenes, it’s evident that the physical effects are a labor of love—a homage to the era before CGI dominated horror. The gore is unapologetically front and center, reminiscent of Cronenberg’s “The Fly,” pushing the boundaries of on-screen grotesque. The disturbingly realistic blood effects, combined with meticulously crafted sound design, amplify the discomfort, making the audience squirm.

**Color Palette and Visual Aesthetics**
The color palette is meticulously crafted, bathing scenes in hues that evoke unease and familiarity simultaneously. The use of shadows and lighting enhances the suspense, while the wardrobe and costume design serve as narrative devices, illustrating the juxtaposition between youth and age, purity and corruption.

**Performances**
Demi Moore delivers a stellar performance, capturing the vulnerability and desperation of a woman battling the relentless march of time. Her portrayal adds depth to the film’s themes, embodying the internal decay and obsession manifesting physically through the substance. The supporting cast also contributes significantly, with each character representing different facets of society’s views on youth and aging.

**Critique**
While the film excels in many areas, it isn’t without flaws. The ending feels abrupt, leaving several narrative threads untied, which may leave some viewers unsatisfied. Additionally, the persistent focus on teen emotional states can be grating, potentially alienating those seeking a more mature exploration of the presented themes.

**Engaging with the Hype**
“The Substance” has generated significant buzz online, sparking discussions about its innovative use of practical effects and its deep societal commentary. The hype seems to stem from both horror enthusiasts who appreciate the throwback to classic techniques and audiences resonating with its timely themes. However, it’s worth considering whether the film is merely feeding into the very cycle of superficiality it aims to criticize.

“The Substance” is a visceral commentary on the fear of aging, the obsession with youth, and the inevitable march of time. It challenges viewers to reflect on their perceptions of age, experience, and what truly holds value. By drawing parallels with films like “Gremlins,” “Frankenstein,” “A Christmas Carol,” and “Carrie,” it positions itself as a modern amalgamation of timeless themes.
Despite its imperfections, the film succeeds in sparking conversation—a hallmark of impactful cinema. It’s as uncomfortable as it is thought-provoking, demanding to be felt and discussed. Whether you love it or hate it, “The Substance” is a noteworthy addition to the horror genre that holds up a mirror to society’s own fears and obsessions.

**Extra Thoughts**
– The film raises pertinent questions about our role in perpetuating the fear of aging. Are we complicit in creating a world where experience is devalued?
– The character dynamics suggest that embracing change and maintaining balance might be key to a fulfilling life, even if it comes at a cost.
– The hype surrounding the movie could reflect its resonance with audiences grappling with similar fears and obsessions in today’s youth-centric culture.

**Final Recommendation**
“The Substance” may not offer all the answers, but it provides a platform for dialogue on important societal issues. Its blend of classic horror techniques with contemporary themes makes it a film worth experiencing. If you’re a fan of thought-provoking horror that goes beyond mere scares, this movie deserves a place on your watchlist.

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