This week, we break down Magazine Dreams (2023), the unsettling and often frustrating indie drama about a troubled Black bodybuilder chasing aesthetic greatness while unraveling under mounting internal and external pressures. We explore the film’s take on masculinity, wellness, and image-obsessed culture, as well as how Jonathan Majors’ real-life domestic violence case—he was found guilty on two misdemeanor charges—reframes his performance. We also examine the film’s quiet, complicated rollout and how Majors’ off-screen scandal complicates its reception and legacy.

We also dig into the film’s portrayal of performance culture, the physical extremes of bodybuilding, and its place in a long line of psychologically dark character studies, questioning whether it adds anything new to the genre.

Also: gym alienation, performance-enhancing identity, and what happens when self-improvement turns into self-erasure.