“Magazine Dreams” follows a man who is consumed by trying to make it in the world of professional bodybuilding.
The early stages of “Magazine Dreams” do a phenomenal job of highlighting Killian Maddox’s aspirations while also acknowledging his problems. He is a complex character chasing his dreams while dealing with the repercussions. He’s unknowingly taking years off his life in hopes of achieving something that may never be possible.
“Magazine Dreams” is a tale of wanting something so badly that you forget to take care of yourself in the process — and in doing so, risk destroying those around you. The film takes a character study of a complicated man and pushes it to the extremes.
This is a career-defining performance for Jonathan Majors. While outside noise may affect others’ outlook on the film, there’s no denying Majors’ talent. He poured everything into this role, both physically and emotionally. Playing such a layered character, Majors had to cycle through practically every emotion. He executes all of them to perfection, bringing this troubled, awkward and determined man to life.
The film includes many moments that are cringy or deeply uncomfortable. Watching Killian Maddox continuously spiral downhill is painful. But “Magazine Dreams” embraces that discomfort, using it to dig deeper into his psyche. These awkward, angry and scarred states are what make Maddox who he is. He’s not necessarily a likable lead, but he is an intriguing one.
After a certain point, the messaging begins to grow repetitive. Fifteen to 20 minutes could have easily been trimmed to make the story more digestible. The film also shifts tones abruptly in its second half. It touches on aspirations, idolization, mental health and more — but tries to do too much. The story takes so many sharp turns that it slowly spirals out of control. Because of this, it doesn’t always hold together narratively.
Telling the story of a broken man who’s been beaten down in more ways than one, “Magazine Dreams” succeeds as a character study. Majors’ performance is the glue that holds it together, even if the movie itself cracks under pressure. Though uneven, it’s still a respectable effort.
Rating: 3 out of 5
