2 years ago, “Magazine Dreams” was set to launch its star Jonathan Majors into the Oscar conversation. Hot out of Sundance 2023, his performance was critically acclaimed. And if he wasn’t on everyone’s radar as a true rising star, he was most certainly added to the list after his real breakout turn here. Of course, Majors found himself mired in assault allegations that sent his career crumbling. He was removed as the new major villain in the MCU, dropped from a number of upcoming projects, and “Magazine Dreams” was shelved indefinitely.
I resigned myself to the idea that this film would never see the light of day, so along with the film being locked away in a vault, so was my review. But lo and behold, Briarcliff Entertainment decided to dust it off and distribute it, which means the pen is dusted off again too and it’s now finally time to talk about “Magazine Dreams.” For clarity, we’re not going to get into the nitty gritty of his disputes and accusations. Any compliments of Majors and any critique of the film are strictly limited to this film, and that’s it.
It’s important to contextualize this review, because if it was written 2 years ago when I saw it for the first time, there wouldn’t be any need for a disclaimer or separation of art and artist. And sure, you could make the argument to simply abstain from reviewing “Magazine Dreams” and delete myself from the narrative. But I do have something to say about the film and the performance, and I believe it is a film that we should talk about and try to take it on its own terms. The art from the artist philosophy is easier said than done and very rarely applies in broad strokes. We (myself included) constantly make exceptions when we draw lines in the sand, and this ‘new release’ would’ve been at the forefront of awards conversation if it released on schedule and was controversy-free. That deserves at least some discussion and criticism, but I won’t fault anyone for choosing not to see this film, and even refusing to read reviews of it.
Written and directed by Elijah Bynum, “Magazine Dreams” follows aspiring bodybuilder Killian Maddox (Majors) in his pursuit for perfection at all costs. He wants to be the greatest bodybuilder ever, on the cover of magazines like his shredded idols and will stop at nothing to achieve this dream. Killian is the caretaker for his ailing grandfather and clearly suffers from a number of mental illnesses exacerbated by his use of steroids that are doing more harm than good to his body. Struggling to find human connection amid his pursuit for superstardom and the perfect physique, Maddox becomes stuck in a self destructive cycle of obsession and violence. It also stars Haley Bennett, Mike O’Hearn, and Taylour Paige.
It was acquired by Searchlight out of Sundance after a bidding war with Neon, Sony Pictures Classic and HBO and was originally set to be released December 8th, 2023. However, Disney pulled it from the schedule amid the allegations and strikes, and it late 2024 released the film rights back to the filmmakers so they could try and find another distributor, which they did with Braircliff Entertainment.
It as a film is a little rough around the edges; beautifully shot but unable to shed its clearly inspired foundations to create something that feels as unique and propulsive as it should. A clear hybrid of “Joker” and “Whiplash,” the film has a hard time escaping its more derivative moments to stand on its own and say something more profound about it topics of mental illness, obsession, body dysmorphia, toxic masculinity and loneliness. it falls short largely due to Bynum’s shortcomings as a filmmaker who can’t quite say the things he wants to say without using other creator’s words. That’s not to say that Bynum isn’t a good filmmaker. On the contrary, “Magazine Dreams” puts up enough weight for enough reps to build a thoroughly engaging watch, and Bynum demonstrates a strong visual flare and boundary pushing risks throughout. With time and more experience, he has all the promise of a rising voice in cinema. It goes for broke a little too often to feel genuine and complete, muddling some of its themes amid an overly long run time and series of events that doesn’t feel cohesive.
Still, we need more filmmakers like Bynum who are willing to take risks and wild swings like this movie.
Beneath its muscle-bound veneer is a deeply profound commentary on mental health, obsession, stardom, and the devastating effects of pursuing perfection. As stated, it doesn’t quite say enough about these things to be as thought provoking as it wants to be, but it does get some of them right. As someone who struggles with body dysmorphia myself, “Magazine Dreams” completely captures the crippling weight of never looking the way you want in every reflection. And while the film as a whole struggles to bring all of its ideas together, Johnathan Majors is the secret weapon that elevates it to something wholly engaging. Majors is transfixing and transcendent, the kind of performance that defines greats decades into an illustrious career. It is through his deeply committed performance that the film becomes a pressure cooker of intensity and sadness, stirring emotions as we watch Maddox stumble through his life like a ticking time bomb.
Even if you were already a fan of Majors, what he does in “Magazine Dreams” is a major level up and true showcase of his onscreen capabilities. He imbues Maddox with a sense of empathy and terror, and pushes him to the brink of chaos without a guiding light beyond his need to be a perfect physical specimen. Whatever doesn’t work here is stacked on the bar and power lifted by Majors with perfect form. You couldn’t ask for a better performer to not only transform their body into a shredded behemoth, but embrace the wide array of emotional responses necessary for a character study of a broken man.
Majors’ ability to go from 0 to 100 in an instant – a register that “Magazine Dreams” asks him to do constantly – is nothing short of remarkable.
He is soft and quiet on moment, vulnerable and sad the next, then bursting with rage and unsettling brutality the next. “Magazine Dreams” puts its lead through the ringer, and thankfully Majors has enough workout competency to complete the program with flying colors. One moment he’s collapsed on the stage from his steroid use and the next he’s violently vandalizing a paint store because something small didn’t go his way. Both registers require the same level of believability, and Majors gives himself over to every facet of Killian’s complex mental/emotional instability. The sweat equity alone – becoming an actual bodybuilder by training for 4 months and eating over 6000 calories a day is enough to make us take notice of Majors’ commitment, and his rollercoaster of emotion as we watch Killian’s life fall apart by his own choices keeps us wholly invested, even when some of the flowing scene changes don’t quite do so on their own.
While this film may do a few half reps with bad form, it hits a number of PRs by putting Majors at the center. It’s a film I appreciate more than I liked, but one that I won’t forget either. It’s been over two years since my first watch, and I can still clearly visualize its more intense and provocative moments and Majors incredible performance. That says something about the staying power of the film despite its flaws, and why we should be ok with talking about “Magazine Dreams.“
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
“Magazine Dreams” hits theaters March 21st. You can watch the trailer below.
