Materialists Review: Rethinking Romance
Theatrical Movie Review - Romance/Drama
Celine Song seems determined to make us rethink what we expect from a romantic movie. Materialists, like her first film, Past Lives, asks audiences to put some thought into what love is and what we do when we find love.
Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is a professional matchmaker, but her own love life is a bit lackluster. When she is at the wedding of one of her clients, the ninth match to end in marriage, she winds up seated next to the brother of the groom, the handsome and wealthy Harry (Pedro Pascal). The two of them are having an interesting conversation when her ex, John (Chris Evans), shows up as one of the caterers.
What follows is a fascinating examination of love, pragmatism, attraction, security, and value. Lucy explains that she wants her spouse to be someone who can provide for her materially. Harry is in finance and has all of the trappings of wealth. He is also attractive, kind, and attentive. John is a struggling actor who shares an apartment with two others. He is also attractive, kind, and attentive.
In most rom-coms, if there is a love triangle, both suitors will have flaws, but one will be significantly more problematic than the other. Materialists doesn’t do this, giving us two potential mates for Lucy that are pretty great. The question the film poses is what drives us to choose one person over another when both are viable options. Truth be told, I found myself rooting for both men at different points in the film.
The three leads all give stellar performances. Johnson nails the role of someone who spends her time professionally categorizing the benefits of a potential mate and who also wants to find love. Pascal is perfect as the wealthy “unicorn,” someone with effortless charm who ticks all of the boxes. But the real standout is Evans, who manages to give one of the best performances we’ve seen from him in a while. Not to be missed is Zoë Winters, who plays Sophie, one of Lucy’s unlucky-in-love clients. Her character and touching performance bring another aspect to the story that some may find controversial, but I found it worth exploring.
In addition to writing a unique and thoughtful script, Song has an eye for beautiful shots. Materialists is a gorgeous film to watch, managing to capture subtle differences in coloring and palette that amplify the story she is telling. While the framing appears to be relatively simple, there is something at work here that brings the script to life in addition to the work the actors are putting in.
My favorite rom-com of all time is When Harry Met Sally. And even though Materialists is not a rom-com, despite its marketing, it felt like it was honoring movies like that. Because at the heart of every romantic movie, and every real-life romantic partnership, is a choice. A choice between pragmatism and emotion. “Materialists” is just willing to examine the validity of both options in a way that other movies are hesitant to do.
Rating: 4.5/5
This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on June 22, 2025.
I’m intrigued!