The Substance (2024), directed by Coralie Fargeat

Work opportunities and acclaim is drying up for fading star Elisabeth Sparkle, who has descended from the red carpet to morning show aerobics. Despite extreme pain and significant drawbacks she takes the chance to become a younger, better version of herself but only week on week off. A version of The Picture of Dorian Gray as an inditement the treatment of women in the entertainment industry, this film is, to say the least, unsubtle. Striking production design contributes to a hyperreal allegory that borders on cartoonish and is undermined by an excess of gratuitous nudity, sexploitation, violence and gore. The film makes a good point about women being at war with themselves and often literally their own worst enemies and accurately depicts the way the industry undermines and pressures them. But there is no suggestion of retribution nor consequences for any of the disgusting men who contribute to the problem. The acclaim and attention this film received is a great example of Hollywood pumping itself up and taking credit where it is not due. Demi Moore is good as Elisabeth, but neither her performance nor the film is Oscar nomination-worthy. This is a true horror story that doesn’t quite hit the mark and, as with so many films in recent years, is far too long.