The Substance is a thriller movie, released on December 11th, 2024. Coralie Farzat, rapidly gaining recognition as one of the most promising film directors despite her limited filmography, directed the film. The film earned significant awards, including the Best Actress Award at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards in 2025 and the Best Screenplay Award at the 77th Cannes Film Festival in 2024. 

 The cast is very small, featuring just three main actors: Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley as the protagonists, and Dennis Quaid. Demi Moore is an actress best known for her role in ‘Ghost’. Despite her age, she delivers a desperate and shocking performance, including a nude scene. Margaret Qualley, a young actress who has been building her filmography since 2013, shows outstanding on-screen chemistry with Demi Moore, despite their more than 30-year age difference.

 Review 

 The main character Elizabeth Sparkle, enjoying her prime, was a top Hollywood star. However, time passes and she’s no longer young and beautiful, so her only job is to host a morning dance program. Then one day, Elizabeth overheard the director of the program telling someone to quickly find a young and beautiful person to replace her. After that, a man recommended The Substance to her. She didn’t bother to look at it at first, but her situation was not improving.

 Eventually, she used The Substance, and a better version of herself was born. The being who referred to herself as 'Su' applied for a job opening at the morning show where Elizabeth had previously worked, was instantly accepted, and quickly rose to stardom, winning everyone's love with her stunning beauty. By the time Sue got more popular, Elizabeth’s craving for youth and beauty was out of control, and it led to Sue breaking the most important rule of The Substance.

 Editor’s Rating: 3.8/5 

 This movie is violent. The filming techniques make these aspects feel even more intense. Most of the scenes are closeups so you can watch the character’s gestures and face even more closely. These scenes, with their intense shaking, visually deliver the unstable and collapsing mental states of the characters.

 Moreover, a feature of this movie is that there are few lines. However, the actors’ performances deliver all of the emotions and situations. Especially memorable were the many scenes showcasing Demi Moore's performance as she watched herself gradually falling apart, and Margaret Qualley's acting, which displayed incredible madness in the film's final moments.

Media Management Editor • KIM TAE WOO • jerryfighter27@gmail.com