An aging actress (Demi Moore) finds her career in peril as she's being replaced on her TV show by a younger woman. But she discovers a mysterious drug called The Substance which will make "her" young again if only temporarily as she and her younger self (Margaret Qualley) switch every seven days. But her younger self isn't satisfied with the arrangement and wants more time. Disaster follows. Written and directed by Coralie Fargeat (REVENGE). Although laced with satirical humor, it remains a disturbing body horror movie emphasizing societal attitudes toward aging (specifically women) and its obsession with youth. At its center is a killer performance by Demi Moore. Fargeat's direction is near perfect. The film walks a thin line between a good film and a disastrous one but Fargeat balances it like a masterful tightrope walker, pushing it to the edge but never crossing that line that could have upended the film. My only qualm is Dennis Quaid's over the top performance (the shrimp eating scene is ridiculous) which seems like it belongs in another movie. With Edward Hamilton Clark and Oscar Lesage.
No comments:
Post a Comment