With “The Substance,” director Coralie Fargeat does something genre classicists John Carpenter and David Cronenberg would never allow — let the special effects overwhelm the story and lessen its impact. That’s a shame, as “The Substance” has a great deal to say about sexism in the entertainment industry — and by extension, society — as well as the self-loathing it breeds in the women who fall victim to it. When it’s addressing these issues head on, it’s firing on all cylinders and is driven by a fierce performance from Demi Moore, who’s obviously drawing on her own experiences dealing with the vagaries of Hollywood and its attitude of dispensability where actresses are concerned.
Fargeat’s agenda is obvious yet expressed pointedly with a liberal dose of dark humor. Ultimately, things spin wildly out of control during a seemingly never-ending climax that proves redundant and unnecessary. Former actress Elisabeth Sparkle (Moore) has parlayed her fame and fortune into a second career as a fitness instructor, her syndicated exercise show seen by millions each day.
Or at least, that’s how it once was. With her ratings in decline, the show’s producer, Harvey (Dennis Quaid), unceremoniously dumps her and begins searching for a younger replacement. Soon after, Sparkle is involved in a car accident that sends her to the hospital where she crosses paths with a nurse who gives her a phone number, stating she’s a good candidate for a program that will change.