It’s always fun to watch comedic actors dip their toes into drama and absolutely knock it out of the park. Take Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me?, for instance, or Kristen Wiig in The Skeleton Twins. On the flip side, it’s also a joy to watch actors who are mostly known for their more serious projects get to flex their comedy muscles. Magic Farm allows Chloë Sevigny and Alex Wolff to do just that, and they consistently deliver even when the movie meanders.
What is ‘Magic Farm’ About?

Image via Sundance Institute

Magic Farm revolves around a crew of documentarians (though let’s use that word very loosely) doing a series for their media company exploring odd fashion trends around the world. Leading change is the face of the company, Edna (Sevigny), and her boyfriend Dave (Simon Rex), along with various underlings and interns, including the sensitive Jeff (Wolff). The crew decides to do an exploration of a San Cristobal musician whose signature is bunny ears, but a mishap finds them stuck in a random Argentinian town. Luckily, one of their producers, Elena (Ulman), is able to speak Spanish and communicate with the locals, and the group decides to rope in a hotel receptionist (Guillermo Jacubowicz) to rectify the situation by creating a fake documentary. In the process of pulling this together, the crew also crosses paths with a neighbor named Popa (Valeria Lois) and her sexually frustrated daughter, Manchi (Camila del Campo).
‘Magic Farm’ Effectively Satirizes Gen Z — But Comes Up Short With Character Development

Image Via Sundance Film Festival

Accurately capturing and poking fun at Gen Z isn’t easy. Many projects that attempt the task end up cheesy and cringe-worthy or guilty of taking cheap shots and leaning into clichés. Magic Farm, however, does a nice job — particularly when it comes to Jeff. Known for his more serious performances in Hereditary and Pig, it’s a delight to see Wolff pivot into something decidedly sillier, emerging as a standout and evoking the most laughs as he constantly whines about people (rightfully) being upset with him and comparing periods syncing to rotting fruits. His connection with Manchi is refreshing, as it flips gender norms on its head by making him tenderhearted and her simply wanting to have sex.
Though there’s not nearly enough Sevigny, she nails the material she does have. The opening is particularly strong, as we watch her character deliver ridiculous lines on the streets of New York City and be authentically and unabashedly problematic in the process. She has wonderfully hilarious chemistry with Rex, who’s overly affectionate and constantly refers to her as a “girlboss” and such related terms. The dynamic she has with her interns is another great source of comedy and rings painfully true — the pay is terrible, but she’s an icon. How would they not want this job?

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The real-life couple have never been better.

The main issue with Magic Farm is that it’s a lot more compelling before we get into the meat of the story. It’s a blast to watch their short cold open in New York and the initial culture shock of navigating Argentina, but once the group begins building relationships with the locals, the scenes go from snappy and quick to long and dragging. While subversions of expectation are always welcomed, Magic Farm sets up one thing and then zigzags, never following through on its initial setup. We never get to delve into the backgrounds and personalities of our central characters, and their relationships with one another are kept surface-level.
‘Magic Farm’ Chooses Style Over Substance (Though It Is Very Stylish)

Image by Jovelle Tamayo via Sundance Institute

Despite the characters being drama queens, there also isn’t much conflict or tension. All the pieces of Magic Farm are entertaining, but they don’t add up to much in the end, and it’s difficult to figure out the point of it all. This would be fine, but Magic Farm clearly wants to say something about big social issues — privilege, class, and race — apparent by the health crisis subplot mostly hidden in the background. Unfortunately, its message is muddled, engaging with its themes on a merely superficial level.
Still, what Magic Farm lacks in substance it almost makes up for in style. Ulman has a unique voice and bold vision. The quick cuts and panning transitions, as well as the frequent use of fisheye lenses, make for a surreal experience that feels like a cross between a Yorgos Lanthimos film and behind-the-scenes footage of an actual documentary. Even the opening credits are striking and bombastic, characterized by an overload of popping fonts and stars.
The score, too, elevates the film, as the music combines a traditional Latin sound with hazy and vaguely unsettling synths. It echoes the plotline of the crew interrupting and hijacking this culture with their larger-than-life energy and ignorance and further immerses the audience in this slightly heightened and twisted reality. Magic Farm starts out promising, and there’s a lot to like when it comes to its performances and visuals, but the underbaked plot keeps it from being fully satisfying. Though Magic Farm’s opening is killer, it can’t manage to stick the landing — or much of the second half at all. It’s certainly not a terrible way to spend just over an hour and a half, and the risks Ulman takes are commendable, but it never quite reaches its potential or comes together as much as you’d hope.
Magic Farm had its premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

Magic Farm

‘Magic Farm’ is funny and stylish, but its meandering plot and underdeveloped characters keep it from living up to its potential.

Release Date

January 28, 2025

Runtime

93 Minutes

Director

Heidi Ewing

Writers

Heidi Ewing

Pros & Cons

Chloë Sevigny and Alex Wolff give solid comedic performances that effectively satirize Americans and Gen Z.
The unique score and cinematography immerse the audience in the film?s surreal world.
‘Magic Farm’ starts off strong with an excellent opening that immediately hooks you.

Magic Farm doesn?t live up to the potential it shows in the first section of the film.
The main characters are underdeveloped, as we don?t dig into their backstories or relationships with one another enough.
The film is clearly trying to send a message about privilege and tourism, but it?s ultimately unsuccessful in getting it across.