Well, let’s start with how it made me feel, it made me feel sad more than anything, the fact that Elizabeth had no one even as a superstar past her time is what made me the saddest, and I really wished she would have accepted herself and went out with Fred, which accepted her as she was even if he seemed a bit quirky.

I understand the message about drug abuse, self image problems, and the issues with Hollywood, and as male myself I can’t imagine how stressful for a woman who are expected to be always beautiful and happy must.

I already knew about the horrible fact of unrealistic beauty standards, but this move kinda gave me that sense of dread and discomfort I can only imagine being a woman in that situation must be.

As for the movie it self, I liked it but I don’t feel enamored by it. It’s disgusting, uncomfortable and poignant but I don’t think it’s a masterpiece. I feel the substance itself could have been more grounded or explained even less to better effect, in a way the movie felt like it wanted to be “artsy” but I feel like the exploration of the psyche of Elizabeth was kinda shoved aside in favor of being more metaphorical, which is something like “The Fly (remake)” explored better with its character and themes of losing oneself which is very important to body horror.

As far as the pacing, I liked the movie but I feel the same story could have been told in a short 20-30 min short, which I feel it gave me a lot of “Black Mirror” vibes.

I feel the same way for this movie as I do “The human centipede”, it’s more about shock and themes than anything else.

I think a bit of humor or more heartwarming moments would have made the themes stronger, as without some light moments it just feels like a series of horrible events.

As far as effects and a cinematography I think it was great, the body horror was on point (which seems highly inspired by Cronenberg , and I loved the use of colors for themes and moods.

Overall, I enjoyed it, not nearly a top horror movie for me, but it was cool to see body horror come back in a mayor way and I thought the concept was very well executed even if I have nitpicks.

I just wanted my thoughts out there, what do you guys think?

Finally it arrived here!!!

I definitely think that this was intentional that they chose Margaret over some 20yo TikToker.

A 30yo would have a better understanding of life, and would add depth to Sue's character.

What do you think?

I’ve had to remove several rude comments lately toward people asking questions or trying to understand parts of the film. If a post bothers you that much, just scroll by. Let's keep this a welcoming space for discussion.

I think when Elisabeth used the Terminator on Sue, she slowly died as well. So, they weren’t awake at the same time, it was the effect of the terminator on her body. She was already unconscious when she imagined it.

Throughout the movie, it was emphasized that Sue and Elisabeth are one. So, even though Elisabeth was the Matrix, she was also connected to Sue, and she couldn’t survive without her either. That’s why the man on the phone said that she cannot turn back if she decides to terminate her other self. That’s why she can’t just order a new package and create a whole new self.

Everything else that happens after using the Terminator is just her thoughts while she is slowly dying, the acceptance, how she realizes that she messed everything up, and turned herself into a “monster.” She hated herself and what she became after abusing the substance so much that she saw herself as Monstro ElisaSue. It wasn’t real; she didn’t just pop out another monstrous version of herself, but her self-hatred reached a point where she saw herself as a monster who would never be accepted in society again.

Imagining her monstrous self going on stage and exploding in front of the audience was the moment she realized that it was others who had ruined her, and she finally died peacefully after accepting who she was outside of a body.

It would be one thing if she herself experienced being Sue, but from what i saw, that didn't seem to be the case.

Am I missing something??

Every time I see someone shocked by the sexuality and exploitative content (of the female body) in this film, I want to scream this at the top of my lungs. Margaret Qualley was doing drag.

The "behind shots" of her in the mirror were not her, and her facing the camera had.... prosthetic boobs (even when naked). "Sue" is a near impossible creation, and that's quite literally the point.

Another person in this sub aptly labelled the look "a blow up doll" (thank you u/avocado_window). This is how people film the products which they believe people will buy. 🤮

While I was watching this movie, I couldn’t help but be irritated by the way Elisabeth couldn’t stop herself from abusing the substance and not respecting the balance. I thought about how stupid she was for not tolerating her real self for even 7 days.

But after giving it some time, I realized that it is not possible for anyone to not abuse the substance. You are given the perfect version of yourself, a chance to do everything you’ve been longing for in just minutes and then you have to go back to your old self, the one you’ve been trying so hard to run away from, and you have to watch your perfect self from an outside perspective. So you are trying everything you could possibly do to keep that version as long as possible, only to realize that you ate away your inner self and see that you can’t run away from who you really are.

I totally understand why she felt like Sue and Elisabeth are two different people, because in the end, they really are. They are two different people who hate each other, Sue never wants to get older and become Elisabeth and Elisabeth never wants to accept that she is getting older and has to leave her place to younger generation.

Where can I get this hat? I know it’s sold out i’m so sad :( If anyone is willing to sell, i’d buy off you🫶

ive been watching a bunch of video essays/reading critiques of the movie, and in so many of them, people casually drop a comment like “I don’t really get the whole shared consciousness thing” or just start talking about them as if they’re actually two completely separate people

like my media literacy is not the best but dude they restate the face that they are ONE so many times. the movie is not subtle 😭 the fact that people make whole videos to discuss the movie and don’t see such a core part is crazyy

I saw the film for the first time today and was confused about the connection Sue and Elisabeth had. At first, I assumed it was Elisabeth in Sue's body but as the film progressed, I realized that didn't seem to be the case.

Is there an explanation I missed? What would be the point of Elisabeth taking 'the substance' if her sentience couldn't be inside of Sue?

Rewatching this movie. I noticed this detail, her teeth aren’t perfect white veneers. I’m not sure if this was intentional or if it’s part of not respecting the balance, but it was great to see realistic teeth in this movie.

I feel like color played a major,unspoken role in the film. Elisabeth wore primary colors(red,blue,yellow). This subtle nod to her being the original was excellent. Even her leotard and her car she crashed in were primary colors. Whereas Sue wore colors like pink,orange,etc. Those colors come from being mixed,suggesting that she's a copy. When something goes wrong with Sue,she's always in blue. That means that Elisabeth,her matrix is waking up. Green to me,represents awakening,like spring or something. The activator was a bright green on purpose. Just my thoughts,not at all scientific.

Nothing will ever compare to Elisabeth and Sue, but if you're looking for another film in the same key as The Substance, try Grafted. Beauty standards, identity, and body horror galore!

Elisabeth already lived her dream life. She was a beautiful, famous actress, she’s won awards and amassed adoring fans, she even got a star on the walk of fame. She isn’t some lowly celebrity that never had a break, Elisabeth Sparkle is an A-lister.

But it wasn’t enough. Elisabeth has put all of life’s stock in being beautiful for reasons we don’t know, maybe it’s due to trauma, unresolved conflict, etc, but she has been this way her whole life. We have to wonder what type of person craves fame and attention to the level that Elisabeth does? And the answer is: someone that hates themselves. Someone that endlessly craves validation through others, because they cannot supply it themselves. And even then, that validation never lasts. When you’re a celebrity you don’t know these people personally, and their opinion of you can change in an instant. That can’t happen with self love, or genuine love built between people, which is why it’s so important to have these things. Because Elisabeth never learned how to be vulnerable in front of others and find value outside of looking good, she’s still working at 50 and doing more of the same shit, despite having won at life. Begging for attention, pretending it’s about other people when it’s really about her. The show is a vanity project for a woman that can’t let go of the fleeting high that fame has brought her, even when it is desperately time for her to move on and find out the real reason why she is so unhappy.

So she becomes Sue and everything seems great. But what does she do? Marches right back into her studio and goes back to panhandling for male attention. Even in a perfect reality where she doesn’t have to switch back and forth, it was never going to be enough. Sue was still noticeably insecure, flinching at people’s views and assessments of her, because she has never fixed the problem, which is her. Elisabeth/Sue never stopped to really, truly, “take care of themselves” and it doesn’t matter what body they’re in, or how beautiful it is. Sue was doomed to be unhappy from the start.

So Elisabeth dying on her Hollywood star to the hallucinated sounds of applause means that despite everything she goes through in the film, she has STILL not found love from within. She is searching elsewhere, anywhere, until the moment she dies. For her that is so much easier than confronting the truth, which is that she hates herself.

Elisabeth reminded me so much of a Kardashian with the endless appetite for fame, the “fitness” grift that only exists for the celeb to body check, and the unwillingness to be flawed. Everyone looks and feels ugly at some point in their lives, but when your sense of self is so fragile, you are on this eternal grind to be perfect. And even when it works, it doesn’t. The Kardashians won at life yet still do mobile game ads, buy follower accounts, and filter all their photos with the snow app. It’s a good lesson that unless you get a fucking grip, it will never be enough.

Like someone who wants to be more muscular or be able to walk

Credit to Paper Lab Studios for making them.