Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance and Its Critique of Hollywood’s Toxic Beauty Standards

The Substance, starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley

‘Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself? Younger, more beautiful, more perfect’. Coralie Fargeat’s 2024 movie “The Substance” uses horror and sci-fi to explore the absurdity of the uncompromising beauty standards promoted by Hollywood its effect on individual self worth. The movie focuses on the relationship between beauty, age and success and how this manifests for women. We see the anxieties of beauty personified by Elisabeth Sparkle, a former Hollywood star who maintains a low celebrity status as an aerobics instructor. She turns to the Substance in pursuit of acceptance, and in a grotesquely uncomfortable scene ‘births’ Sue (Margaret Qualley), the ‘enhanced’ version of herself that the Substance promised to deliver. Sue is the embodiment of the beauty standard and enjoys the success that comes along with this in her industry. However, as the film continues, Sue becomes obsessed with maintaining this perfection and Elisabeth grows resentful. She is constantly reminded of her inadequacy, made worse by the fact that she is Sue. Sue bathes in the glory that Elisabeth experienced as a young actress whilst Elisabeth is cast aside by everyone in the industry. The film’s final quarter is purposefully absurd; it uses visual horror to drive home the point that maintaining these standards on both a personal or societal level is damaging.

This idea has been explored in film and TV before. From Little Miss Sunshine (2006) to Barbie (2023), the idea that people should walk away from societal beauty standards in pursuit of their own goals has been promoted. However what Fargeat does so well is use visual horror to explore this theme. In perhaps the most disgusting dining scene since Mr Creosote, Elisabeth’s boss Harvey (Denis Quaid) carelessly fires her. As he shoves shrimp into his mouth, spilling the sauce and wiping his oily hands on the tablecloth, he explains to Elisabeth that she is simply past her best. He sees Elisabeths supposed failure to fulfil the aims of his show as an inevitable result of her age. This brings out what I think is the most important element of the movie; the examination of the relationship between age and beauty standards.

Elisabeth’s transformation with the Substance leaves her feeling inadequate. Her self worth crumbles as she lives in Sue’s shadow; she can observe her success from afar but will never be a part of it. In a particularly upsetting scene, we watch Elisabeth’s confidence fall to pieces as she prepares for a date. Just before leaving her apartment she catches a glimpse of Sue on a billboard. Confronted with the pinnacle of beauty (by Hollywood’s standards), she attempts to make up for the beauty she believes she lacks. By her standard she fails to do so and cancels her date, instead opting to stay home, crumbling under the pressure. While we watch Elisabeth struggle with the weight of her own expectations, Fargeat constantly shows us the billboard.

This reminds the audience, although Elisabeth sets herself these standards, it is external sources which plant the roots of self doubt.

The Substance has not erased the self doubt, rather it just confines it to the original person. Elisabeth desperately clings onto the idea of acceptance and celebration as she declines multiple opportunities to cancel the procedure and ‘kill’ Sue. This only further develops Fargeat’s point that despite the perceived impossibility that ‘older’ women can ever live up to the beauty standards, personal expectations will not disappear overnight. This movie is ultimately an interesting exploration on the critique of beauty standards, particularly within Hollywood. Yet what sets it apart from other films in its genre was the exploration of age and beauty.