The Substance Isn't Just Shock Value...

I felt like I was watching an extended episode of Black Mirror. As a midlife woman, I found it fascinating.

Loved the movie, and the fact that people talked about Margaret Qualley's beauty more than anything else, proves the point almost poetically.

Excellent thoughtful analysis. This film has really stuck with me weeks after viewing not because of the gore and body horror but for genuinely showing the impact of unrealistic beauty standards and fear of aging has on our society, particularly women. Both Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley give astonishing performances

I love how the substance gives more than is necessary of the activator serum. The makers could have given only the amount necessary for the first transformation, but by giving more, they create the possibility of that temptation

YOU ARE ONE , RESPECT THE BALANCE It feels like these words are like a metaphor for growing up. When you're young, you need to learn to be responsible and take better care of yourself. Only then will you become better, healthier, and well adjusted as you grow older. In the movie, when Sue starts becoming more reckless and rebellious, she takes more from Elizabeth, which leads to the latter getting worse and worse. I noticed that in the movie, whenever they switch bodies, it feels like one gains the others' previous memories. If that's true, then it makes more sense why Elizabeth hated Sue. She couldn't fully experience it. I think when she was about to kill Sue, even though she hated her, she probably saw her as a daughter and didn’t want to ruin her big day and was willing to be ONE and RESPECT THE BALANCE, only it was too late and there was no going back. In an ideal world, Demi Moore, Margaret Quaylly, and everyone who worked on this movie would win so many Academy Awards.

I remember being a size 6 (up from my high school size 3) in my early 20s and feeling like I was fat and unattractive. I am now a size 14 and love myself not because I’m happy with my current size (I am not) BUT I decided to love myself while this size as I do the work to go down a few sizes. Looking at photos of me when I was in a six and can’t believe my mind was so warped to think I was fat at that time. Makes me mourn a little for the younger me and her mindset. Yet grateful for the older me and this mindset!

This movie has a long life ahead of it. People will be discussing it for years

I viewed "The Substance" twice in theaters. Prior to the initial view, I had "low expectations." Afterwards, I was convinced "The Substance" is one of the sleeper films of 2024, with David Cronenberg esque body horror.

Something I thought was interesting was that when she went young again as Sue she didn’t do anything different, like it was just a repeat of the life she had already lead that made her so unhappy at this age. Made it feel even more empty and superficially focused.

I found Demi Moore's performance deeply moving and in my opinion she deserves an Oscar for it.