‘The Substance’, by Coralie Fargeat- Millennium Group

That The substanceof Coralie Fargeatis inspired by the art of Stanley Kubrickis demonstrated when, at the climax, we hear the fanfares that became famous with 2001 Space Odyssey. There is also an ominous orange hallway that reminds The glow and a hilarious and violent sequence that brings to mind that disturbing sequence of Clockwork Orange in which Alex kicks a paralyzed man.

It is important to note, however, that the fact that director Coraline Fargeat demonstrates so much love for Kubrick’s art does not in any way imply that she is imitating or paraphrasing him. In a strictly narrative sense, The substance It has no other connection with Kubrick than to explore the most contradictory in human nature.

The substance It deals with the obsessive desire to make eternal what is itself ephemeral: youth. Elizabeth (Demi Moore) has turned fifty years old. The executive of the television station where he works announces to him that his cycle on a stupid morning show is going to end. And the diva, what will she do? She could retire to a farm or, as seems arranged in a certain sequence, be content with a love that gratefully accepts the wrinkles of a still beautiful body. But not. Vanity prevails. And that is why the diva listens to a doctor who, in the guise of Satan, offers her immortality. It is he who gives the substance of the title. When injected, she promises, it will lead to a better version of herself; a young woman, with always shapely legs, firm buttocks, and a perfect smile. There is, of course, one rule that must not be transgressed: every seven days the diva must allow her other self, her perfect self, to go to sleep.

The young woman and the old woman exchange memories and scars, but they remain the same in a way similar to that of the portrait of Dorian Gray. Now, the doctor warns that he should not forget something that, of course, young men and women forget: that they are one and the same. If they didn’t forget it there would be no battle. But human beings are not like that. We fight with our past, with our future and if we could we would steal our happiness. The young woman becomes a parasite of the old woman. Or maybe it’s the other way around and the climax comes and we’ll hear the fanfares reminiscent of Kubrick and there will be so much blood spilled all over the place. set television that we will also remember that elevator that opens in The glow.

Elisabeth is a paradigm of the human being eternally dissatisfied with himself. She doesn’t want to be beautiful, she wants to be more beautiful than others. He doesn’t want to be happy, he wants to be happier than that other self whom he really doesn’t know. This is where the great fight takes place. A war against herself that is only possible because Elisabeth, like the Western human being, hates herself. Or, in any case, he loves only the ephemeral because he has convinced himself that nothing remains and lasts.

In an extraordinary fusion between science fiction, hilarious horror and great art, The substance by Coralie Fargeat invites us to reflect on the love we owe to ourselves. If Elisabeth didn’t hate herself, she would simply let her time on television pass as calmly as her childhood and puberty passed.

Buddhists affirm that the human error lies in confusing the clouds with the sky. Elisabeth’s thoughts are clouds and, unable to identify with anything more substantial than youth, she struggles with the parasite of her own frivolous desires. Desires that do not enjoy eternity.

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