MAGIC FARM

DATE: Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Rating: 3 out of 5

Magic Farm is never short on quirky moments that generates great laughter thanks to a talented cast featuring Chloë Sevingy, Alex Wolf and Simon Rex, but this wacky slice of life film does not have enough substance to make this a film that you will remember long after the credits begin to roll.

Writer and director Amalia Ulman’s first feature film, El Planeta, premiered at the 2021 edition of the Sundance Film Festival to great critical acclaim, as she told a mother-daughter story within the absurdist comedy subgenre, shot entirely in black and white. For her next film, Ulman once again plays within the confines of the comedy genre, this time focusing on the media crew going travelling to Argentina and their wild behaviour to shoot the documentary they need to produce. Armed with a cast of Hollywood celebrities including Chloë Sevingy, Alex Wolf and Simon Rex, as well as acting in the film herself, Ulman creates a very funny look at media coverage though fails to fully capitalize on all the ideas at play in her screenplay. 

What could go wrong for a documentarian film crew travelling to Argentina to interview a woman they have never met about an eclectic musician best known for his online videos featuring him singing in a bunny costume? Well, apparently a lot as explored in Ulman’s latest directorial and written effort. After briefly meeting the media crew filming a promotion for their new project, the film jumps forward a year and follows them in Argentina, where they find themselves in the entirely wrong currently and having to invent subject matter to make their trip fruitful. Full of colourful characters, each with their own quirks and problems, this slice of life film that Ulman developed is not without merit as this Vice Magazine-esque crew tries to salvage their trip. Leaning heavily into the absurdity of the characters and the situation they find themselves in, playing off themes of miscommunication and lying as the media crew uses the locals to their own advantage while not being told the full truth by the locals. This leads to some truly laugh out loud moments as the most peculiar situations unfold on camera as the media crew navigates their troubled business prospects and complicated personal lives, trying to save both from tragedy. In doing so, Ulman is juggling too many narrative threads that leaves many of them unresolved or not acknowledged again, such as the doomsday church and the scandal that Dave finds himself in and the effect it has on Edna, causing the story to feel simultaneously underdeveloped and without a strong focus. 

Even as the story slightly stumbles to create the engaging narratives viewers will want, the cast more than compensates for this and makes the film a more than entertaining watch. Chloë Sevingy finds the right mix of demanding talent, stubbornness and charm to bring to life Edna, creating a trust worthy on screen reporter but one who is prickly behind the scenes; while Simon Rex is a laugh a minute as the show’s producer Dave, oozing with sleaze and magnetism despite a small amount of screen time. Ulman is wonderful as Elena, the only Spanish speaking member of the crew who becomes the designated translator as she tries to hold the entire production together, beautifully balancing it against her character’s personal situation, creating the most sympathetic character of the film. Alex Wolff is pitch perfect as Jeff, a Gen Z member of the crew who is so self centered and oblivious that it leads to some hilarious moments with Camila del Campo’s Manchi who he shares a romantic relationship with. Joe Appollonio and Guillermo Jacubowicz strike up a great on screen chemistry, and Valeria Lois brings some great laughs as Popa, one of the locals who aides the crew during their time in Argentina. 

One of the most intriguing aspects of Magic Farm is the cinematography. While lots of the film is fairly generic looking, there are some unique and artistic shots featuring different camera lenses that give an almost magical quality to the film, which matches the wacky tone that Ulman was striving for over the course of the film. Combined with the original musical score from Burke Battelle (or as he is credited “Chicken”) that captures the peculiar vibe of not only the intended subject for this documentarian film crew’s piece and the culture of the small Argentinian town that they find themselves in, it’s hard not to enamored by the overall aesthetic of the film even if the story leaves viewers wanting more. 

While there are no regrets after watching Magic Farm, as it is an entertaining film that never overstays its welcome thanks to its short runtime, it is one film that does not have the staying power it necessarily should. The concept from writer and director Amalia Ulman has its merits and leads to some great comedic moments thanks to a talented cast who all bring their A-game, but the story’s lack of depth in the individual character storylines leaves too many lulls in the film’s pacing to make for a fully engaging experience. With Chloë Sevingy, Alex Wolff, Simon Rex and the rest of the cast revelling in the wackiness of Amalia Ulman’s concept and delivering some truly laugh out loud moments, Magic Farm is an entertaining watch even if the narrative leaves something to be desired.