Writer/director Celine Song is back with a new film about relationships. Her feature film debut, Past Lives, made it into my top five movies of 2023 (at number 5). Her examination of relationships, past and present, and the various feelings, emotions, and troubles people face when still longing for past love despite having moved on, has stayed with me for these past couple of years. So, I was excited for Materialists when the opportunity to review the movie arose.
Materialists stars Dakota Johnson as Lucy, a mostly celibate woman who spends most of her time working as a matchmaker for a dating service called Adore. Though she is good at her job, she cannot find a match for herself who meets her stringent criteria. That is until she meets Harry Castillo, a wealthy and debonair businessman who adores Lucy. At first, Lucy wishes that Harry would hire her as his matchmaker, but after being spoiled on several dates, she decides to pursue a relationship with him.
As she begins becoming more exclusive with Harry, things get rather tense and stressful at Adore when one of Lucy’s clients has a horrendous experience on a date. This problem prompts Lucy to reevaluate her approach to her clients’ relationships and also prompts her to question aspects of her own love life. Things get further complicated when her ex, a struggling actor named John (Chris Evans), reenters her life.
Although not quite as powerful as Past Lives, Materialists offers an insightful and critical examination of modern relationships. As this is through Celine Song’s voice, mind, and heart, I can see several parallels between Past Lives and Materialists. The circumstances and characters in these circumstances are very different, but at the end of the day, this story is still about real people and the choices they must make when it comes to romance or the lack thereof. The main message of the film involves priorities. What do you prioritize when it comes to dating, romance, love, and commitment?
The Lucy character has lost her grasp on real romance and true love. She has been indoctrinated into the world of “perfect matches,” superficiality, and materialism. The film emphasizes the importance of putting the work in when it comes to relationships. Love is difficult; love can be exhausting, but the heart wants what it wants. Celine Song’s writing may not be firing on all cylinders, but it does make some valid points.
The lead trio in the film are all great, with Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal both standing out as outstanding. It isn’t too difficult to picture Pedro as a smooth, confident, and masculine lead male; however, I found it wild to see Chris Evans portray someone so remarkably different from Captain America. Evans’ character, John, is such a sorry, sad sack that it almost brings tears to your eyes. The struggling actor is barely holding his life together, but he has never forgotten or gotten over his love for Lucy.
As for Lucy, I was fine with Dakota Johnson’s acting, but she needed to be more dynamic in this role. I wanted to understand why these two vastly different men fawned over her, and while she is attractive and often charming, she did not entirely convince me. Nevertheless, I highly recommend Materialists to fans of Past Lives. Materialists is labeled as a romantic comedy, but it doesn’t play like the typical rom-com. This movie feels more genuine and realistic.