Magazine Dreams

Everyone has dreams they hope will come true. As a kid, those dreams might involve becoming a princess or an astronaut, but as you age, they tend to become more grounded in reality—well, most of them, at least. However, chasing your dreams can have a dark side, as sometimes they can consume you and take you to places you never intended to go. Elijah Bynum’s new film, Magazine Dreams, explores this dark path and delivers quite an intense ride.

Killian Maddox (Jonathan Majors) has a dream—a laser-focused one. As a bodybuilder, he is determined to succeed, dedicating every moment to the gym, meticulously sculpting his body, and using whatever means necessary to achieve his goals. However, these choices have left him isolated, with no friends and poor social skills—something that becomes painfully evident when he awkwardly attempts to ask a girl named Jessie (Haley Bennett) out on a date. Killian appears to be missing something fundamental, and the performance-enhancing drugs he takes to fuel his workouts only worsen his episodes of rage.

The only person in his life is his grandfather, Harrison (William Lattimore), along with his obsession with famed bodybuilder Brad Vanderhorn (Michael O’Hearn), to whom he writes countless letters. Things begin to spiral out of control when Killian finally meets Brad, only to be ignored afterward—a rejection that sends him further down a dangerous and almost irreversible path.

Written and directed by Elijah Bynum, Magazine Dreams is an intense and often unsettling exploration of how obsessive behavior affects not only the individual but also those around them. Bynum delves deep into mental illness, making the film difficult to watch at times. You could argue that the two-hour runtime slightly dilutes its dramatic impact, but thankfully, the film’s power remains intact. Even as the final act begins to feel somewhat unhinged, there’s still so much compelling material to keep your eyes firmly locked on the screen.

At its core, Magazine Dreams is about Killian’s desperate yearning for connection. Yet, every time he tries to form one, he fails, and when isolation and repeated failures pile up, the consequences are dire.

This film is a terrifying, powerful, and sometimes uncomfortable experience—difficult to watch, yet impossible to look away from. While the plot occasionally feels aimless, Bynum’s message comes through loud and clear. The main reason for this is Jonathan Majors’ performance, which is nothing short of mesmerizing. Majors commands the screen, delivering a tour-de-force portrayal of Killian’s unsettling intensity and deep-seated anxiety.

The film is at its best when it focuses on Majors’ character, as it tells a story that feels deeply relevant to our times. I had been anticipating this movie for a long time, and I can confidently say it was worth the wait. You don’t see films like this very often.