The Substance: A Brutal Reflection on Beauty Standards and Hollywood

Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance is more than just a body horror film—it’s a searing critique of the way Hollywood commodifies women, enforces impossible beauty standards, and discards aging actresses. Through its disturbing premise and visceral imagery, the film exposes the dehumanization that occurs when women are expected to remain forever youthful, desirable, and marketable.
The Fear of Aging in Hollywood
The film follows Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), a once-iconic star whose career is abruptly cut short when her producer deems her “too old.” This reflects the brutal reality of the entertainment industry, where women over a certain age—particularly those who were once sex symbols—often find themselves pushed out of leading roles. Hollywood glorifies youth and often sidelines actresses as they age, while male actors continue to thrive well into their 50s and 60s.
The Seduction and Horror of “Perfection”
Desperate to reclaim her place in the industry, Elisabeth turns to a black-market drug that creates a younger, more “desirable” version of herself (Margaret Qualley). This younger self, the Substance, embodies the industry’s ideal of beauty—youthful, vibrant, and seemingly flawless. However, as the film progresses, the horrifying consequences of this “perfect” transformation become clear. The film suggests that trying to conform to these unattainable beauty standards—whether through plastic surgery, extreme dieting, or, in this case, a supernatural substance—inevitably leads to destruction.
The Violence of the Beauty Industry
The Substance doesn’t just critique Hollywood’s obsession with youth—it also highlights the psychological and physical toll this obsession takes on women. The film’s body horror elements serve as a metaphor for the pain and mutilation women endure to stay relevant. Whether through surgical enhancements, Botox, or relentless self-discipline, the pursuit of an industry-approved appearance often comes at a devastating cost. The film takes this idea to an extreme, using grotesque transformations to illustrate how the industry literally consumes and replaces women once they are deemed past their prime.
A Feminist Horror Film for the Modern Age
By centering the story around an older female protagonist, The Substance forces audiences to confront Hollywood’s ageism head-on. Demi Moore’s casting is particularly powerful, given her own experiences with the industry’s treatment of aging actresses. Her performance is raw and haunting, making Elisabeth’s desperation and rage feel painfully real.
The film ultimately asks: Who decides what beauty is? And at what cost should women chase an ideal that is, by design, unattainable? The Substance exposes the horror of an industry that worships youth and discards women when they can no longer meet impossible expectations. It’s a nightmarish yet necessary reminder of the way Hollywood—and society at large—treats female beauty as both a currency and a curse.