“The Substance,” to remind readers, is a showbiz drama about Elisabeth (Demi Moore), a fictional Hollywood-star-turned-TV-workout-guru who faces being fired by her gross, sexist boss (Dennis Quaid) for her age. Elisabeth, you see, has just turned 50, which is considered “too old” for the Hollywood establishment. She then receives a mysterious tip on an eerie, injectable drug — the titular substance — that promises to de-age her. When she injects it, Elisabeth’s back splits open (!), and a younger woman (Margaret Qualley) crawls out. Taking the name of Sue, the latter manages to get Elisabeth’s old job back, dazzling audiences with her youth, clear skin, and buttocks.
Of course, there are rules to using the substance. Notably, Elisabeth has to switch between her two selves every seven days. Suffice it to say, the film eventually reveals what  happens when those rules are violated in gruesome detail. “The Substance” is, quite obviously, about ageism and the way the entertainment industry and general public alike fetishize youth and dismiss middle-aged women. It’s one of the best films released in 2024.
Just not according to Carpenter. When he heard that a listener loved “The Substance,” he replied with “Well, I didn’t.” When pressed, he merely said, “What did I like about ‘The Substance?’ Zero.” When asked what in particular he hated about it, he simply said, “Everything.”
In contrast to his comments, Fargeat cited Carpenter as an influence in a 2024 interview with Inverse. Fargeat noted that she deeply loves Carpenter, as well as David Cronenberg, David Lynch, Stanley Kubrick, Tim Burton, and Paul Verhoeven. “The Substance” was meant to be a mixed homage to the filmmakers she adores. It seems, though, that Carpenter didn’t see himself in Fargeat’s work.
His loss, I suppose. “The Substance” is excellent.
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