Demi Moore’s comeback film The Substance has caused a stir among audiences since its Cannes debut. Mixing body horror with feminism, the movie tackles the impact of the value society places on women’s youth through grotesque body transformations certain to thrill and disgust the staunchest body horror fans.
Viewers eager for more movies like The Substance can use our guide to find 10 similar body horror, psychological horror, beauty standards, and feminist films available to stream online on platforms like Max, Netflix, and more.
A Different Man
A Different Man follows Edward Lemuel (Sebastian Stan), who begins to question his decision to cure his neurofibromatosis when he meets another man, Osward (Adam Pearson), who has the same condition but embraces it and gains the success and acceptance Edward craves. Although it doesn’t boast the body horror of The Substance, it thoughtfully tackles similar themes of beauty standards and identity, as well as how far one will go to gain society’s acceptance.
Black Swan
In the psychological horror film Black Swan, professional ballerina Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) secures an extremely demanding lead role in the Swan Lake ballet. However, when another dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis), appears to threaten her role, Sayers finds herself cracking under the pressure and beginning to question reality. Like The Substance, Black Swan is a mind-bending horror film that delves into the steep price some women pay for perfection.
Cuckoo
Cuckoo follows Gretchen (Hunter Schafer), a young woman who moves to the German Alps with her father. She soon finds herself embroiled in a mystery as a hooded woman stalks her, and she experiences disturbing visions and sounds. Like The Substance, Cuckoo is a unique body horror film with a nice dose of feminism. While its plot can be confusing and sometimes forays into sci-fi territory, it’s a satisfying body horror film and a unique allegory for bodily autonomy.
Death Becomes Her
Death Becomes Her sees two women, Madeline (Meryl Streep) and Helen (Goldie Hawn), whose feud over the same lover leads them to pursue a dangerous quest for youth and immortality. Death Becomes Her strongly parallels The Substance with its story of two women forced to go to great lengths due to society’s refusal to accept their aging. It’s a quirky, campy body horror movie with a biting commentary on society’s attitude towards women.
Eyes Without a Face
In Eyes Without a Face, Doctor Génessier (Pierre Brasseur) becomes obsessed with performing a successful face transplant on his daughter, Christiane (Édith Scob), who was left disfigured in an automobile accident. The film is an excellent alternative to those seeking something less dark and grotesque than The Substance. However, it still includes some light body horror and thought-provoking themes about the impact of female beauty standards created by the patriarchy.
Raw
Raw is a coming-of-age body horror movie about a vegetarian, Justine (Garance Marillier), who develops an insatiable craving for human flesh after eating meat for the first time. It’s a unique cannibalistic body horror film that will delight those seeking the shock factor. Like The Substance, though, it’s rich in symbolism and tackles countless feminine themes about loss of innocence and female shame.
Society
Society is a body horror comedy that follows a teenage boy, Bill Whitney (Billy Warlock), who becomes suspicious that his wealthy family is involved in some gruesome rituals. Similar to The Substance, it’s a top-notch body horror movie that invokes feelings of shock and disgust. However, it also offers some thoughtful commentary on classism and elitism.
Swallow
Swallow follows Hunter Conrad (Haley Bennett), a woman who develops an insatiable urge to eat non-edible objects to cope with her isolated and oppressed domestic life. This unconventional feminine horror movie uses body horror and pica to convey the impact of sexism, gender roles, and women’s desire for bodily autonomy and self-control.
The Thing
The Thing is a classic must-see for fans of body horror. The film follows a group of researchers who come across an extraterrestrial humanoid life form that absorbs and imitates other beings. Since its 1982 release, it has gained a cult classic status for its terrifying body horror, nihilistic premise, and commentary on paranoia and fear.
Uglies
Uglies isn’t a horror film but offers a story centered on beauty standards. In the movie, Tally Youngblood (Joey King) lives in a dystopian society where everyone is forced to undergo an operation at age 16 to make them “perfect.” She soon learns dark truths about her society when she meets a group of rebels who refuse the procedure. Uglies is a perfect alternative to The Substance for viewers looking for something lighter and more upbeat that still seeks to deconstruct beauty standards.
Where to watch movies like The Substance online
Check out our list below to find out where to stream these 10 movies like The Substance online in the U.S.!
