Materialists

Writer/director Celine Song’s debut feature Past Lives was an indie darling that captured both the hearts and minds of audiences in the summer of 2023. Earning an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, Song is one of very few filmmakers to receive that honor with just their feature film debut. Her follow-up is, on the surface, a more commercial endeavor, starring two former and current Marvel stars and a trailer that makes it seem as though Song has left her indie upbringing behind for something far more mainstream. However, one of the many surprises Song’s latest contains is its ability to transcend the typical rom-com tropes into some deeper, more human. Her sophomore film may not hit the profound emotional catharsis of Past Lives, but it shows that Song is still a master storyteller.

Courtesy A24

Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is a matchmaker living luxuriously in New York City. She has a precise ability to clock a person’s height, age and area of wealth by just the slightest glance. She’s one of the top matchmakers at Adore Matchmaking, where she has matched over nine different married couples and many others. While attending the wedding of her latest couple to get hitched, she meets the wealthy and kind-hearted Harry (Pedro Pascal). While Lucy attempts to court Harry to sign up for her services, she finds him hard to resist. At the same wedding, she runs into her ex, John (Chris Evans), a struggling actor and waiter. The spark between Lucy and John is still prevalent as John is the one person who knows the most about Lucy and her inner anxieties. This love triangle forces Lucy to reevaluate her life choices and the materialistic values she holds.

Writer/director Celine Song’s second feature film is a richly layered and funny romantic comedy that simultaneously works as a deconstruction of the genre. Structured like a classic rom-com, Song’s class-conscious love story is able to fuse both genre trappings and sharp insights on the struggles of modern-day romance with great skill and care. The writer/director’s ability to marry comedy and genuine emotion out of anxieties over 21st-century dating is a remarkable feat. After her first film Past Lives, it’s clear that Song is in a league of her own when it comes to delicate emotional depth.

Courtesy A24

Her film is anchored on three characters that all feel real and transcend whatever cliches they may initially register as. Dakota Johnson’s biting wit is wonderfully utilized by Song, giving Johnson one of her very best roles to date. From the moment Johnson and Evans’ characters are first reunited, you can sense the immediate history between them and the weight of their reunion after just a few words and glances. The vulnerability showcased by both actors in their body language and basic physicality shows the lived-in sense of place that Song is able to instill. Chris Evans, after a string of uninspired duds such as Red One and Ghosted, delivers one his finest, most empathetic performances to date. Pedro Pascal continues his streak of strong screen performances, taking a character that could be rendered simplistic in the hands of another actor, and turns him into a charismatic, likable character who shows further growth as the film progresses.

Song explores many human complexities and contradictions through a funny, yet emotionally honest framework. The filmmaker’s own experience as a former matchmaker shows itself in sharp insights regarding the dating industry. As we begin Lucy’s journey in the film, she’s become jaded and cynical towards her lifestyle, clinging onto her materialistic ways of life, before seeing her evolution. Song’s film also echoes this emotional journey, poking fun at the dating industry before exploring its many nuances in enlightening and rewarding fashion. It’s this gradual journey the film takes you on that makes Materialists such an indelible experience. Even as a narrative contrivance threatens to derail the final act, Song instead uses this subplot to further enrich the film’s beating heart, offering a more sobering and open view into the chaotic world of dating in the 2020’s.

Courtesy A24

On the surface, Materialists looks like another disposable romantic comedy, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Writer/director Celine Song’s sophomore feature is an achingly beautiful and emotionally rewarding film with a trio of winning performances. From its swoon-worthy love triangle to rich insights into the modern world of dating, this is a highly intelligent, funny and soulful exploration of love in the modern age.

Materialists is now playing in theaters.