by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
What happened to Magazine Dreams? It was gaining plenty of buzz throughout the festival circuit just back in 2023. The thriller featured Jonathan Majors, one of the biggest rising stars in the movie industry. He was being built up as the new big bad of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and was starring in so many other great films along the way. Magazine Dreams was looking at a December 2023 release to make a run at the Academy Awards. But then Majors’ legal issues shattered those dreams. Skip ahead over a year, and we finally get a chance to check this film out.
Magazine Dreams is a gorgeous and harrowing cinematic experience. At its core, the film is about a disturbed individual with a dream. Majors portrays Killian Maddox, an amateur bodybuilder who struggles with body dysmorphia, anger management, and obsessive/addictive behavior. Over the course of two hours, writer/director Elijah Bynum engages with so many different themes and ideas, yet his script is still the film’s most prominent growth area. Certain parts of the film are disengaged from everything else, and the narrative thrust spins its wheels too often. Isolated scenes throughout Magazine Dreams tackle complex and harrowing situations, but the film feels like a string of scenes instead of a full story. Bynum explores police brutality, toxic masculinity, isolated male culture, relationships, and so many other beats, leaving you thinking did Bynum bite off too much. But the climax is satisfying, even if the road to get there is narratively shaky.
On the flip side, the film is textured and impactful from a visual standpoint. The footage features a enough grain, giving it a classic feel. In collaboration with cinematographer Adam Arkapaw, Bynum instills each frame with a dreamlike and engrossing hue. We are never sure just how real the world is around Killian, and Bynum captures that feeling so well.
The score does a lot of heavy lifting, bringing emotion and atmosphere. A special soundscape and visual dynamic allows Magazine Dreams to drench you in its aura. But Bynum delivers the most, with the suspense and tension that he crafts in almost every scene. The aggressive and forceful pace is unrelenting, as an oppressive sense of tension shines through in every scene.
But Majors is the main reason to check out Magazine Dreams. His performance is bold, aggressive, and authentic. You never question the raw emotion that Majors brings to Maddox. There are the body building scenes which highlight Majors’ physicality and the insane workout regimen he completed to develop his formidable body. It’s clear he put in the work to reach the physical demands of the role, as his power and force are on full display when he destroys a paint store and stalks a family at a diner. But his weakness and fragility also shine through when he asks out his coworker Jessie (Haley Bennett), and when he meets his idol (Michael O’Hearn). Majors is also terrifying when he finds his drive and becomes obsessed with it, including an uncomfortable moment on a date with Jessie. Majors brings it all, and Bennett, Taylour Paige, Harrison Page, and Harriet Sansom Harris each add layers to the film through their supporting turns.
Looking back, while the movie as a whole might not deserve the awards buzz it was garnering, Majors does for sure. His complex and showy performance really gets your attention. Majors committed to this role, and his towering presence and magnetism are unmatched. If only the film as a whole felt a bit richer in character work and more focused in the overarching story, some of the tonal shifts and narrative swings would not feel so jarring.
Rating: Liked It
Magazine Dreams is currently playing in theaters
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