“The Substance” Shocks, Provokes, and Dominates Golden Globes Conversation

Some films don’t ask for attention. They demand it.

That was the case for The Substance, which resurfaced as a major conversation piece during the Golden Globes season—driven by its unsettling themes, fearless performances, and uncompromising direction from Coralie Fargeat.

Led by Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, The Substance confronts one of Hollywood’s most uncomfortable truths: the obsession with youth, beauty, and control over the female body. The film doesn’t whisper this critique—it screams it, visually and emotionally.

Demi Moore’s performance marks a striking chapter in her career. Unfiltered, raw, and intentionally unsettling, her role rejects nostalgia and leans fully into confrontation. Margaret Qualley, meanwhile, delivers a performance that oscillates between vulnerability and menace, creating a dynamic that feels both intimate and disturbing.

Director Coralie Fargeat’s signature style—bold, visceral, and unapologetically physical—turns the film into an experience rather than entertainment. Every frame feels deliberate. Every discomfort feels intentional.

As Golden Globes chatter intensified, The Substance stood out not because it played safe, but because it refused to. In an awards landscape often dominated by prestige comfort, this film reminded audiences that cinema can still provoke, divide, and linger long after the screen fades to black.

Whether embraced or resisted, The Substance achieved something rare: it made silence impossible.