“The Substance” is a satirical body horror film from Coralie Fargeat (2017’s “Revenge”), and it follows a middle-aged celebrity who, after being fired on her 50th birthday, takes a black market drug to create a younger and better version of herself — but she never could have imagined the terrifying side effects. The film stars Demi Moore (“Ghost”), Margaret Qualley (“Kinds of Kindness”) and Dennis Quaid (“Reagan”).

I have been anticipating this latest film from Fargeat, not only as a fan of her subversive and stylish debut “Revenge,” but also because of its cast and acclaim from film festivals; surprisingly enough, “The Substance” won Best Screenplay at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. My expectations were through the roof, and I am very happy to say that they were met. As of writing this, “The Substance” is tied with Luca Guadagnino’s “Challengers” as my favorite film of 2024, thanks to its exceptional performances, stylish direction, dark comedy, absurd tone, social commentary and disgusting practical effects.

This film benefits from its talented cast and their full dedication to the script’s absurdity. Qualley is spectacular in her latest in a string of excellent performances in weird movies. She gives her character a perfect mix of confidence and occasional doubt, serving as a great parallel to Moore’s character. Moore definitely steals the show in what is easily the best performance I have seen so far this year. Her willingness to go to primal places adds a lot to her line delivery and physical performance. Quaid was also fantastic, surprisingly so, as I’m personally not the biggest fan of his. This casting decision was a bit of a red flag for me, partially because his character was initially meant to be played by Ray Liotta before his passing in 2022. Thankfully, his over-the-top, scenery-chewing performance was captivating from his very first scene, and every moment after, with his overtly misogynistic and creepy character, was thoroughly entertaining because of his incredible acting.

“The Substance” is also insanely well-directed, as can be expected from Fargeat. With “Revenge” (a film that I cannot recommend enough), she proved herself as a filmmaker with a clear vision in how she wants her movies to feel. Her use of captivating cinematography, atmospheric music and strong sound design make both of her films into beautifully horrific experiences. The camerawork in “The Substance” always made me feel uneasy, especially due to some of the images that Fargeat would linger on, such as an early scene filled with close-ups of Quaid sloppily eating shrimp; if that wasn’t enough, the exaggerated sound design makes every single messy chomp feel like an explosion. The cinematography also continues Fargeat’s focus on the male gaze from “Revenge,” with leering close-ups on womens’ breasts and backsides adding to the commentary.

Fargeat’s directing definitely excels when it comes to the film’s body horror, with certain sequences being so incredibly disgusting that they made me feel like a psychopath for eating during the movie. Without spoiling some specific scenes, the practical effects are excellent, with both Qualley and Moore’s performances making these grotesque sequences feel nauseating. There were multiple moments that made me cover my mouth in dread, and as somebody who loves the body horror of films like “Alien” and “The Thing,” I was hoping for something as horrifying as this. This is easily the most disgusting film I have seen so far this year, and I don’t think anything else will be able to top it.

With “The Substance,” Fargeat continues to make subversive genre films. While “Revenge” applied a feminist lens to the exploitative revenge film, “The Substance” is a body horror movie that satirizes beauty standards and the misogyny of the entertainment industry. As mentioned earlier, the story follows an aging woman who gets thrown away by her older, perverted, male bosses, only to replace her with a much younger woman. Sex sells, but when you’re a woman in your 50’s, you’re suddenly not considered sexy. Fargeat’s screenplay is far from subtle, but the film is already so intentionally over-the-top that the clear commentary actually fits perfectly with everything else.

All in all, “The Substance” is a fantastically crafted and insane body horror film thanks to its performances, practical effects and Fargeat’s screenplay and direction. While the movie is admittedly a bit too long at 2 hours 21 minutes, it is so brilliantly crafted that this critique is negligible. Fargeat managed to take the strengths of “Revenge” and make something even better. This is one of the best movies of the year, and I can’t recommend it enough (unless you’re squeamish).

RATING: 10/10