Written and directed by Elijah Bynum, Magazine Dreams works with sheer ferocity. The film tackles a plethora of thought-provoking themes and leans quite heavily into the heavy and uncomfortable, so much so that it will have audiences squirming in their seats. Driven by an incredible and dedicated performance from Jonathan Majors, Magazine Dreams stumbles in its final act and repeats itself too often, but it is gripping and intense nonetheless.
Killian Maddox (Majors) is an aspiring bodybuilder who hopes to one day be famous, emulating his idol by appearing on the cover of magazines. Killian lives with his ailing grandfather, William Lattimore (Harrison Page), and struggles to balance his bodybuilding training and food intake while caring for his grandfather, working at the local grocery store, and attending court-ordered therapy sessions. Killian has a hard time keeping his temper in check and lives under constant, self-imposed pressure to be the perfect bodybuilder. He believes that if he can finally make it in the competitive field of bodybuilding, everyone will know his name and understand his dreams.
Magazine Dreams explores the toxicity of masculinity and physical perfection, bodybuilding culture, and the things that can drive a man to violence, including isolation. It also addresses the obsession with fame, as Killian wants the glory, attention, and limelight that comes with being a well-known bodybuilder. It is not an easy film to watch at all and can also be deeply uncomfortable. The film is incredibly intense and never lets up, often to the point of repetition, leaving Killian repeating the same moves over and over again with no major payoff until the very end.
Even though the last third of the film goes around in circles, Magazine Dreams builds up the tension well. The audience never really knows when Killian might lose control or what he might do at any given moment. Bynum’s script teases and pulls back, allowing the audience to feel into the unnerving elements of the story and Killian’s unpredictable behavior. The film is simple, but contains a lot of complexity. There is a darkness, a gloomy atmosphere that permeates the entirety of the film. It is omnipresent and often suffocating, the discomfort palpable in almost every scene. It is quite heavy, and it often feels like there is no room to breathe or escape the constant foreboding.
Majors’ dedicated performance holds Magazine Dreams together. The actor gives his all in a guttural role that requires more than a physical transformation. Majors’ performance is restrained and unrestrained all at once. He conveys Killian’s loneliness, anger, insecurities, and need for attention, as well as a variety of other emotions, through the furrowed body language, the intensity of his eyebrows, and the tightness of his lips. Majors has the impossible task: making Killian both afraid and feared. The actor manages to balance both, making the audience cringe when Killian lashes out and sympathize with him when he’s been treated poorly. Without Majors, the film would not have worked as well.
Bynum’s script also offers several instances where Killian is apologetic or on the verge of politeness that, in an instant, could turn into violence. It’s a difficult line to walk, and the film doesn’t always benefit from this kind of repetition. To that end, Magazine Dreams could easily be edited down without losing any of its momentum. The final act of the film is an endless cycle of Killian almost doing things, pushing the boundary of violence before going back into it. No doubt audiences wait with bated breath to see if he’ll do something drastic. At the same time, Magazine Dreams suffers from this approach because it stretches on too long.
Still, Magazine Dreams is still worth watching. Majors’ performance is impeccable; he’s committed to this portrayal and able to explore Killian’s interiority. The film itself can be quite disturbing and overwhelming, resorting to uncomfortable places to get its message across.
Comments
Post a Comment