‘Magazine’ Review: Lily McInerny And Bright Young Cast Give Flavor To Pre-Digital Vanishing Era Of NY’s Literary World – Toronto Film Festival

At the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, Alexandra Pechman presented her first feature film, ‘Magazine,’ a period drama that revisits the transitional moment in New York City’s publishing industry, set around 2011. The narrative captures the twilight of traditional print media, just as digital platforms began reshaping how audiences consume stories.

‘Magazine’ centers on a modest monthly publication called Platen, a literary magazine that serves as a haven for emerging writers with bold voices. The film’s setting offers a nostalgic glimpse into an era when intellectual print magazines still commanded cultural authority, a world on the cusp of being overtaken by the immediacy of digital content and social media.

The story unfolds primarily through the eyes of Nora, portrayed by Lily McInerny, a bright-eyed college graduate embarking on an unpaid summer internship at Platen. Her journey highlights the challenges and aspirations faced by young hopefuls striving for permanence in an increasingly precarious industry. Nora’s experience is emblematic of a generation grappling with the shift from print to pixels.

Supporting characters enrich the dynamic atmosphere of the magazine’s office. Nora quickly bonds with fellow interns including the affable Tabitha (Lupita Maxwell), the quirky Leonard (Daniel Zolghadri), and the vibrant Daphne (Iris Apatow). Their interactions showcase a microcosm of youthful ambition, camaraderie, and the often complicated social hierarchies within creative workplaces.

An important subplot involves Nora’s entanglement with Thomas (Joshuah Melnick), an editorial assistant whose early attentions foreshadow a problematic relationship. This narrative thread touches on workplace dynamics in a pre-#MeToo context, adding depth to the film’s portrayal of power imbalances and personal boundaries.

The ensemble is further energized by Ruby Cruz’s Greer, whose strong candidacy for a coveted full-time position creates a tension-filled competition among the interns. The pursuit of scarce opportunities underscores the fragile nature of careers in niche publications during this period of industry upheaval.

Jake Lacy’s portrayal of Mickey, the magazine’s publisher, provides a reflective counterpoint to the youthful cast. Mickey’s perspective encapsulates the transient essence of print media, describing a magazine as a fleeting snapshot of its time, a sentiment that resonates throughout the film given the rapid evolution of media consumption.

Stylistically, ‘Magazine’ draws inspiration from filmmakers known for their incisive observations of social milieus, evoking comparisons to Whit Stillman and Noah Baumbach, while also recalling older indie films that captured the struggles of print journalism. Pechman’s direction brings a polished yet understated visual aesthetic that complements the film’s thematic concerns.

The narrative does not romanticize the magazine world but presents it with honesty, highlighting both the excitement and the disillusionment encountered by young creatives. The film’s modest scope offers a quiet meditation on a fading cultural institution, juxtaposed against the relentless pace of technological change.

With a runtime of 105 minutes, ‘Magazine’ balances character-driven storytelling with broader reflections on the media landscape. Produced by Alexandra Pechman alongside Anne Alexander and Tess Cohen, the film affirms the vitality of independent cinema in preserving nuanced portrayals of contemporary history.

While details on the film’s wider release remain limited, its premiere at Toronto situates it within a prestigious context for discovery and critical attention. ‘Magazine’ stands as a thoughtful tribute to a vanished moment in New York’s literary culture, capturing the hopes and challenges of those who inhabited that world before the digital revolution redefined it.