Demi Moore’s latest film, The Substance, is causing quite a stir in the UK, with viewers walking out of screenings just minutes into the movie. Audiences are calling it the “most graphic film they’ve ever seen,” with many unable to handle its intense and gory scenes.
The Substance seeks to address the issue of unattainable beauty standards in Hollywood, with Demi Moore portraying the character Elisabeth Sparkle. After being unceremoniously fired on her 50th birthday, Elisabeth stumbles upon a black-market drug that promises to create a “younger, more beautiful, more perfect” version of its user. However, the drug comes with severe and gruesome conditions, leading to a dark and disturbing narrative.
The film’s graphic content has proven too extreme for many viewers, leading to walkouts both in Britain and the U.S. At a screening in Leicester Square, London, at least 20 people reportedly left before the movie concluded, describing it as “brutal” due to the excessive levels of gore.
One cinema-goer attending the central London screening remarked, “Most people watched it through their hands. It was the most graphic film I’ve ever seen.” Social media users have echoed these sentiments, with many calling the film “gory” and “disgusting,” while also praising Demi Moore’s powerful performance.
Some viewers described The Substance as “a raw, gory, grotesque, WILD depiction of the effects of ageism and the beauty standards set on women.” One commenter on X, formerly Twitter, warned, “Be warned: Very gory & disgusting imagery.” Another wrote, “Ya shoulda seen the faces on the two women who walked out of the theater behind me. I guess they thought they were going to see a nice new Demi Moore movie.”
Another viewer shared their mixed feelings: “The Substance: not entirely sure what I just watched. Felt faint. Almost walked out. But also still enjoyed? Ageism is real. And despite at times feeling overly sexualized, it highlights that we can try to stop it—it’s impossible. Demi Moore is a force!!!” Additional comments noted that multiple people walked out of screenings during the increasingly graphic scenes.
Demi Moore discussed the film and her role during her first-ever appearance on The Graham Norton Show on Friday. Accompanied by her chihuahua, Pilaf, who often attends public events with her, Moore’s canine companion was a hit with Lady Gaga, who appeared on the show alongside Colin Farrell and Richard Ayoade.
“The best way I can sum it up is that it is like The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Death Becomes Her meets a Jane Fonda workout video,” Demi Moore stated, encapsulating the film’s unique blend of themes.
When asked about the liberating experience of not worrying about her appearance for the role, Moore responded, “I was very much pushed out of my comfort zone, but it was great to show up and be allowed to look bad!”
Reflecting on her past, she recalled posing nude on the cover of Vanity Fair while seven months pregnant with her daughter, Scout. “It really was taken just for me, but then I got the call to say they would like to use it. I said yes, never thinking it would have the impact it did.”
The Substance has garnered critical acclaim for its “deliciously unhinged and dread-inducing” levels of gore, with one critic describing it as “a shocking assault on the senses.”
In the film, Moore’s character, Elisabeth, faces a devastating blow on her birthday when she is terminated by a ruthless executive portrayed by Dennis Quaid. Feeling rejected by a town that once adored her and lamenting her lost stardom, Elisabeth learns from a charming young nurse about a black-market drug that promises to transform the user into a “younger, more beautiful, more perfect” version of themselves. Although Elisabeth initially discards the phone number, she ultimately retrieves it in a moment of desperation and places an order.
In The Substance, the central premise dictates that Elisabeth and her idealized counterpart, Sue (played by Margaret Qualley), must exchange identities every seven days. As a result, Elisabeth is compelled to revert to her 50-year-old self for a week at a time. However, the seductive allure of youth and an idealized appearance proves too irresistible, prompting her to test the limits by attempting to extend her youthful state for an additional day or two.
Since its debut on the global streaming platform Mubi, Demi Moore’s latest film has been characterized by some viewers as “the most disgusting film ever.” This follows a wave of buzz generated during its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, where it won the prize for Best Screenplay. Critics have lauded it as “demented,” with some reviewers labeling it “the most bats*** f****** insane movie of the last 20 years.”
Such discussions surrounding the film have been fueled by its more unsavory elements, including scenes where Moore’s character, Elisabeth Sparkle, resorts to injecting herself in the spine in an attempt to combat the physical manifestations of aging through a method referred to as “the substance.” This approach yields unexpected and bizarre consequences, including a scene described by some as “boob vomiting.”
Following its Cannes premiere, The Substance garnered positive reviews, achieving a 92 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes at the time in May.
