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‘Magazine Dreams’ is too shallow and glossy to be Jonathan Majors’ comeback

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In “Magazine Dreams,” actor Jonathan Majors takes on the role of a turbulent bodybuilder named Killian Maddox, likely due to the creators Elijah Bynum finding character names like “Murderguy Sulkface” too straightforward. This somber drama mirrors the intensity of Killian’s physique – it’s an exaggerated depiction of a tormented man.

What’s causing Killian to be so distressed? There are several factors, each receiving relatively minor emphasis, ranging from experiences like surviving domestic violence to receiving harsh criticism on his workout video posts. Primarily, the movie seems to be a portrayal of observing someone without truly understanding them. Bynum encourages us to stare at Killian’s physique – each ab is illuminated with the fervor of an ad for warm buttery dinner rolls – and then passes judgment on those who fail to perceive his vulnerability beneath his chiseled exterior.

I’ve watched the movie twice – once at its Sundance premiere in 2023 and again recently – yet I’m still puzzled by Killian. He seems angry, frustrated, and difficult to understand. The screenplay by Bynum portrays him amidst a list of challenges faced by isolated young men: misguided notions of masculinity, struggles in relating to women, a drive to make their mark on the world, and the ease with which they can acquire firearms.

The project titled ‘Magazine Dreams’ was put on hold when Majors faced charges for harassment and assault, leading to his dismissal by his management team and Marvel. However, it’s now being mentioned as a potential comeback for him. I find it questionable that this emotionally manipulative film, which seems to hammer in pity rather than subtly portray it, is being considered given its lack of credible exploration into anger-management techniques, which were part of Majors’ sentence. (The director insists he isn’t raising his voice, but it sounds repetitive like a drill.) The issue isn’t that the film unwittingly mirrors Majors’ own experiences with childhood trauma and his relentless pursuit of perfection. It’s that the movie’s portrayal of these complex issues is so superficial that it leaves a viewer feeling that the characters, and by extension, the actor himself, are false or insincere.

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After receiving a conviction for assaulting and harassing his former partner, Grace Jabbari, Major expressed, in a recent interview alongside his new companion Meagan Good, that he believes he is worthy of another opportunity.

Primarily, Killian is a character who appears bewildered and out of place, often stumbling through situations as if they’re his first encounters. His creator has crafted him to navigate scenes ineptly, reminiscent of a hatchling finding its feet for the first time. Killian seems oblivious about practically everything, from managing a grocery store job where he flirts awkwardly with a colleague, Jessie (Haley Bennett), to the point of asking her to keep change while buying his chicken breast.

It’s unclear how he manages to procure drugs – a shot and powder – as his interactions seem to be new experiences for him every time. It’s puzzling considering his lifestyle, which appears to include substances. He seems to be enacting the lyrics of Eminem’s song “Stan,” albeit without irony, by composing increasingly erratic letters to his favorite bodybuilder (TikTok sensation Mike O’Hearn), addressed as “Your number one fan.” It’s possible he doesn’t understand the song. Instead, he seems to prefer death metal music.

In a creative fusion of “Taxi Driver” and “Rocky”, the movie “Magazine Dreams” doesn’t provide a compelling reason to empathize with the protagonist, Killian. His life is monotonous, marked by hurt feelings, excessive eating, and outbursts. Despite the ups and downs, his lifestyle remains unchanged. Obsessed with a former competition judge who once criticized his small deltoids in 2016, Killian’s world seems stuck in time, accentuated by VHS tapes, old TV sets, and landlines. His living arrangement with his grandfather, William (Harrison Page), appears to be more for aesthetic purposes than practicality.

In every scene, the director’s touch seems palpable, stripping away any vibrance, humor, or freedom. The atmosphere is unyielding, and the music, with its slow, rugged strings, creates a mournful melody. Visually, the cinematography is breathtaking, filled with rich hues of red, blue, and amber orange, as well as clever focus shifts that skillfully guide our gaze. The camera seldom strays from Majors’ Killian, but one can’t help wondering: what are we meant to observe?

I have a feeling that the movie might argue its own defense by suggesting it’s set within Killian’s steroid-fueled delirium. This seems to be the only explanation for why the bodybuilding competitions appear more like performances of Shakespeare, with audiences constantly applauding as a performer showcases on stage. Everything and everyone in the film feels unrealistic, even minor characters such as Taylour Paige, who portrays a streetwalker in an extravagant costume of sequins and furs, seem to be playing a thankless role with little depth or authenticity.

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In the story, when the plot requires us to empathize more with Killian, he’ll all of a sudden exude charm, such as when he casually orders half the menu at a steakhouse. However, when the story needs more suspense, he metamorphoses into a self-assured criminal. Remarkably, he not only wrecks property and takes one hostage at gunpoint (both without concealing his identity and leaving clear traces), but also manages to escape scot-free, facing no legal repercussions whatsoever.

In this scene, the sequences seem to be unevenly contrasted with everyday discrimination experiences of a Black man named Killian. For instance, police officers harass him while he is jogging, and later, the owner of a construction company, Ken, insults him by calling him an ape, which is deeply offensive. However, it’s unclear if the film intends to elicit empathy for Killian’s anger or make viewers question his actions when he retaliates against Ken by throwing food and making Ken’s children scared, and acting as if he were caged. Bynum appears to position the audience in this scene, leaving us torn between understanding Killian’s justified fury and viewing him as an aggressor that others might perceive as behaving like a wild animal.

As a film enthusiast, I’ve noticed that the script is overflowing with conflicting thoughts and concepts that often go unchecked. Bynum cleverly employs allusions as if they were anvils, underscoring tension with Nick Lowe’s “The Beast in Me.” He also has Killian raid his home to a piece from Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Samson & Delilah,” a reference that only partially resonates because no woman here has ever deceived me. (There’s one man, but mostly Killian is his own undoing.) When he does take Jessie Bennett out on a date, things predictably spiral out of control. Bynum keeps the camera fixed on her as Jessie covers her face with her hands, a clear indication of yet another heartache she endures. This scene stands out as the most powerful in the movie.

As a devoted cinema enthusiast, I can attest that in “Magazine Dreams,” Majors pours his heart and soul into every scene. Even a single frame showcases the incredible dedication he’s put into embodying his character. He carries the movie with unwavering intensity, expressing raw emotion through grimaces, sweat, and screams that make each moment feel significant. It’s almost painful to witness such an immense effort to breathe life into this script. His performance is undeniably self-assured, yet it left me two years ago as my least favorite among his roles – a sentiment I never thought I would hold, given my commitment to following every single one of his performances throughout the course of his career. Watching “Magazine Dreams,” however, felt like bearing witness to the rise of a star destined to illuminate Hollywood for decades.

Many people who have read multiple biographies about Hollywood stars recognize that some actors enter the profession as a means to heal their personal wounds. By immersing themselves in characters and delving into complex feelings in a controlled environment, they can merge their real lives with their acting roles and foster understanding. Although I’m not a psychologist, my observation after watching “Magazine Dreams” twice is that Majors seemed to be revealing some of his own suffering. It left me wishing the movie had provided him, as well as his character, an opportunity to release their emotional burden.

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2025-03-21 23:01

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