‘Materialists’ Review: Celine Song Delivers Another Must-Watch Introspective Romance

Fresh off the heels of her directorial debut, the Oscar-nominated Past Lives, Celine Song is back with another romantic-drama film: Materialists. While Past Lives focused more on Song’s childhood and love life, Materialists pulls from her experience as a matchmaker. The movie follows Lucy (Dakota Johnson), a hard-working matchmaker in New York City who finds herself caught between choosing to be with the perfect guy, Harry (Pedro Pascal), or her imperfect ex-boyfriend, John (Chris Evans).

‘Materialists’ Will Have You Questioning Love’s Value

The trailers for this film share a similar essence with the great romantic comedies of the 2000s, but Song makes the story and these characters much more nuanced. While movies like 13 Going on 30 and The Devil Wears Prada see the protagonists work their way up in their careers, Lucy is already at the top of her game after nine of her clients have gotten married, thanks to her help. It’s funny to see the unrealistic standards Lucy’s clients have for finding their perfect match, but it’s interesting how Song portrays the dark side of matchmaking. Someone could look ideal on paper, but that’s not enough to know for certain who they are.

Additionally, considering that Lucy is a matchmaker, she should know what her perfect match is, right? Wrong. I love how Song writes Lucy as the perfectly imperfect protagonist by showing that her perception of love is not as pure as it should be. Harry comes from a wealthy family, works in the private equity business, and has a $12 million apartment.

John, on the other hand, lives with two roommates and works for a catering service while trying to pursue acting in his late 30s to early 40s. Now, on paper, one sounds more ideal than the other, but Song fleshes out these characters to be more complex than that. The dialogue is pointed when it comes to reflecting what love is, whether it’s love towards another person or self-love. Like she did in Past Lives, Song does an amazing job of making the audience question what love really is.

The ‘Materialists’ Cast Showcase Poignant Performances

The chemistry between Johnson and her male co-leads flows so naturally and feels authentic. Pascal and Evans are charming in their roles, but they give such contrasting performances to highlight how different their characters are from one another. It makes the audience sympathize with Lucy’s dilemma of picking the right man. Pascal doesn’t get to tap into the same emotional depth with Harry like he does with Joel Miller in The Last of Us Season 2, but it’s nice to see him play a role that isn’t filled with guilt or sadness (we’ll see him soon as Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four: First Steps).

John in Materialists is Evans’s most vulnerable role since Frank Adler in Gifted. He gives a heart-aching performance in Materialists, with such resignation in his line delivery and body language that it had me tearing up. Evans could secure award nominations next year and join the ranks of his fellow MCU co-star Sebastian Stan, who recently won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in A Different Man.

I wouldn’t care as much as I do for Lucy if it weren’t for Johnson’s range as an actor in this role. Nobody is perfect, not even the hardworking Lucy. As Song slowly pulls back the layers to Lucy throughout the story, Johnson effortlessly taps into the right emotions with the exact amount of depth needed to feel authentic. Audiences may be coming to see her dynamic with Pascal and Evans, but it’s her scenes with Zoë Winters that steal the show. When the story takes a shockingly dramatic turn, Johnson and Winters carry the emotional weight in tandem.

Celine Song Has Another Oscar-Worthy Film on Her Hands

Materialists proves that Celine Song didn’t catch lightning in a bottle with Past Lives. She honors what makes a great romantic dramedy, while subverting the tropes typically found in those stories. Paired with Song’s exquisite writing, Johnson, Pascal, Evans, and Winters bring these characters to life — flaws and all — with such depth and empathy. Materialists is an important story that isn’t afraid to challenge the way we view love. At the end of the day, how we love doesn’t always equal the love we receive, but if we take the time to love ourselves first, we’ll find the love we deserve.

Materialists comes to theaters on June 13. Follow Agents of Fandom on socials for all the latest entertainment news and reviews.