French director Coralie Fargeat arrives in official competition, at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, with a genre film that has turned the Croisette upside down. The film received the Screenplay Prize for this 77th edition and is expected in theaters on November 6, 2024. Discover our opinion and the trailer!
At each Cannes Festivalhis rumors of fainting in the projection rooms. This year, it’s the film The Substance by Coralie Fargeat which was accompanied by its share of corridor noises, due to the violence shown on the screen. Nothing surprising for this French director who already signed, with his premier film Revengeand rape and revenge gore et radical.
Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), former movie star, is now the presenter of an aerobics show. Its producer Harvey (Dennis Quaid) tells her that she has reached her “expiry date” – she would have nothing left sparkling – and that she will be replaced by a younger presenter (understand, more attractive to the target audience and investors). Back in his minimalist apartment, overlooking Los Angelesshe orders The Substancea mysterious and innovative product based on cell divisionto be injected in order to generate a another version of yourself – younger, more beautiful, more perfect of course.
This best version of herselfDemi Moore gives birth from her back in a particularly raw scene. Thus was born Sue (Margaret Qualleythe daughter of Andie MacDowell, seen at Yórgos Lánthimos – Poor Creatures, Kinds of Kindness – and at Ethan Coen in Drive-Away Dolls). This dream plastic alter-ego is quickly hired to replace her on the show, evolving the show from a Jane Fonda-style aerobics sequence to a music video for Call on me. However, one instruction must be followed to the letter so that the protocol goes well: the obligation to switch every 7 days, one week for Elisabeth, one week for Sue. We suspect, therefore, that everything is not going to go as planned.
And Coralie Fargeat offers Demi Moore a fabulous return to the forefront (and she doesn’t do things “half-heartedly”, like daring to go completely nude), the French director also has the good sense to call on a completely different actress to portray a young Moore, avoiding the rejuvenating special effects which could have been missed. Especially with such a film body horrorthis cinematographic genre focusing on transformation of bodiesnothing like using plastic special effectsas unsavory as they are – pus, blood and other bodily fluids are legion.
Feminine and feminist, The Substance is a real little candy which allows the criticism of the star system and of white cis men’s obsession with youth which is reflected, year after year, on the women over 50 – the role of Dennis Quaid is particularly sickeningly disgraced. With, to signify time and passing celebrities, a long shot of Elisabeth Sparkle’s star on Hollywood Boulevard who endures the years and the affronts of passers-by.
By saturated colorsof the ultra-aesthetic plansreal care given to the decorations, numerous daring plans in particular of immersive macro shots and a line assemblyCoralie Fargeat places all the references that make up her cinema (Carrie, Elephant Man, Shining when Demi Moore’s body begins to rot), but the film goes in circles pretty quickly.
With a soft belly a good hour in the middle – the film is 2h20 all the same! -, The Substance would have gained from cut more sharply into the bacon and to go beyond your (very good) initial idea so as to offer its actresses a less nanardesque exit door (even if the disgusting hemoglobin ending is certainly assumed) and more focused on l’empowerment female.
The trailer for The Substance (2024) by Coralie Fargeat:
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