Although romantic comedies were once pervasive in Hollywood, they’ve fallen by the wayside in favor of big franchise blockbusters and prestige dramas, which seemingly delve into all aspects of humanity except romance. However, Past Lives writer and director Celine Song is giving romance the dissection it deserves, all while delivering compelling movies that will leave your heart aching in a good way. In her latest film, Materialists, Song tackles the age-old question of whether a woman should marry for material gain or love — and though the ending may be expected, it’s still a fresh perspective.
Materialists follows matchmaker Lucy (Persuasion‘s Dakota Johnson), whose clinical — some might say cynical — view of dating and marriage is at odds with her almost naive beliefs about love. She talks about dating as a marketplace, where hopeful men and women need to have valuable, worthwhile ᴀssets to be successful. She can analyze any man or woman’s value based on their age, appearance, education, family upbringing, and other basic facts to match them accordingly. But when she’s confronted with the question of love, she has a simpler answer: it’s easy, because we don’t have control over who we love.
What makes Song’s perspective so unique is her ability to balance wish fulfillment with reality.
These differing views are represented in the two male leads of Materialists. Harry (Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us) checks every box. He’s rich, charming, and doesn’t have any illicit habits, which makes him a “unicorn.” He’s the ideal match for any woman, including Lucy. Then there’s John (Chris Evans, Knives Out), Lucy’s ex-boyfriend. She broke up with him because he was broke and they constantly fought about money. It seems clear who Lucy is going to choose, until something traumatic happens to one of Lucy’s clients and her belief in the system breaks down, forcing her to reevaluate her wants.
Materialists Is A Fresh Perspective On The Romance Genre
Celine Song Has A Refreshingly Modern View Of Love & Dating
Materialists plays with many of the romance genre’s conventions: the love triangle, the happily ever after, the love vs money dilemma, the cynic vs the optimist, and the second chance. The beauty of the romance genre is that there are infinite ways to play with the tropes and conventions, and each storyteller brings a unique perspective. That’s exactly what Song does with Materialists; while the tropes may be known, her approach is innovative.
What makes Song’s perspective so unique is her ability to balance wish fulfillment with reality. There’s always a certain aspect of fantasy in romance stories; what are the odds of Lucy meeting a “unicorn” at the same wedding where she runs into her former love? But Materialists keeps its story grounded in the pragmatic realities of life, and especially in Lucy’s evolving views of dating, marriage, love, and what she wants for her future. Where Materialists might lose some is the ending, but I couldn’t help but find it satisfying.
If you’re like me, you probably know how Materialists is going to end before seeing the movie. There’s typically only one winner in the love versus money trope, so the challenge is really in earning that conventional ending. Materialists has quite the battle, making Harry the epitome of what modern women want (and it’s especially clever casting to have Pascal in the role, given his status as the internet’s dream man), but Song manages to earn Lucy’s happily ever after in a way I wasn’t expecting. The mark of any good romance story is how it gets to that point, and Song nails it.
The Talented Cast Elevates Materialists
Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans & Pedro Pascal All Shine
As Materialists‘ main character, Dakota Johnson is at her most compelling as Lucy, slipping seamlessly into the role of the cold, judgmental, and flawed matchmaker with a heart of gold. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Johnson as perfect for a role as this. There’s a depth to Lucy, who keeps most of her emotions close to the vest. Johnson manages to capture these emotions, making the journey of the character feel as realistic as possible.
Johnson’s performance also works to balance out the leading men, who both wear their hearts on their sleeves. Pedro Pascal is endlessly charming as Harry, embodying the perfect “unicorn” his character is meant to be, but showing glimpses of depth that will endear him to audiences even more. Harry matches Lucy’s cynical view of dating and marriage, and Pascal’s delivery somehow makes him even more lovable.
…Song manages to earn Lucy’s happily ever after in a way I wasn’t expecting.
Then there’s Chris Evans as John, who’s meant to be a little pathetic, but still charming in a less polished way. Evans has done romance before — though it’s been a while — and in Materialists, he demonstrates all over again that he’s exceptional in these kinds of vulnerable, intimate roles. Song’s script really allows Evans to shine, giving him some of the most heart-wrenching scenes in the movie, and the actor excels beyond all expectations.
All three stars are absolutely flawless, and if I had any complaint, it’s that I wanted them to interact more. But then, even that is a compliment, as Song crafted three characters so well-developed and compelling, I wanted to see so much more of them. I could’ve watched this movie for several more hours if it meant I got to spend more time with Lucy, Harry, and John.
Materialists Is For Those Who Love To Yearn About Love
It’s A Romance Movie For Anyone Who Loves Romance Movies
Materialists is more of a conventional romance story than Past Lives, and I can happily recommend it for anyone who enjoys the genre, though with the warning that the movie does deal, somewhat tangentially, with themes of Sєxual ᴀssault as a reality in modern dating. It was handled respectfully, but I also understand some viewers might find it triggering. In this way, Materialists remains honest in its depiction of the realities of modern love and romance because they do come with a not-so-small risk, especially for women and other vulnerable folks.
Materialists is, at its heart, a movie about love. It’s a beautiful escape that left me yearning for more — both from the movie and from life in general. Song has a particular knack for telling stories that break down the walls around our hearts and leave us aching in the best way possible. With such a talented cast, it’s no wonder Materialists has quickly become one of my favorite movies in recent years.
