robertrutledge
Joined Nov 2019
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Meet Elizabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), a former Hollywood star facing the cruel reality of an aging body in a discriminatory industry. After being fired because of this, she falls victim to a new, mysterious drug: the Substance. Once injected, using her own genetics, the Substance generates a younger and sexier version of herself known as Sue (Margaret Qualley), to which her conscience is transferred. It comes with a catch though: she is only allowed to occupy either body for a week at a time, after which time she must switch bodies.
As a man watching this film, I thought the filmmakers did an excellent job capturing the uphill battle of an aging woman in an unforgiving industry. One can commiserate with the protagonist as she experiments with this drug she believes to be the answer to all her problems. The movie wastes no time exploring the backstory of the substance itself and instead focuses on Elizabeth's struggle to successfully lead a double life.
The two leads are perfectly cast and do an excellent job in their respective roles. It's great that the filmmakers opted not to use AI to de-age Demi Moore, which I can imagine may have been tempting. Qualley does an excellent job playing a somewhat ditzy Hollywood "it" girl desperate for her time in the sun. Moore's character, on the other hand, is an equally-believable jaded and cynical woman who some may say is "past her prime."
The movie's weakness is that it is too predictable. We know right from the start that Elizabeth will be unable to find the perfect balance and ultimately fail to use this drug safely and responsibly. Alas, such is human nature. What ensues is a tumultuous rollercoaster ride with its ups and downs but no real light at the end of the tunnel.
The movie at times feels like a stretched-out, R-rated episode of Black Mirror, especially toward the end. I wonder if this would have worked better as a short film to get its message across more succinctly. This would entail removing all the visceral bits, nudity, violence, etc., leaving it feeling watered-down. But these aspects feel somewhat excessive anyway and the intended shock value does not hit very hard in 2024.
In conclusion, this movie is a very riveting experience. While it is perhaps not a horror movie in the traditional sense, it makes for a great psychological thriller and a chilling social commentary. The movie serves as a mirror of sorts for the audience to examine just how outrageous beauty standards for women in (and out of) Hollywood have become. What's scary is that it feels like the Substance could be an actual product in the near future.
As a man watching this film, I thought the filmmakers did an excellent job capturing the uphill battle of an aging woman in an unforgiving industry. One can commiserate with the protagonist as she experiments with this drug she believes to be the answer to all her problems. The movie wastes no time exploring the backstory of the substance itself and instead focuses on Elizabeth's struggle to successfully lead a double life.
The two leads are perfectly cast and do an excellent job in their respective roles. It's great that the filmmakers opted not to use AI to de-age Demi Moore, which I can imagine may have been tempting. Qualley does an excellent job playing a somewhat ditzy Hollywood "it" girl desperate for her time in the sun. Moore's character, on the other hand, is an equally-believable jaded and cynical woman who some may say is "past her prime."
The movie's weakness is that it is too predictable. We know right from the start that Elizabeth will be unable to find the perfect balance and ultimately fail to use this drug safely and responsibly. Alas, such is human nature. What ensues is a tumultuous rollercoaster ride with its ups and downs but no real light at the end of the tunnel.
The movie at times feels like a stretched-out, R-rated episode of Black Mirror, especially toward the end. I wonder if this would have worked better as a short film to get its message across more succinctly. This would entail removing all the visceral bits, nudity, violence, etc., leaving it feeling watered-down. But these aspects feel somewhat excessive anyway and the intended shock value does not hit very hard in 2024.
In conclusion, this movie is a very riveting experience. While it is perhaps not a horror movie in the traditional sense, it makes for a great psychological thriller and a chilling social commentary. The movie serves as a mirror of sorts for the audience to examine just how outrageous beauty standards for women in (and out of) Hollywood have become. What's scary is that it feels like the Substance could be an actual product in the near future.
This movie is a perfect embodiment of the concept of "the grass is greener on the other side."
Edward (Sebastian Stan) is a man with a serious facial deformity. He is a struggling aspiring actor who lives all by himself in an apartment in a big city and is very shy. He is seduced into believing that a new experimental drug designed to heal deformities such as his will turn his life around.
The experiment is a success and he is ridded of his facial deformity. Edward, now having changed his name to Guy, claiming Edward is dead, soon after meets another man with a facial deformity just as severe as his was, Oswald (Adam Pearson). However, Oswald is very outgoing and is able to live his life to the fullest in spite of his condition. Our protagonist is left with bitter feelings of jealousy and regret as he goes through an identity crisis.
This is the type of movie that makes you think about it after you watch it. You realize certain lines of dialogue and plot points are more clever than you had initially thought. However, it is not without its problems. For example, the protagonist changing his identity from Edward to Guy from one day to the next with literally no one realizing they are one in the same is unrealistic and too convenient for the plot. We know Guy's mom is dead, but you would think there would be at least someone in his family still alive checking in on him from time to time.
In spite of its minor shortcomings, I found this to be a thoroughly entertaining and thought-provoking experience. The chemistry at play between Guy and the love interest Ingrid (Renate Reinsve) is quite interesting. The two characters basically lie to each others' faces out of their own self-interest.
Adam Pearson's performance is brilliant and believable. It is wonderful seeing someone who doesn't fit neatly into Hollywood's harsh standards of beauty being given a leading role, even if the fact that he was in this case cast because of his disability as opposed to in spite of it may be controversial.
A question I have about this movie is the message the director is trying to send about different personality types. I, as more of an introvert than an extrovert, felt I could relate to Edward more than I could Oswald. It almost feels that Edward is unable to live his life to the fullest because he is shy, whereas Oswald is a social butterfly and is thus able to do so. I think it's okay to be shy and your happiness in life isn't determined by how outgoing you are.
Overall, this movie is highly unpredictable and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I am left with questions about certain occasional peculiarities, which perhaps will make more sense on subsequent viewings. Its biggest weakness is that it doesn't seem very believable.
Edward (Sebastian Stan) is a man with a serious facial deformity. He is a struggling aspiring actor who lives all by himself in an apartment in a big city and is very shy. He is seduced into believing that a new experimental drug designed to heal deformities such as his will turn his life around.
The experiment is a success and he is ridded of his facial deformity. Edward, now having changed his name to Guy, claiming Edward is dead, soon after meets another man with a facial deformity just as severe as his was, Oswald (Adam Pearson). However, Oswald is very outgoing and is able to live his life to the fullest in spite of his condition. Our protagonist is left with bitter feelings of jealousy and regret as he goes through an identity crisis.
This is the type of movie that makes you think about it after you watch it. You realize certain lines of dialogue and plot points are more clever than you had initially thought. However, it is not without its problems. For example, the protagonist changing his identity from Edward to Guy from one day to the next with literally no one realizing they are one in the same is unrealistic and too convenient for the plot. We know Guy's mom is dead, but you would think there would be at least someone in his family still alive checking in on him from time to time.
In spite of its minor shortcomings, I found this to be a thoroughly entertaining and thought-provoking experience. The chemistry at play between Guy and the love interest Ingrid (Renate Reinsve) is quite interesting. The two characters basically lie to each others' faces out of their own self-interest.
Adam Pearson's performance is brilliant and believable. It is wonderful seeing someone who doesn't fit neatly into Hollywood's harsh standards of beauty being given a leading role, even if the fact that he was in this case cast because of his disability as opposed to in spite of it may be controversial.
A question I have about this movie is the message the director is trying to send about different personality types. I, as more of an introvert than an extrovert, felt I could relate to Edward more than I could Oswald. It almost feels that Edward is unable to live his life to the fullest because he is shy, whereas Oswald is a social butterfly and is thus able to do so. I think it's okay to be shy and your happiness in life isn't determined by how outgoing you are.
Overall, this movie is highly unpredictable and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I am left with questions about certain occasional peculiarities, which perhaps will make more sense on subsequent viewings. Its biggest weakness is that it doesn't seem very believable.
I caught this movie on a recent flight. I was looking for an entertaining foreign film. Citizen of a Kind, based on a true story, is just what the doctor ordered.
The movie follows an unlikely protagonist: a single mother who is the victim of a phishing scheme. She resorts to taking out a loan after her house catches on fire. But after she is scammed, she truly loses everything, including custody of her beloved children. She is Korean (and is thus in Korea at the beginning of the movie) but the people who steal from her are in China. The young man responsible for stealing from her, who is being held at the phishing center against his will, has pity on her and helps provide her with information regarding the location of the center so that she can come in person and claim revenge, thus helping to free him as well. But busting a criminal underground operation isn't as easy as just calling the cops on them. Especially considering the language barrier and the fact that the protagonist is not Chinese herself.
While perhaps I cannot relate to the circumstances the protagonist finds herself in, I certainly can empathize. This is a great idea for a movie and is very well-executed and tasteful. Although some of the humor is lost on me (perhaps because of cultural differences) I really enjoyed watching the characters interact with each other and the world around them.
The pacing and overall writing are great. The acting is spot on. The use of music is appropriate and not too self-gratuitous. I really appreciate how the filmmakers highlight and even poke fun at the language barrier between the people of the two countries, but at the end show them working together in spite of it.
I have no genuine complaints about this movie. I am sad to see it has not received more praise. It is refreshing to see a movie with an everyday person as a protagonist tackling head-on an everyday problem that affects many. It's also refreshing to see a movie centered around a group of women with no unnecessary cliché romantic sub-plots. Last but not least, the fact that this is a true story is inspiring and moving. While it perhaps isn't particularly groundbreaking or as flashy as other Korean films out there, I would certainly be interested in seeing more from this director.
The movie follows an unlikely protagonist: a single mother who is the victim of a phishing scheme. She resorts to taking out a loan after her house catches on fire. But after she is scammed, she truly loses everything, including custody of her beloved children. She is Korean (and is thus in Korea at the beginning of the movie) but the people who steal from her are in China. The young man responsible for stealing from her, who is being held at the phishing center against his will, has pity on her and helps provide her with information regarding the location of the center so that she can come in person and claim revenge, thus helping to free him as well. But busting a criminal underground operation isn't as easy as just calling the cops on them. Especially considering the language barrier and the fact that the protagonist is not Chinese herself.
While perhaps I cannot relate to the circumstances the protagonist finds herself in, I certainly can empathize. This is a great idea for a movie and is very well-executed and tasteful. Although some of the humor is lost on me (perhaps because of cultural differences) I really enjoyed watching the characters interact with each other and the world around them.
The pacing and overall writing are great. The acting is spot on. The use of music is appropriate and not too self-gratuitous. I really appreciate how the filmmakers highlight and even poke fun at the language barrier between the people of the two countries, but at the end show them working together in spite of it.
I have no genuine complaints about this movie. I am sad to see it has not received more praise. It is refreshing to see a movie with an everyday person as a protagonist tackling head-on an everyday problem that affects many. It's also refreshing to see a movie centered around a group of women with no unnecessary cliché romantic sub-plots. Last but not least, the fact that this is a true story is inspiring and moving. While it perhaps isn't particularly groundbreaking or as flashy as other Korean films out there, I would certainly be interested in seeing more from this director.