This year, Hollywood has witnessed a surge in films and TV shows featuring Hollywood stalwarts over 40. We’ve seen Anne Hathaway’s radiant performance in “The Idea of You,” Angelina Jolie’s ethereal presence in “Maria,” Cate Blanchett exuding power and sophistication in “Disclaimer,” and Ruth Negga stealing the show in “Presumed Innocent.” These male-helmed projects, showcasing Oscar winners and nominees, revel in the glamour and sex appeal of these actresses.
However, alongside these glossy portrayals, a new wave of films directed by forty-something women has emerged, offering a refreshingly honest and challenging perspective on aging as a woman. These films, like shards of glass shattering the illusion of perfection, hold a mirror up to society’s unattainable beauty standards and gleefully smash them to smithereens.
One such film is “The Substance,” directed by Coralie Fargeat. It follows Demi Moore’s Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading movie star who is replaced by a younger, hotter model in an ’80s-style fitness show. This triggers a crippling insecurity in Elisabeth, leading her to seek a procedure called “the substance,” promising to unleash a more perfect version of herself.
The result is a terrifying and hilarious exploration of societal expectations and the relentless pressure to conform to a youthful ideal. Elisabeth’s alter ego, Sue, embodies the idealized version of beauty, effortlessly navigating Los Angeles while Elisabeth remains trapped in her own body, consumed by self-loathing. As Elisabeth struggles to control her double life, she experiences the consequences of her actions, aging rapidly as she pushes the limits of the “substance.” This descent into physical decline is a poignant and unsettling commentary on the relentless pursuit of youth.
Another film exploring this theme is Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl.” In this twisted and sultry film, Nicole Kidman portrays Romy Mathis, the CEO of a robotics firm who falls for a cocky intern. As the public face of her company, Romy is expected to be both relatable and aspirational, a boundary-pushing pioneer who is also entirely unimpeachable. The film reveals the lengths to which Romy goes to maintain her youthful image, including undergoing extensive therapy, cryo-treatment, and Botox injections.
The film’s portrayal of these procedures, often whispered about but rarely acknowledged in Hollywood, is groundbreaking. We see Romy’s teenage daughter confronting her about her cosmetic surgery, highlighting the hypocrisy of a society that expects women to be “natural” while simultaneously encouraging them to defy the aging process.
Marielle Heller’s “Nightbitch” takes a different approach to the subject of aging, focusing on the protagonist’s journey through motherhood and the transformation she experiences. Amy Adams’s character, driven to the brink of madness by the demands of motherhood, undergoes a surreal metamorphosis, literally transforming into a dog. The film, like “The Substance,” revels in the flaws and imperfections of its leading lady’s physical form, presenting a raw and vulnerable side of a Hollywood icon who is often seen as an impossibly elegant creature.
These films, driven by female directors, are significant not only for their honest and often uncomfortable portrayals of aging but also for their willingness to challenge the idealized representations of women in Hollywood. They offer a much-needed perspective for women in their forties, fifties, and beyond, reminding them that they don’t have to be perfect, and they shouldn’t have to aspire to such an unattainable ideal.
These films are a welcome change, a sign that Hollywood is finally beginning to embrace the complexities and realities of aging, offering a more truthful and relatable reflection of the human experience. These films may not dismantle our existing notions of beauty overnight, but they are a vital step in the right direction.
