PalCinema Review: Magazine Dreams

A shelved Jonathan Majors film is a towering achievement

March 21, 2025

FILM: MAGAZINE DREAMS

DIRECTED BY: ELIJAH BYNUM

STARRING: JONATHAN MAJORS, HARRISON PAGE, HARRIET SANSOM HARRIS

RATING: 4 stars out of 4

By Dan Pal

Magazine Dreams originally premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023 but was shelved after actor Jonathan Majors was cancelled for a misdemeanor assault and harassment conviction. It is now being released theatrically and is a towering achievement.

The drive towards bodybuilding has always been curious to me. I’ve known a few people who have competed and they generally have seemed like decent individuals. But for someone to do THAT to their bodies is simultaneously impressive and mysterious. Magazine Dreams, directed by Elijah Bynum, focuses on Killian Maddox, a man whose bedroom walls are adorned with photos of bodybuilders.

As played by Majors, Killian is relentless in his pursuit. He takes steroids, eats almost nothing but protein, and writes letters to his favorite bodybuilder Brad Vanderhorn. Outside of his obsession, Killian is a socially awkward grocery store worker. He sees a therapist for previous violent behavior and experiences some recurring physical pain that may or may not have anything to do with his steroid usage.

Jonathan Majors gives an explosive and Oscar-worthy performance as Killian. He creates a character that is simultaneously familiar and yet unlike anyone we’ve seen on screen before. Killian has multiple layers underneath his stealth physique. Majors demonstrates the character’s lack of self-esteem and social skills with expertise and finesse. One of the film’s great scenes features Killian going out on a date with his sweet co-worker Jessie (Haley Bennett.) He inundates her with the details of his life and goals without giving her presence a second thought. His determination and drive is on the surface without an ounce of understanding about how he is effecting his date.

This scene, and others within the film, will remind viewers of a similar one in Damien Chezelle’s Whiplash when Andrew (Miles Teller) goes on his first date with Nicole (Melissa Benoist.) It becomes very clear that nothing will stand in Andrew’s way of making it big as a jazz drummer. There are later scenes in Magazine Dreams which echo the arc of Andrew in Whiplash suggesting how extreme drives towards perfection can have a negative impact on one’s personal life. There are also allusions to films such as Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights as Mark Wahlberg’s character rapidly becomes the it boy in the world of pornography.

All of these characters reach a major low point in their lives that threatens their career and sanity. There are moments in Magazine Dreams when that point is so low for Killian that we begin to see shades of Travis Bickle from Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver. There’s a self-sabotage mentality that sets in making him a potentially dangerous character to himself and others.

The film explores many interesting and relatable themes such as what happens when one’s inner beast goes uncontrolled. It also explores one’s obsession with food. At his low points, Killian goes in the complete opposite direction of his regime by downing carbohydrates to comfort his wounded ego. Killian is still struggling with a bodybuilding judge’s remarks a few years earlier saying his deltoids were too small. Any criticism or lack of affirmation throws Killian into a tailspin. It’s a reminder about how hurtful negative feedback can be.

Magazine Dreams is not always an easy watch. Bynum touches the edges of some of the horrifying incidents that have occurred in the last several years in our social/cultural landscape. Some of these are depicted in potentially very disturbing scenes that, thankfully, Bynum doesn’t over indulge in. Instead this is a multi-layered experience that addresses many issues related to the bodybuilding culture but that can also be relatable to anyone who has ever had an obsession or strong determination, a need to feel liked and admired, or an unhealthy association with food. If that’s not enough there’s Jonathan Majors in a performance that should be remembered for many years to come.

Magazine Dreams opens theatrically this week. Will you see it in spite of the “cancellation” of Majors?

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