Corrine Arnell

So, have we all seen The Substance? I enjoyed this movie so much. Watching it reminded me of films like Black Swan and Mother, as it pulls you into real-life themes through the most bizarre circumstances. The Substance (2024) is a psychological horror film directed by Coralie Fargeat, starring Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid. It follows Elizabeth Sparkle (Moore) at the end of her career. She discovers a mysterious procedure that allows her to create a younger, more vibrant version of herself. However, as the two versions of her existence collide, the experiment spirals into a gruesome nightmare. The film blends psychological horror with themes of beauty, aging, and self-identity.

As a woman in her twenties, this film left me with a lot of thoughts. In a world that constantly tells women to stay young, stay flawless, and stay relevant, this film rips open the glossy veneer of perfection and forces us to face the terrifying cost of choosing it. This psychological body horror film is more than just a chilling spectacle. It’s a searing commentary on beauty standards, identity, and the sacrifices women are expected to make in the name of staying desirable. The pressure to be perfect, the fear of aging, the lengths people go to for validation. The Substance takes these anxieties and manifests them in the most unsettling ways. Here are some things I took away from the movie, and lessons that I will keep in mind because of them.

Society’s Obsession with Youth & Beauty

As a woman, I feel like we, as a gender, are always bombarded with messages that aging is something to be feared. These messages come from every direction: beauty products, social media, and even traditional media. We are constantly reminded that our worth is tied to our appearance, and the idea of aging gracefully has become nearly impossible to achieve without some form of intervention.

A lot of messaging thrives on our insecurities, leading many women to seek solutions like creams, fillers, Botox, and surgical procedures—all promising eternal youth. What The Substance does is take this fear of aging to a horrifying extreme. The protagonist, Elizabeth, is literally split in two. A younger version of herself, the one that society deems flawless. And the one that is seen as disposable, her older self.

Being in my twenties, this is extremely unsettling to think about. How could you deem women less than once they begin to age? I see that in a lot of messaging, even at my age. There is even a show on Netflix called “Younger” where an older woman pretends to be in her twenties because it is the only way anyone will hire her. Aging is a gift and a privilege and should be treated as such.

The Dangerous Pursuit of Perfection

I am ALL about self-improvement. It’s actually something that is extremely important to me, and one of the main themes of my blog. I believe that we should strive to become better versions of ourselves whether that’s through personal development, education, health, or relationships. But like everything, there needs to be a healthy balance.

We’re constantly told to be better, always do more, and always strive for the next best thing. However, The Substance challenges us to question: At what cost? The protagonist’s transformation isn’t simply about looking younger or more radiant. It becomes a journey of self-destruction. She molds herself into someone unrecognizable in pursuit of an impossible perfect image.

But what happens when you change so much that you no longer recognize yourself? Or worse, what happens when you lose yourself entirely in the process of trying to become someone you think you should be? The Substance is a cautionary tale of the dangers of over-reinvention. It’s a reminder that self-improvement is only valuable when it’s done in a way that preserves your sense of self.

The Fear of Losing Control

The protagonist’s struggle with her younger, ‘better’ self is a metaphor for something bigger. It’s the fear of losing control over how we’re perceived, over our own bodies, and over time itself.

This fear of losing control is especially prevalent in the age of social media, where every photo, post, and comment are measured like a reflection of our worth. The film taps into this fear—what happens when the ‘better’ version of you takes over and you’re left in the dust?

The Cost of Erasing Your Flaws

We live in an era of filters, Facetune, and tweaks where the goal is to present a ‘flawless’ version of ourselves. Whether it’s for Instagram or just to meet societal standards, we’re constantly bombarded with images of perfection. We’ve been conditioned to believe that flaws are something to be fixed, hidden, or erased. The idea of embracing our imperfections has become revolutionary, yet even that feels like a hard battle to fight.

The Substance reminds us that erasing every imperfection comes with consequences. It’s not just about physical transformation. This is about losing the very essence of who we are. The more we erase, the more we disconnect from ourselves. The film forces us to ask, What are we really losing when we try to become someone else? In a world where everyone is trying to be perfect, the real challenge is learning how to embrace our flaws and see them as part of what makes us unique.

This message is especially important today. We have the power to change our appearance at the push of a button, but what’s at stake if we lose sight of what makes us truly authentic?

Lessons We Can Take from The Substance

While The Substance is a horror movie, the scariest part isn’t the blood or the body horror. It’s how real these themes are. I’ve seen many of them either online, on social media, or in real life. Here are some of the key lessons I took away from the movie:

1. Self-Acceptance is Power – Perfection is a myth, and chasing it will only leave you empty. There is beauty in authenticity.
2. There’s No Shortcut to Happiness – External transformations won’t fix internal struggles. True confidence comes from within.
3. Aging Is Not a Curse – Women are not disposable past a certain age. Every phase of life has value and deserves celebration.
4. Be Careful What You Wish For – The film warns us about the dangers of wanting to emulate someone else so badly that you lose yourself in the process.

The more I reflect on The Substance, the more I realize that while it’s a horror movie, it’s really a commentary on the anxieties that shape society today. It’s not just about anyone who ever felt the pressure to be more, to look better, to stay relevant. It’s a cautionary tale wrapped in a visually stunning, psychologically gripping package.

Conclusion

If you feel the pressure to chase some impossible standard, remember this: You are enough just as you are. We live in a world that constantly pushes us to reinvent ourselves, but sometimes the best thing we can do is embrace who we already are, flaws and all.

Wanna hear more? I am continuing this conversation on my CorrineArnell.com podcast “So About That Post”. Check it out in the Podcast section of my blog!