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Horror movies or anything remotely scary—especially body horrors—are not my thing, so when it came to The Substance, I was more than reluctant to watch it. What I do love though, are actresses Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, so while I may have skipped over more scenes I’d like to admit, I did watch enough to understand what the substance is (aka, a green liquid the Demi Moore’s character injects into herself).
In the movie, Demi Moore uses it as an anti-aging treatment, which promises women a way to regain their youth and “perfection.” It’s marketed as a new and revolutionary solution for aging, but instead of just refreshing the body, the substance creates a younger, idealized version of the person, while leaving their original self behind. While more than mildly disturbing, the concept is a nod to industry beauty standards, aging, and the pressure to stay “relevant” in a world that’s obsessed with youth.
