The Substance (2024)

Picture a skincare commercial that got possessed, then give it 141 minutes. That’s The Substance, and it has no idea when to stop. It’s way longer than its one idea needs, and the last act goes so far over the top it turns into a gross-out cartoon. The satire isn’t subtle either. Dennis Quaid eats shrimp in a close-up so tight you can hear every bite, and that’s the nuance level. But Demi Moore is fearless. She plays Elisabeth’s panic about getting older so raw it’s hard to watch, and the scene where she keeps redoing her makeup and never makes it out the door is the best thing she’s done. Margaret Qualley is all shiny teeth and appetite. Fargeat shoots everything in candy colors and wide, empty hallways, like Kubrick decided to sell aerobics tapes. It made $77.3 million worldwide on a reported $18 million budget. A 7.5 because it’s bold, angry and impossible to forget, even when it’s way too much. $282 says you read the instructions on something in your bathroom cabinet twice tonight.

What works: Demi Moore gives a raw, fearless performance, and Fargeat’s candy-colored, symmetrical style makes every frame memorable.

What doesn’t: At 141 minutes it’s far longer than its one idea needs, and the satire is so blunt it leaves nothing for you to figure out.

Who it’s for: Horror fans with strong stomachs, and anyone who has ever stared a little too long at a mirror or a birthday cake.