The Substance is SHALLOW But That's What Makes it WORK

[@ApricusInaros]

The sound design in this movie really enhances the horror . Usually I'm used to composed music or seconds of complete silence to convey the pictures. Here you have banging, smacking and overall loud noises accompany the characters actions. It's the first movie I had to look away for the last 10 to 15 minutes of its runtime. I'm normally okay with body horror, violence and gory pictures in movies. But the horrible fate of the monster, the graphic display of it with the sound design made me actually highly uncomfortable, heck even sick. The message of the film was a good reminder to myself about youth and beauty and its value to society and to me.

[@DylanMadd]

Yes!! I was actually looking away during a lot of the early, procedural stuff Demi Moore was doing with the kit. Medical horror… By the end, at least I could see that it wasn’t real or possible. I think the lunch scene was super disgusting too. It was like a whole movie of Quatto in Total Recall. Gross.

[@Alachia]

I had to close my eyes during the lunch scene. It was way grosser than the rest of the stuff.

[@jamestaylor2333]

​@@AlachiaIt almost made me sick hearing and seeing that. 😂 I was able to take the titty that grew out of her back or wherever but dude eating shrimp...? 🤢🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮

[@skabcat242]

This was my favorite movie of 2024. It just kept going places and made you wonder if it would go any further.

[@astronomer747]

This was my favorite film of the year so far. Nothing comes close. It had me on the edge of my seat and was actually intense. I found the scene where the younger version of the character Elizabeth Sparkle almost terminates her old, deformed self both horrifying and terribly sad. Fargeat, the director, said she got the idea from her experience of plastic surgery. It becomes a kind of addiction that never leaves the patient content with their appearance. So I think it's multi-valent in the meaning of the imagery. Yes, the internal ugliness is there, but the disfiguring gore also has a real world parallel in the cosmetic industry. The characters may be as shallow as it gets but I don't think the film itself is. It has similarities to Cronenberg in terms of the monster effects, but I think it's more humorous than his films tend to be. It's less cold and clinical and much more satirical. I laughed very hard, but I was also very disturbed and moved at other moments. It's a movie about addiction to beauty or beauty standards created by these industries, and how we succumb to them for understandable reasons. These are insecurities many women have, and I think it presents on alternate world where there is a cure with a catch, which serves as the plot device to push those insecurities to uncomfortable extremes. Like any good horror film it amplifies this fear, but it also mitigates it somewhat with the humorous bits. I love it, and I'm excited to see what this director does next.

[@pobstrel]

It's like a collaboration between Cronenberg and Stanley Kubrick!

[@michelehamilton961]

I also saw this as an allegory of substance use or self harm. Often there are “rules” that get violated and sometimes a feeling that there are 2 versions of you (during and after use). Also of depression. Elizabeth is depressed when Sue is “in charge”.

[@thecunninlynguist]

Substance was fun. Loved the body horror. The chicken drumstick scene 😂😂😂😂

[@NonameMarianne]

C+? Not even a B, given the powerful message about our youth and beauty-obsessed societal standards imposed on women and (some) women's acceptance of these standards? I agree with what you discussed at 22 minutes in: it is sadly true that 'most people don't want to hear it' (that beauty and youth fade, are temporary)-- until they are forced to when they gradually start to age themselves. Then, it's a question of acceptance vs. go under the knife and become plastic-surgery obsessed. I guess we could ask women like Demi Moore and Jane Fonda who both look beautiful but no longer look young, even after repeated procedures. They have enormous value to offer people but that self-acceptance may take some time, helped by the inevitability of aging.

[@ekvilist]

for me that scene with a monstro in front of the audience, especially out of the context, could be interpreted as a nightmarish amalgamation of all fears of public speaking - uncomfortable silence, mic squeaking, your voice sounds like shit, you look ugly, you fall apart. i keep thinking about this scene, its so interesting that monstro in that scene seems so kind, its like a first time when she talked like an actual normal person

[@snittykitty1]

Thank you for the review as I was one of the viewers who was curious about your thoughts. I normally don't care for horror myself but with all the buzz over it I watched with my bf who does love horror. When she kept fussing with her makeup before her date and then in the end couldn't leave her place was where it really got me. Calling him was the only time she lit up and really smiled and it was the most connection she had besides the nurse. It was the 'what if' and seeing how much she despised her current self that was heartbreaking.

[@Alachia]

Yeah. It's sad. The one time she could have found some happiness, she let her vanity and self doubt squander it. Heartbreaking to watch.

[@snittykitty1]

@@Alachia And Demi's despondent look of defeat, to me that's the lesson- get out of you own head.

[@pobstrel]

I think she also realised that she had been as guilty as judging people on their looks and how they age. Not as much as her boss who fired her but even so. She wasn't interested in the guy from her school at first because of her shallow prejudices but later realised.

[@jeremebonesaw]

@7:09 I always appreciate how honest you are and don't tip toe around anything. We need more reviews like this. Thank you.

[@JenniferMcMahonhawaii78]

it deserves all the Oscar’s,

[@imarxb]

Saw this in a packed cinema when it came out. It's very entertaining but maybe 15 minutes too long. Definitely a rollercoaster ride.

[@DiscoFever1970]

Another Alachia review? An abundance of riches! Cue the pipes of Pan...again. (Faun resembling "Mr. Tumnus" skips onscreen).

[@GuyHarding]

Thank you for the content!

[@winwinmilieudefensie7757]

Living things dont “ decay “ dead things decay

[@Alachia]

By that definition, your teeth couldn't decay until you are dead.

[@MrGenedancingmachine]

When the ending happened I just thought of Braindead

[@Alachia]

It reminded me more of Carrie

[@MrGenedancingmachine]

@@Alachia more Carrie indeed but I just meant the fuel truck trailer worth of fake blood they were spraying everywhere 😂

[@Alachia]

@MrGenedancingmachine lol yeah. Like a Kool aid ad. I was afraid that scene was going to be so messed up but it was so purposefully over the top fake, it made me laugh.

[@NonameMarianne]

The monster at the end looked so much like the Elephant Man. I also thought of The Fly (Cronenberg).

[@jounouchi123]

thank you for existing alachia

[@alfredcannon9409]

I was just thinking I haven't seen a video of yours in a while!! Thank you for what you do! Happy Wednesday! I hope your Thanksgiving was well! And I know I'm a little late but Happy Thai new year as well!

[@Alachia]

My Wicked and Gladiator II reviews are out as well

[@ABCABBMovie]

I just wanted to say that I'm so happy you're putting out reviews again! I always enjoy hearing your thoughts and I've missed seeing your videos pop up in my subscription feed.

[@DylanMadd]

Holy crap. I totally also did not want to watch this. Went to a “holiday” screening with some friends and this was the movie. Definitely felt like it would have a ‘Requiem for a Dream’ quality - the uncomfortable one that makes me never want to watch it again. And sure enough, that’s exactly the way Substance is. Acting is great. B/c of how i felt the whole ride, I guess the film making is on point too. Just… holy $hit.

[@eric_linden]

This review has lots of substance. 😊

[@Alachia]

I see what ya did there. Lol

[@peterkarargiris4110]

I was strongly, very strongly reminded of the manga of Junji Ito. I loved all but probably the last half hour of this film. I gave it an 8/10 on the basis of the visual effects alone. The 'message' is as straight forward as it could be.

[@RyanMPierson]

It was good until it got a bit too weird for me. I like weird, but there was a point where it fell into Requium for a Dream territory and lost me.

[@DylanMadd]

I just said something very similar about Requiem (requium?) I kept feeling badly for Demi Moore. She had conquered money and fame. And she seemed to know it wouldn’t actually be ‘her’ living the ‘good version’ of her life. I kept thinking she didn’t need this. If only she could have used her money and station to try to be happy, or make others happy, or do some good… Guess that’s a part of the tragedy.

[@clintonturner5545]

Joan Rivers was 81. She wasn't satisfied with her normal looks.

[@NonameMarianne]

I found her difficult to look at towards the end. She'd changed her appearance so much. Despite all her talent, she still wanted to look like a different/better/younger version of herself.

[@clintonturner5545]

@@NonameMarianne I didn't see this movie. There are a lot of women that feel the way she did. Remember this is a movie Marianne. My wife wore make up until we got married. She later in life used fading or vanishing cream. After a while the darker places on her face went away forever. I loved and liked her with the blotches on her face. She has said that she doesn't care what people think about her. Carry 0n.

[@patbortz4677]

Thanks for the review. Very insightful. It's funny how movies we may not love can bring up some deep topics.

[@vietnamesestyles]

omg i finally get another review! Alachia your perspective is very agreeable!! Keep it up!

[@Lexy-O]

Great review! The movie sounds too depressing for me

[@Alachia]

Super sad to watch

[@astronomer747]

Interesting. I never thought of it as depressing and I belly laughed at certain scenes because it's so over the top, and Demi Moore is funny when she gets really pissed. It has tragic elements for sure, but I guess a lot of the humor didn't sink in with some audience members.

[@Lexy-O]

@ the humor comes from schadenfreude

[@seank1033]

Yes! I was hoping for this review!!!

[@aldaedalus]

Oh so you're REALLY back. 🎉🎉🎉

[@jamestaylor2333]

I didn't have Alachia saying TITTIES on my '24 bingo card. 😂😂😂😂 I really liked this movie and found it to be a pretty decent commentary on how beauty standards are viewed and how they can drive people to do crazy things just to maintain how they are viewed by others. I don't know about anyone else but the finale reminded me of Carrie X Akira. 😂

[@ChristopherVaughn]

I didn't see the movie, but I really enjoyed your review of it.

[@kojo7485]

I haven't seen 😕 this movie 👀 🎬 yet, but I'm glad you've got to see it for a review 😅

[@JohnJID999]

I’m excited to hear your thoughts on this one. I got into horror this year because there were just so many good movies coming out that I had to dive into them. This movie was like one big Twilight Zone episode I grew up on that show so the premise of this I really fucked with it. This one really connected with me because I love Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and the hippie girl from that movie is the other lead actress in this next to Demi Moore. I like seeing younger actors in smaller roles get bigger roles as time goes on. Hopefully she’ll get more stuff after more people see The Substance.

[@MichaelSmith-pt3ip]

Yeah that movie was disturbing.

[@bigmic2162]

You are ageless Alachia 😉

[@jjoanna2]

I really appreciate your reviews and i totally agree this movie is extremely shallow but i don't think it's a good thing. It's just an inferior version of "Death becomes her" (which i highly recommend - has wonderful characters and amazing dielogue). The Substance tale is told with no real dialogue or no meat on the characters. Its shallowness kinda reminded me of the Barbie movie - a very thin weak simplified feminist message wrapped in a shiny candy wrapper. But the wrapper is lying - it's not representing what's inside it :/ The Substance has no substance. Even the super simple story that it tells has sooo many plot holes like - why would Elizabeth switch life with Sue even for a second if she wasn't present in Sues consciousness/ she did not participate in Sues success nor did she got any affIrmation from the society for being younger. She wasn't really in Sues body, living through her, looking through her eyes. They were like two completely different people. So this "devil pact" didn't make any sense to me. I guess the only good thing about this movie were the impressive practical effects but that's still the wrapper so... more looks. ugh After a while it made me super annoyed - felt like i'm watching a very long reggaeton MTV video.

[@daustin8888]

Margaret Qualley looks more like a young Jennifer Connelly. She looks nothing like Demi Moore.

[@Alachia]

Yeah, that wasn't the point for this film. It was more an ideal of what she wanted to look like

[@daustin8888]

​@@Alachia They're still getting a 1/10 from me for not using Jennifer Connelly

[@DylanMadd]

Thought that too. It was workable. But I wondered, IS this a “younger” version of Demi Moore? Meaning, did the younger version have the knowledge of the older one? She was physically capable - a pro dancer walking in there sight unseen & commanding all the other professional exercise people. But then didn’t seem to know other important things.

[@hankseda]

A substantial review of a disturbing film 👍👏 hearing you explain about this movie I got a sense that a lot of women seeing it feel just as you said. And by the way, glad to see you back in the reviewer chair 😊

[@Cor3387]

Great review and I agree with most of it. My girlfriend and I watched it recently and we'd probably give it a C. I think part of the problem for us was all the reviews really hyped it up but we were a little disappointed. Like you said, it was pretty shallow and everyone in it was clearly a caricature which kind of made the characters quite unlikeable. Elisabeth just comes off as super narcissistic, materialistic etc... As you said, maybe that was the point but it really dulled the message to me, like we felt bad but was so overly obsessed with appearance and unlikeable that you can't relate. Maybe it's because we're from a small city in Canada so we could never really understand the Hollywood mentality haha. The message and symbolism was also a little too obvious and on the nose, like okay we get it ha. Finally, the body horror was pretty well done although not as shocking as many made it sound, my gf watched The Thing for the first time a couple weeks ago and she said that creeped her out way more.

[@Llewellyn2844]

C+? Shame on you.

[@dckmatrixxx]

That was a very gross movie also