Coming-of-age movies are nothing new, which means the ones that want to stand out the most need to provide additional engaging elements to ensure they’re well-remembered. In the case of Magnetosphere, it manages to do just that thanks to a combination of intriguing characters, stellar writing, and important themes about growing up. After her family moves to a new town, teenager Maggie grapples with her new school as she tries to keep her head down. However, she’s also dealing with colors and visions she sees, manifestations of her inner creativity.
Eventually, she ends up in two distinct worlds. In one where she’s trying to adjust to school and the natural creativity sparked from her differences, befriending a girl named Wendy in the process. In the other, she’s helping her father put on a musical, growing infatuated with Travis, a college-aged boy and aspiring scientist with a starring role in the show. Both storylines coalesce into a memorable, kind-hearted lesson about growing up and how being different can be inspiring.
Magnetosphere Hits Its Stride Thanks To Shayelin Martin’s Fantastic Performance
The Movie’s Story & Characters Compliment Each Other’s Quirky Positivity
The performances in Magnetosphere are the standout element of the coming-of-age tale. Shayelin Martin does a fantastic job portraying Maggie, elevating the movie by convincingly emphasizing her imaginative nature. Her talent compliments the writing, both emphasizing her complexities as she matures and learns more about the colors she sees in the world. Martin does a great job at portraying a realistic neurodivergent teenager still trying to find her place in the world.
This is further complemented by the rest of the cast, whose quirky characters add more feel-good layers to the story. Steven He as Travis plays off Martin well, his laid-back atтιтude in stark contrast to the high-strung young girl. Similarly, Mikayla Kong’s Wendy is a much-appreciated alternate perspective on growing up, especially because of her own struggles and complexities. But the real standout is Colin Mochrie’s Gil, a goofy repairman with the knowledge of a polymath who radiates a purple aura in Maggie’s mind. These standouts are but a few in a cast of fantastic actors.
Yet the upbeat tone of the movie and the care put into these developments makes them complimentary of the film’s heartwarming characters and their journeys.
They’re complemented by the film’s charming story, which avoids the trappings of other teen drama movies in favor of a surprisingly realistic approach. The colors Maggie sees and the way they emphasize her growing up is a creative touch to the tale. Likewise, her unrequited feelings toward Travis are an awkward yet necessary element of showing the difficulties of growing up. Yet the upbeat tone of the movie and the care put into these developments makes them complementary of the film’s heartwarming characters and their journeys.
Magnetosphere Has Valuable Themes That Feel Pertinent To Today’s Teenagers
It Doesn’t Shy Away From Depicting Life With Honesty
Magnetosphere has a plethora of goofy, sometimes cartoonish moments that center its light-hearted tone. These are especially apparent with comedy relief characters like Gil, who offers some of the most hilarious moments in the entire film. But where the movie truly hits its stride is the expert balance between this and the important, relevant themes it explores. The movie does a great job at showcasing the challenges and fears ᴀssociated with entering one’s teenage years, with both Maggie and Wendy representing these struggles in unique ways.
It’s especially apparent for the lessons Maggie learns, both about her growing feelings to everything around her, and the colors she sees that nobody else can. Living with who she is and the empowerment she gains from being different is a core theme that’s honest and important, especially for younger audience members. The movie even acknowledges a real danger kids in the 21st century need to contend with, doing so in a mature manner. Because of how these topics are approached, the movie is a perfect film for early teens still seeking who they want to be in life.
Thanks to its matured presentation mixed with comedic elements and important lessons, Magnetosphere crafts a perfect coming-of-age tale about the difficulties of entering one’s teenage years. Maggie’s perspective is a unique one in these types of movies, bolstering the story alongside the plethora of intriguing characters surrounding her. With the movie offering such an important story, it does a great job crafting a tale that’s both magnificent and remarkable.
Magnetosphere will be available on VOD and digital on July 27.
