‘Magazine’ Review: A Deceptively Modest, Keenly Observed Snapshot of a Young Woman’s Coming of Age Within an Industry on the Brink

To hear editor-in-chief Mickey ( Jake Lacy ) tell it, publishing a literary magazine isn’t just a matter of writing, editing, designing art, selling ad space. It’s building a temporary community of contributors, permanently frozen within a particular configuration of columns and page breaks. “A snapshot of a single moment in time and then it’s gone,” he declares, “ that’s creating a magazine.”

It is also, in writer-director Alexandra Pechman’s feature debut, creating a Magazine . Set in 2010 New York, the bildungsroman is but a brief glimpse into a world in flux: for Nora (Lily McInerny), a young intern at Mickey’s Platen ; for the city, always in the process of transformation; for the industry as a whole, on the precipice of the pivot away from glossies and into digital media. What makes it linger long after its 105 minutes have ended is the way it’s rendered, in the fine-grained detail only one who knew and loved it once could have conjured. Related Stories Movies Warner Bros. Chiefs Double Down On Film Strategy: "We Really Believe In An Eclectic Slate" Movies 'Ancestors' Invites You to a Cinematic "Séance," Led by Éanna Hardwicke, That Mixes Dream, Reality and Memory (Exclusive TIFF Clip and Chat) Magazine The Bottom Line An affectionate but clear-eyed portrait of a time and place. Venue: Toronto International Film Festival (Discovery) Cast: Lily McInerny, Joshuah Melnick, Lukita Maxwell, Daniel Zolghadri, Ruby Cruz, Iris Apatow, Delaney Rowe, AnnaSophia Robb, Jake Lacy Director-screenwriter: Alexandra Pechman 1 hour 45 minutes