Magazine Dreams is a film written and directed by Elijah Bynum. It stars Jonathan Majors, Haley Bennett, Taylour Paige, Mike O’Hearn, Harrison Page and Harriet Sansom Harris.

Story

Killian Maddox (Jonathan Majors) is a socially awkward grocery store clerk who lives with his elderly grandfather (Harrison Page). He dreams of becoming a star bodybuilder, spending every waking moment working on his physique. While he isn’t working or exercising, he records videos of himself to upload on his YouTube channel, and sends fan mail to his favorite bodybuilder, Brad Vanderhorn (Mike O’Hearn). Killian’s intense dedication leads him to ultimately lose his sanity.

Visuals

The film is very hallucinatory, with Killian often times falling into states of delusion. There are also moments of shocking horror, with Killian in a bloody and violent state.

Acting

Majors as Killian Maddox really pushes himself to the limits in this film, physically and emotionally. His performance was truly electrifying and mesmerizing. I really empathized with his character, despite his major flaws.

Overall

Magazine Dreams is a really intense film that leaves you with a weird feeling. Its dark and grimy, but you can’t ever look away. It really speaks to the extremes that people will go through to achieve their dreams, and the desire for human connection. The film had me feeling really conflicted, where I often times felt sympathy for Killian, but also fear.