Make Believe | Film review

Hogwarts valedictorians have nothing on the teenage wunderkinds in this endearing documentary, in which six aspiring magicians tweak routines in preparation for the World Magic Seminar’s teen championship in Las Vegas. With their varying backgrounds and skill bases, the contestants represent a microcosm of the international magic scene. After wearing many hats on the set of Seth Gordon’s brilliantly funny The King of Kong, Tweel takes few risks in his directorial debut, settling into the same formula utilized by Spellbound and popularized by a host of reality TV programs. Nearly all the subjects fit familiar archetypes: the tightly wound overachiever, the starry-eyed savant and so on. The most elegantly lensed sequences involve Japan native Hiroki Hara and his organically constructed tools of illusion.

The film springs to life whenever the kids are witnessed in their element or when Tweel captures nuances within the action. There’s a crushing moment when one of the seminar’s most promising talents finds her star quickly fading after a botched act. Elsewhere, another nervous hopeful, Derek Magee, snaps on a smile for the cameras, reciting an inspirational catchphrase before his face falls, exposing his inner vulnerability. It’s in those extra beats that the film works its magic.