That’s where a good amount of the blood comes in, but not all of it.
As expected, much is being made of the main ladies here baring themselves fully to show the contrast between supple youthful skin and a maturing body. And it’s a sure statement of empowerment from Moore showing herself like this in an industry that celebrates the blush of youth and all but disqualifies ‘older’ female actors from legitimate leading roles. But what The Substance says about body dysmorphia and ageism will come down to each personal viewer's takeaway…if one indeed sees The Substance as anything but a wild bloody fun ride.
Nightbitch
According to this review, Nightbitch “tells the story of a woman (Adams) thrown into the stay-at-home routine of raising a toddler in the suburbs, who slowly embraces the feral power deeply rooted in motherhood, as she becomes increasingly aware of the bizarre and undeniable signs that she may be turning into a canine.”
Morphing into another animal entirely is surely a step to the side of morphing into a younger version of oneself. But with the main characters here simply called “Mother,” and “Husband,” Nightbitch seems to be pointing its satire (if indeed it is satire) at postpartum considerations, gender roles and motherhood in general.
Early on in the film when Mother admits that yes, she used to be an artist to a group of moms she comes to speak with, one of the ladies admits she was a stripper before she had kids, while another calls these days of other careers, “the before times.” And as Searchlight Pictures themselves state about his movie they are distributing: "A woman pauses her career to be a stay-at-home mom, but soon her domesticity takes a surreal turn.”
