Materialists
- Ben Pivoz
- Jun 13
- 3 min read
Materialists is a romance that understands the clichés and follows them with its eyes wide open. The characters discuss love and marriage as business transactions. You may like someone, possibly even love them; however, if the numbers don’t add up, it isn’t a good match. There is an honest cynicism to it that, of course, hides a romantic soul just underneath. The second feature from writer/director Celine Song, who previously made the phenomenal drama Past Lives, it is smart, charming and adult in the way the characters talk about their fears and insecurities, specifically surrounding relationships.
It is glossy in a way that doesn’t scream Hollywood fiction the way the locations in a Nancy Meyers movie do. The characters know who they are, even if they don’t always know how to accept what they want. It may be a little overly formulaic by the end, yet the actors are enjoyable, the writing is intelligent and the story is engaging. While it doesn’t hit the consistent highs of Song’s debut, it is still a worthy follow-up.
Lucy is a successful New York City matchmaker, celebrating the ninth wedding her work has produced. She finds out what her clients are looking for and searches for someone who checks as many of those boxes as possible. As usual in stories like these, she is single, having broken up with John some years back because his lifestyle wasn’t compatible with her desires. At the wedding, she meets Harry, the groom’s brother. Handsome and rich, he is more interested in the matchmaker than her services. Then John shows up, working for the caterer, and Lucy’s very professional life gets turned upside-down.
I firmly believe a romantic comedy can only work at the highest level for the individual viewer if you like the actors. That makes it way easier to care about them and become invested in whether or not they end up together. Since I am a fan of Dakota Johnson (Lucy), Chris Evans (John) and Pedro Pascal (Harry), Materialists (110 minutes, plus a scene over the end credits) had a big advantage right from the start. Though Pascal’s charm is dialed down a bit here, all three of them have a likability and magnetism that keeps the movie humming along, even through the occasionally awkward tonal changes and predictability of the plot.
They are good here, especially Johnson, with the other two playing slightly against type: Evans is the broke struggling actor with self-confidence issues, Pascal is a nice guy without a lot of personality (except for a couple of scenes). Johnson is the focused career-woman who finds true love impractical, before reluctantly beginning to pursue things for herself. She is the movie’s engine, keeping it steady as it changes gears.
Song’s screenplay is not straightforward romance; there is a darker side that pops up, sitting a little uncomfortably next to the light stuff. The story takes a turn at one point that doesn’t derail it, so much as bring a seriousness that is (intentionally) unsettling. This is not “dating is tough, but magical.” Putting yourself out there can be dangerous in many ways. Materialists makes sure its viewers are aware of that. Song doesn’t just sneak it in; she inserts it as a key part of her narrative. While the rom-com elements are foregrounded, she makes it clear she isn’t interested in light and fluffy. There is a hint of realism here that is disarming and adds some unexpected depth to the formula stuff.
Materialists is a likable, sometimes funny, sometimes thoughtful, examination of the idea of love vs money when it comes to finding a mate. It stays true to its protagonist and also drops in several moments of decent insight. It is a good movie that solidifies Celine Song as a strong up and coming voice in filmmaking.
3¾ out of 5
Cast:
Dakota Johnson as Lucy
Chris Evans as John
Pedro Pascal as Harry
Zoë Winters as Sophie
Written/Directed by Celine Song
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