Review: Demi Moore delivers Oscar-worthy performance in 'The Substance'

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Review: Demi Moore delivers Oscar-worthy performance in 'The Substance'

Josh Mercado

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Demi Moore’s new film “The Substance” recently received a 13-minute standing ovation at Cannes, proving her worth as one of the most decorated actresses in Hollywood.

Moore was also mentioned by Variety and People magazine as a sure nominee for the Oscars 2025.

On Thursday, September 19, CreaZion Studios Inc. hosted a special screening for the Philippine entertainment media at Red Carpet Cinema at Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong City.

What is it about and why the movie reviewers in Hollywood are praising the lead star? 

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The horror-thriller film, directed by Coralie Fargeat, lets its viewers enter the world of showbiz, where everybody is obsessed with fame and beauty, highlighting how the industry treats women in entertainment.


Demi Moore. Photo: Handout

The audience gets to see the addictive nature of popularity and the obsession to stay beautiful, young, and relevant through the character of Moore.

She plays Elisabeth Sparkle, a faded huge superstar who hosts a fitness show. In showbiz, age is big deal, as it defines your worth. To fit the showbiz standard, which is to stay “forever young and pretty,” she decides to try a mysterious drug called “The Substance.”

The idea is that you literally transform into a better version of yourself in an other body. We all know in life everything has its own price. You have to be careful. 

Moore perfectly delivers what she needs to deliver. Everyone has to see how great she is in this movie — from her body language to her acting commitment, with IndieWire describing the star’s performance as the best of her four-decade career. 

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Her bold performance proves that she is still one of the Hollywood’s golden eras. And, yes, she deserves that gold trophy from the Academy. Some of the Philippine media’s favorite scenes from Moore are the one where she prepares for a date, only to smear her lipstick and succumb to self-pity as she watches the clock tick away and the one where her moral condition degrades. 

And the moments of vulnerability make her the perfect choice for the movie. She is on point. As Moore’s character delves into a woman's crippling concern over maintaining a beautiful facade, you get to recall her real-life human moments as Demi Moore who posed nude for a magazine, shaved head for a movie, and experienced addictions, trauma, and abuse.

This movie has a clear vision for women to own and embrace their body, beauty, and age, and that society shouldn’t pressure and dictate them. Moore’s character is a reminder that when you change your authentic self, you lose. 

Distributed by CreaZion Studios, “The Substance” opens in Philippine cinemas on September 25.


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