The Substance (5 Stars)

This is the 16th film in the Stuttgart Fantasy Film Festival.

Demi Moore plays Elizabeth Sparkle, the star of an aerobics programme. She's fired on her 50th birthday because she's considered too old. She discovers a wonder drug that will give her back her youth. The drug actually splits her into two different women, one young and one old. The two women have to be allowed to live alternately, one week at a time. That's not as easy as it sounds. The two women become jealous of one another and attempt to stay active too long.

This is an amazing film, and I've given it a top rating even though there are faults. Parts of the film are stretched out too long. The last 30 minutes could have been squashed into 10 minutes. There are also problems with the style. Most of the film is serious, but in the later scenes there's too much comedy. Nevertheless, I like the film, and I hope to see it again soon.