It was a dream
As a woman, and one over 40, I’ve thought a lot about this film. My interpretation is that it was a dream brought about by Elizabeth’s car accident and a possible concussion. All the things that happened were on her mind when she had the wreck- getting, getting fired, fascination with youth, how far she would go to be young and pretty. The whole texture of the film after the accident is weird and dreamlike. I loved it, and what a lesson!