MovieChat Forums > The Substance (2024) Discussion > Why Wouldn't Anybody Recognize A 30 Year...

Why Wouldn't Anybody Recognize A 30 Year Younger Version?


If "Sue" is supposed to be Elizabeth 30 years younger, then wouldn't people constantly be saying, "Holy shit, where did this 30 year younger version of Elizabeth come from?"

Like, imagine if J. Lo, who's 55 just disappeared and 25 year old J. Lo from "Selena" just showed up, nobody would say anything?

Nobody would recognize "young J. Lo" as "young J. Lo"?

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I don't think Sue is supposed to simply be a rejuvenated Elisabeth. She's 'a younger, more beautiful, more perfect' version of Elisabeth.

I don't think it's intended that if you de-aged Elisabeth, you'd end up with Sue. If Elisabeth had a photograph of herself at Sue's age, the photograph would look like a younger Demi Moore. She wouldn't look like Margaret Qualley.

Or at least that's how I read it.

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If that is not the intent, then it is a bit of a plot hole.

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How?

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If it is really meant as a rejuvenated Elisabeth then people should recognize her. That's the potential plot hole. But if it is meant as a 'more perfect' version of her as the other fellow said, then there's no problem.

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sue isn't only 30 years younger, but also "a better version", so she looks different than a 20-year-old demi moore.
i reckon that's also why they cast demi moore instead of margaret qualley's mother andie macdowell.

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Wow, didn't know that

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So both of Monica's possible haircuts are associated with this film!

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Check out these 75 Celebrities and Their Vintage Doppelgängers:
https://www.elle.com/beauty/g26515/celebrities-vintage-doppelgangers/?slide=1

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There were many pictures of a younger Elisabeth in the halls of the studio and one huge picture of a younger Elisabeth in her apartment and they all looked like a younger Demi. Sue was supposed to be a "better version" of Elisabeth, not a younger version of herself, so she didn't look like her, she looked better.

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Sue is not Elisabeth minus 30 years, she's a completely different person. They have two different eye colors and we see what younger Elisabeth looked like in photos and posters.

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‘She’s a completely different person’

You’ve nailed the problem with this film - the whole procedure is pointless. Elizabeth doesn’t even get to experience the joys of being young and sexy again. They’re completely separate other than the need for Sue to drain Elizabeth’s life-force, which of course she abuses at Elizabeth’s expense.

Elizabeth should have just had a kid 🤷🏻‍♂️

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Totally true sONOMArEturns (1276)!

In the moment of the "clone" creation, there is an extreme close-up shot of their eyes where you can see Demi's green eyes, and Margaret's blue ones.

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because they think it's impossible. there are hollywood lookalikes too. people don't give a shit and they're the same age. if they were younger, nobody would bat an eye.

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