by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
What would you do if you ended up in the completely incorrect country when you were traveling? That seems like such an absurd occurrence… but that is what happens in Magic Farm. Though, when you are ignorant enough, anything is possible.
A media crew is attempting to do a profile on a Latin American artist, and though they end up in the city with the correct name, it’s the incorrect country. This wild premise opens the door for this crew to attempt to create a viral moment in collaboration with the local population.
The film’s concept has lots of opportunities for shenanigans, and these characters certainly get involved in plenty. The vibes and overall idea of the film are its strengths, but it does get lost in the narrative thread shuffle. Each of the crew members gets involved in their own situations, developing connections with the locals, but they are not always engaging. In fact, most of these characters are hard to connect with, and writer/director Amalia Ulman creates too much space between the audience and these characters. The film uses clichés which don’t quite grab your attention, but some are interesting enough to enjoy. While the concept is interesting and pregnant with potential, the actual narrative threads just don’t deliver consistently enough.
As for Ulman’s direction, the film has enough energy to keep driving forward. It’s only 93 minutes long, and it moves well. The film’s fast pace and high-energy presentation make it much more engaging and entertaining than it might otherwise be: The music is big and filled with personality, bringing you into the small-town setting. Meanwhile, the visuals capture two important things: One, the colors simply pop on screen, giving the film life and vibrance. Second, it has a documentary feel that tricks you into thinking this is an actual documentary (that is until Chloë Sevigny and Simon Rex show up as not themselves). This was an interesting choice, and it works well. This presentation connects well to the narrative elements of a media crew attempting to deliver a profile.
It is hard to deny that a lot of these actors are great in everything. Sevigny brings such a unique and impactful presence to every one of her roles, and she leads the way here. Rex is a fine addition alongside her. Then, the duo of Joe Apollonio and Alex Wolff each bring personality to their characters — but they both come off as so unlikeable, and that is an overall frustration. These characters are unlikeable, but never do enough to make them interesting.
Magic Farm is an interesting idea on paper. It had potential, but the path it takes from there is never interesting enough. The bigger ideas just don’t go anywhere meaningful. Thankfully, the bold camerawork, color palette, and documentary style at least gives this film some redeeming qualities that the game cast can play around with.
Rating: It Was Just Okay
Magic Farm is currently streaming on Mubi
You can read more from Shane Conto, and follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd