Coralie Fargeat’s body horror masterpiece The Substance is one of the best movies of the past several years. It is also, understandably, one of the most polarizing. Following the film’s premiere at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, critics were divided on Fargeat’s very blunt (and very French) take on modern body horror ethos. Does The Substance hate women? Celebrate and empathize with them? I think you could reasonably argue both (though I fall into the latter camp personally), though there’s no doubt that however you feel, The Substance is a movie you won’t stop thinking about. Luckily, the film has now arrived on streaming service Mubi, and better still, yields the endorsement of filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. Learn more about the film below:
Per Mubi: With sharp wit and cathartic intensity, Coralie Fargeat turns toxic beauty culture inside out in her mind-blowing latest feature. Powered by a career-best performance from Demi Moore, The Substance fearlessly bulldozes its way into the midnight-movie pantheon and the feminist canon.
In our five-star review of The Substance earlier this year, we wrote that the film was easily the best horror movie of the year, adding, “A putrid and nauseating takedown of Western society’s impossible to achieve beauty standards, Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance has likely emerged as the best and most important horror movie of the year. An instant classic.” I wholeheartedly agree. Few films have evoked such a visceral reaction out of me in the theater, but while watching The Substance, I was wholly taken in by Fargeat’s uncompromising, brutal vision.
Pan’s Labyrinth and Crimson Peak filmmaker Guillermo del Toro even agrees. Earlier this week, the writer/director tweeted out his praise for Fargeat’s film. On Twitter, del Toro shared, “The Substance – the horror of losing oneself- the vertigo of surface- the betrayal of the flesh… precise, pulsating, humorous, relentless and switching nimbly from pathos to terror and laughter.” Check out his tweet in full below:
@coraliefargeat ‘s THE SUBSTANCE – the horror of losing oneself- the vertigo of surface- the betrayal of the flesh… precise, pulsating, humorous, relentless and switching nimbly from pathos to terror and laughter. pic.twitter.com/yn1jGVtRMo
— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) November 2, 2024
You heard Guillermo del Toro. The Substance is “pulsating” and “relentless.” If you haven’t yet had the chance to check out the horror movie of 2024, you can stream it free now on Mubi. If you’re not already subscribed, you can sign up for a seven-day free trial here.
What did you think of The Substance? Is the film a stone-cold classic or another overhyped horror release? Let me know either way over on Twitter @Chadiscollins.
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