THE SUBSTANCE (2024)

Hitchcock, Kubrick, De Palma, Lynch, Carpenter, Cronenberg, Aronofsky. All are masterful directors who boast distinct styles, are universally respected, and gave us iconic horror films. Director Coralie Fargeat is acutely aware of this as she litters The Substance with homages to these legends. Like Fargeat, I am also an enormous fan of these filmmakers, and we at Premium Def love a good ‘ol wink wink, but there is a limit. The reliance on admiration is distracting to the point that Fargeat’s “style” is lost. From the obvious Black Swan walking shots and splitting of the psyche, the Videodrome close-ups (lips), the overuse of The Shinning hallway and bathroom, Psycho’s bathroom compositions, The Elephant Man, The Thing, Carrie’s bloodfest, to a literal The Fly reference at dinner with an extremely close-up Dennis Quaid. It all started to feel like a film student discovering these films for the first time and eagerly panting at the chance to nudge the viewer with a Did you get it? Yup, got it. You may say that the aforementioned directors also borrowed and were influenced by one another, sure most definitely. Who hasn’t been? My argument here is these masters do it without hindering their own distinct approach. However, that being overstated, I enjoyed watching The Substance. Distracting, overeager references aside, there is a lot to love here. Demi Moore and Margaret Qually are gusto personified and both perspectives are equally fascinating. Despite my misgivings, the story is original, the effects are skillfully shot and the commentary is both brutal and funny. Welcome to the game Fargeat.

WATCH OR NOT: WATCH

Additional musings: This is a welcome departure from the endless “insert a female into a man’s role” shtick that Hollywood has been pumping out since the horror of representation took hold. Instead of the tiresome “diversity” of female assassins and girls kicking the shit out of men, The Substance represents real progress.