‘The Substance’: What to know about Demi Moore’s powerhouse new film

The new film is a feminist fable that warns of the pitfalls of blindly chasing youth.

Unless you’re already into genre films, it might be easy to dismiss “The Substance,” at first glance, as a too-gory entry in the body horror category. But upon deeper inspection, this sophomore effort from French writer-director Coralie Fargeat (whose first feature, 2017’s “Revenge,” was adored by critics) is a firmly self-aware and feminist fable that warns – quite graphically – of the pitfalls of blindly chasing youth. The premise and plot of “The Substance” are simple: celebrated actress and fitness guru Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore, in a scenery-chewing performance) has a star on the Walk of Fame and a popular exercise show. At the top of the movie, she is celebrating her 50th birthday and discovers that she is being fired by her boss Harvey (Dennis Quaid), a vile and crude entertainment executive. From there, an increasingly distraught Elisabeth comes to learn of a mysterious black market drug known as the Substance, which promises to deliver her a younger and more vital version of herself – with certain caveats. Enter Sue, played by Margaret Qualley, a voluptuous and vivacious younger “self” who plots to reclaim Elisabeth’s former glory. The pair just have to follow a few simple but non-negotiable rules, as dictated by the shadowy company that provides the Substance. Of course, that equilibrium doesn’t last very long. Without giving too much away, what follows is a madcap look at Elisabeth’s desperate attempt to remain on top, matched with Sue’s growing addiction to the admiration she elicits from everyone around her. It all culminates in a final act that brings new meaning to the term “bloodbath.” Fargeat recently told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that as she herself aged into her 40s, she “started to have these crazy, violent thoughts that my life was going be over, that no one would be interested in me anymore, that I wouldn’t have any value. And I really realized how violent and powerful those thoughts were.”