Review by Phoebe O’Brien
Equal parts absurd, funny and oddly tender, Amalia Ulman’s Magic Farm takes media satire into something more unsettling, exposing how hype can drown out truth, while comedy coexists with crisis.
A New York documentary team arrives in a small Argentinian town chasing viral fame, only to find they’re in the wrong place entirely. Rather than admit failure, they fake the story. Lost in their own worlds, the filmmakers stay blind to the real story unfolding in the town.
The cinematography by Ulman and Carlos Rigo Bellver is deliberately chaotic. Fish-eye lenses, 360-degree spins and donkey-mounted cameras mirror the dizzy, distracted lives of its characters.
The cast is divine. Alex Wolff is Jeff, a fumbling, self-absorbed producer. Chloë Sevigny, in Miu Miu and vintage pieces, leaves a mark in just a few scenes. Ulman is Elena, the interpreter and rare voice of clarity amid the chaos. Camila del Campo shines, bringing emotional depth in her romance with Jeff. Joe Apollonio’s Justin and innkeeper Guillermo Jacubowicz share warm, effortless chemistry, bringing heart to the story.
Magic Farm is a hypnotic ride for those willing to follow its offbeat path.
