Use only as recommended

"The Substance" hearkens back to the 1980s and earlier when teen boys went the movies just to see boobs under the guise of science fiction / horror. However, this movie is more than just boobs, as Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley deliver titillating performances that will leave you on the edge of your seat, barely able to contain yourself. Insomuch as it is cheesecake, it is anti-woke.

I felt riveted by the first part of this movie, empathizing with Demi Moore's character despite the fact that I am a man. I am close to the same age as Demi Moore, who, OMG, is 61 years old. Aging is a horror we all face.

The solution is the substance, an underground drug. It seems to have no business model. It would have made sense if it were free to start but then a $10K per week subscription model to continue. I think the movie didn't go that route, because this movie is a bit campy, poking fun at this movie genre, and because it would have lengthened the already 2 hours 21 minutes running time. Much of the screentime is dedicated to the drug's side effects, which, as you might imagine, can be pretty horrific when deviating from the instructions for use. For me, the horror dragged on too long.

Dennis Quaid utilizes an over-the-top characterization in his role as a sleezy Hollywood exec. I view this negative characterization as disparaging to Hollywood, not to men in general.

The message of the film is that aging is not something you can ultimately escape, and plastic surgery, drugs, and fillers might have side effects worse than aging itself. I enter into evidence Madonna. This is basically a conservative message.

"The Substance" masterfully pokes fun at the booby-horror genre while simultaneously executing it well and without condemning its own audience for enjoying it. I'm doubly impressed.