While I've been keeping up with all the buzz surrounding Demi Moore's The Substance, and definitely understood it was THE feminist movie of the fall, I remember opening X in mid-October, seeing an unhinged photo of Margaret Qualley as Monstro Elisasue, and thinking to myself, Wow, apparently I do not know what this movie is about.
If you're in the mood for a new, edgy horror movie that you can watch anytime of year, then do I have good news for you: The Substance is streaming now! Here's everything you need to know about the flick, including how to watch it this weekend because it will definitely make a great Halloween movie.
- The Substance is streaming now, but it's also still available to see in theaters following its September 20 release date.
- The movie follows an actress supposedly past her prime who takes matters into her own hands with a powerful serum called The Substance.
- The cast includes Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid.
Where can I watch The Substance 2024?
The Substance Release Date
The Substance is streaming on Mubi and is available on Fandango at Home. You can also see the movie in theaters now. The Substance premiered on September 20.
What is The Substance movie about?
Mubi
The Substance Plot
In Coralie Fargeat's new movie, Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) is a used-to-be A-lister who's horrified when studio head Harvey (Dennis Quaid) fires her from her own fitness TV show. (The audacity!) When she learns about The Substance, a new drug that promises youth and beauty, she immediately buys in.
A single injection and suddenly she's Sue, a twenty-something (played by Margaret Qualley) who's exactly what Hollywood is looking for. There's just one rule: you can only spend a week in each body at a time or things go very, very wrong.
Who's in the cast?
Mubi
The Substance Cast
The cast of The Substance includes all-star names like Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid.
What is the meaning behind The Substance?
Mubi
The Substance confronts all the different pressures placed on women: to look young, to act mature, to constantly reinvent yourself. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, writer-director Coralie Fargeat explains how Margaret's Monstro Elisasue "represents the monstrous part that we try to hide so much because we feel that we can't adapt or fit."
The end of the movie, in which (spoiler!!) Elisabeth basically melts into a pile of flesh on top of her Hollywood Walk of Fame star, frees her from any and all expectations. "It’s the first moment where she’s able to love herself. It’s the moment she sees herself and it’s not disgust, but in fact it’s as if she’s seeing her true self for the first time," Coralie says. "There’s self-indulgence, tenderness. It’s the first time she looks at herself in the mirror and doesn’t criticize herself. She decides, okay, I’m going to go out there, this is me, I have my right to have my place in the world."
Wondering what to watch next? Check out the 10 New November Movies We've Been Waiting All Year For!
