At first glance, “The Substance” may appear to be a typical entry in the body horror genre, but this sophomore effort from French writer-director Coralie Fargeat is a self-aware feminist fable that vividly critiques society's obsession with youth.

The film follows celebrated actress and fitness guru Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), who, on her 50th birthday, learns she’s being fired by the crude entertainment executive Harvey (Dennis Quaid). Desperate for relevance, Elisabeth discovers a mysterious black market drug called the Substance, which promises to restore her youthful vitality—though with dire caveats. She encounters Sue (Margaret Qualley), a younger version of herself, who plans to reclaim Elisabeth’s former glory, but their journey soon spirals into chaos as they grapple with addiction and self-worth.

Fargeat has expressed her own fears about aging, sharing that in her 40s, she experienced violent thoughts about her worth and relevance. She aimed to capture the societal violence toward women, pushing boundaries to reflect the extreme pressures they face. Moore echoed this sentiment, recounting her experiences with unrealistic beauty standards in Hollywood, including pressures to lose weight before becoming a mother.

As Elisabeth and Sue navigate their tumultuous relationship, Fargeat wanted them to embody the internal conflicts women face daily, whispering doubts of inadequacy. Moore highlighted the film’s nude scenes, emphasizing their necessity for storytelling while requiring sensitivity and vulnerability during production.

“The Substance” draws parallels to fads like Ozempic and evokes classic films such as “Death Becomes Her,” “All About Eve,” and Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” while also incorporating elements of John Carpenter’s “The Thing.”

The film, featuring strong performances from Qualley and Quaid, received accolades at the Cannes Film Festival, including the best screenplay award, and won the Midnight Madness people's choice award at the Toronto International Film Fest.