Why ‘The Substance’ Is An Award Season Darling

The Substance is a genre bending, body horror juggernaut that has snuck its way into the hearts of not only the general public, but awards voters. 

There has been a clear pattern with awards shows like the Oscars or the Golden Globes to ignore critically and commercially acclaimed horror films when it comes to nominations. There are occasional exceptions to this rule, which include Black Swan, Get Out, The Exorcist, Jaws, The Silence of the Lambs, and The Sixth Sense, but I do not think a lot of people were expecting The Substance to be an exception. 

I especially think the embrace of The Substance is interesting since it does not shy away from any horror aspects, the film even being one of the most horrific sub-genres of horror, body horror. The body horror aspects are showcased at length in the film, most being done practically. When The Substance is inevitably nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards it will mark the first body horror film in years to be nominated, the last one being the tamer, yet iconic The Exorcist. I think The Substance having the intrinsic feel that it is a body horror classic in the making, gives it the advantage over other horror films of this kind. 

Another advantage that the film has over others is its exceptional performances by the two actresses, Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley. The performance by Demi Moore has obtained a lot of attention not only due to its excellence, but due to the fact that the narrative is captivating. An actress who was deemed a thing of the past comes back with an unexpected performance that seems to be touching on her career well also becoming the highlight of it. Even though when I personally saw the film for the first time I did not think Moore had enough for a nomination, I knew it was going to be a favorite for me. It seems that her comeback narrative and daring choices have made her a shoo-in. 

The film being set in Los Angeles also gives it an edge, since awards bodies usually have a bias to films that capture the place they already know. The industry loves films that are about itself. This also goes into another strength of the film, iconic imagery. From Sue’s pink athletic wear, to Demi Moore capturing an entire feeling while looking in the mirror, to the people’s princess Monstro Elisasue, there are an array of memorable images that stick in the audience’s head months after viewing. The film has a deep appreciation for iconic horror films, like The Fly and The Shining, well also creating its own look and embedding itself into the horror canon.

Even with all of these aspects, what is it about The Substance that makes it break through the clear negative bias for horror movies during award season? I think the main reason is that the film touches on something that is extremely relatable to most people: self esteem issues, struggles with aging, and the societal expectation for people, specifically women, to stay perfect. These are deeply human themes and a criticism of the film, which might actually be a strength, is how blatant and aggressive it is addressing them. Awards bodies rarely nominate feminist tales that use subtlety as a weapon and usually opt for films that are clear in its subtext (take note this is not a dig at The Substance from me.) I give you Erin Brockovich and raise you Promising Young Woman. Even Barbie was screaming its feminist anthems from the rooftops in a delicious monologue delivered by America Ferrera. 

With a blend of fearless gore and relatable themes, it is clear to see that The Substance is not the craziest pick for Best Picture. Coralie Fargeat’s beautiful and singular vision makes the film one of the most memorable and entertaining films of the year. When you look at the other six horror films nominated for Best Picture you can see that The Substance fits that mold. Each of these films feel like future classics upon release, the ones from the past proving this so. 

The Substance is returning to theaters on January 17, but you can also watch it at home on MUBI.