The Substance: Have You Ever Dreamt of a Better Version of Yourself?

The Substance (2024), directed by Coralie Fargeat, examines the obsessions with being youthful and ageing “correctly” in a society which is based upon patriarchal and consumerism standards. It is largely about the relationship women have with their bodies as they age, and how far they may go to reverse the “faults” in which society has deemed ugly with the female body. The film follows character Elizabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), who is a Hollywood star who finds herself at a standstill in her career and life, where the men around her are looking for a younger, “perkier” replacement.