When God gives you lemons, pour yourself a tequila with a twist. Is that how the saying goes? Anyway, MUBI has extended its reach into eccentric cinema with its latest release,Magic Farm, a story centered on a dysfunctional TV crew that tries to make the most of their work experience after venturing into the wrong country. Argentinian writer-director Amalia Ulman (who made waves withher excellent debut,El Planeta) builds a quirky little film around her lovely South American stomping ground, with an added satirical edge in the form of dopey Americans who think they have what it takes to travel to another world and pull off television “magic.”
Led by thetimeless Chloë Sevigny,Magic Farmisn’t for everyone, but Ulman shows promise and refuses to give into narrative norms. Be prepared for deadpan humor and purposefully dead ends, which raise suspicions that maybe she’s just smarter than the rest of us doubters.
From New York With Angst
Magic Farm
A media crew travels to South America to profile a musician but mistakenly arrives in the wrong country. Collaborating with locals to fabricate a viral trend, they form unexpected relationships amid an unfolding health crisis.
The dysfunctional nature of the TV crew remains a strong point in Ulman’s film across the board. “Why is everyone being mean to me for no reason?” whines producer Jeff (a hilarious Alex Wolff) early on in the group’s business trip. Well, maybe it’s because you botched the voyage, Jeff! He and the production company’s head honcho, Edna (Sevigny), are tasked with producing a TV docuseries about a local musician in the area.
But once they arrive in Argentina, take a wild guess if things actually go according to plan. In trying to track down a famed local musician to profile for their on-camera piece, the language barrier inadvertently leads them astray — and into the wrong part of South America. Such hiccups provide effective comic relief and are especially helpful when Ulman’s story meanders and loses momentum at certain points.
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They’ve traveled from the Big Apple, where Edna’s biz partner Dave (the maniacally funny Simon Rex) is first introduced in the film’s comedic cold open. Edna is the crew’s on-air talent, interviewing their subjects on the street while the rest of the team fumbles with scripts and equipment behind the lens. After Dave travels with them down to Argentina, he quickly has to venture back to the U.S. — a missed opportunity since Rex’s cannabis-fueled character showed promise as a central figure for the rest of the film. But then he’s gone! Who doesn’t love seeing Rex in any film, really, especially afterOscar-winner Sean Bakershowcased the performer in his indie gem,Red Rocket? Oh well.
At least Edna’s other colorful crew members — Jeff, Elena (played by Ulman herself) and Justin (Joe Apollonio) — provide enough lively banter set against the modest, sun-drenched Argentinian backdrops in Dave’s absence. The sexually charged Justin flirts with their hotel’s pudgy receptionist (the terrific Guillermo Jacubowicz). The equally charged (but hetero) Jeff gets cozy with local dancer Manchi (a standout Camila del Campo). Sevigny falls a bit into the background, like co-star Rex, as does an intriguing B-story about a local health crisis that’s affecting Argentinians.
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Bask in the Absurdity of ‘Magic Farm’
Given the story’s greater issues at bay — AKA the looming health crisis — you’d think there would be a point where the American characters put their silly trials and tribulations aside and attempt to make a real difference in their new community. But instead, Ulman leans into the absurdist vibes all the way through, sometimes to a fault. And before you know it, things for the TV crew feel right back where they started in Act 1, to some extent.
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Some of the best storytellers have embraced circular narrative in their films, such as the late Stanley Kubrick (see:A Clockwork Orange, Eyes Wide Shut), and a case could be made with Ulman’s story here. However, with a high-caliber brand like MUBI backingMagic Farm, viewers might not be willing to accept how it all wraps up, instead wishing there was something more enlightening in the final act. Maybe that’s just Ulman trying to challenge viewers and inviting them to bask in meaningless quirks, thereby giving so-called “quirky” classics likeNapoleon Dynamitea run for their money.
Amalia Ulman Remains a Director to Watch
WhenMagic Farmhas a confident vision, it works very well. Just wait for those innovative object-POV camera angles; for a comparison,Breaking Badfans might recall a standout episode when the camera lens was mounted to Jesse’s shovel during that digging scene. Plus, director Ulman knows how to suck you right in with some maximalist opening-credit graphics.
Regardless, since the film’s end result feels a tad underwhelming, one has to wonder if these extra stylistic touches are instead just compensating for certain pitfalls in other areas. Maybe we’re being too harsh. Hey, there’s no denying that the ambitious Ulman has our attention for her next feature film. She is certainly encouraged to continue treating her audiences to settings outside the tired United States. From MUBI,Magic Farmwill be released in select theaters starting Jun 22, 2025.
