Sundance 2023: Magazine Dreams
Sundance Film FestivalSince his debut in Scott Cooper's Hostiles, Jonathan Majors has proven himself time and time again to be one of the most talented actors working today. With a filmography including standout roles in projects like The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Da 5 Bloods, The Harder They Fall, and Devotion, just to name a few, it feels like Majors has almost effortlessly built one of the most impressive filmographies of any actor over the last decade with 2023 seeing somewhat of a mainstream breakout year for the actor with key roles in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Creed III. These bigger projects wouldn't keep Majors busy enough, however, as the actor also stars in Elijah Bynum's Magazine Dreams. Screening as part of the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, Magazine Dreams sees Majors take on the role of Killian Maddox, an aspiring bodybuilder who threatens his own health to achieve the physical physique and praise he so desperately craves against a life of loneliness. This dynamic is not working out for Maddox who starts to flirt with violence and aggression.
There is no denying that the best part of Magazine Dreams is Majors himself who has transformed into Maddox. Putting his real body through grueling training to look the part, the physical intensity and presence of Majors are only part of his incredible work here. Maddox is a character that struggles with social cues and empathy. He feels like an alien at times with his entire means of emotional survival being based on the praise and effort he takes and gives the world of bodybuilding. The film paints a deeply complex portrait of a broken man who is desperate to find a cure. Majors plays this emotional complexity with masterful precision and personality with this persona feeling authentic and real. From the way he speaks to the way he physically holds himself in space, Majors is crafted and exact in a way seen in the very best.
Within this story, however, there is somewhat of an ugly elephant in the room. As Maddox struggles to find real human connection and satisfaction in life, the film rather abruptly adds the element of violence. While seeing a broken character use violence as a means to attack the society they see as having wronged them is nothing new, there is a troubling underbelly when this action and mindset is randomly put onto a character who is both black and suggested to be neurodivergent and suffer from mental health issues. The reaction of violence is a common stereotype for both of these identities and is one that has caused genuine loss of life as a result with some thinking they might be more dangerous or likely to inflict acts of violence. Even if the film is not explicitly stating this connection, it is implicitly a conclusion individuals could take away from the feature with the movie ultimately feeling tone-deaf in its usage of these identities. It is especially frustrating to see as the element of violence really doesn't add a ton to the story and easily could have been removed or altered to allow better representation.
Returning to the positives of the feature, the technical ability of the film is excellent with Elijah Bynum seeing a massive step up in ability and directorial talent between this and his debut feature, Hot Summer Nights. The film is brooding with tension, like a flexed muscle pushing the limits before it snaps. The shot composition and cinematography by Adam Arkapaw is intentional and thoughtful with a focused craft that sees a wonderful evolution for Arkapaw compared to his grander work in films like David Michôd's The King and Justin Kurzel's Assassin's Creed. These elements come together to create a relentless feature that is only comparable to viewing experiences like Bennett Miller's Foxcatcher.
Magazine Dreams might be far from a perfect film, but this is an overall memorable outing that sees Jonathan Majors continue to define himself on screen as one of the best. A strong evolution for nearly every individual both in front and behind the camera, Magazine Dreams is a brooding work of loneliness and desperation that manifests into a complex and emotional final statement.
