'Materialists' Review: Dakota Johnson's New Romance Is An Instant Classic

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13 hours ago

When I tweeted that Materialists was for 'romantics, realists, and yearners,' I didn't expect the tweet to go viral — or for it to become a central quote in the movie's marketing. But it's true. After years of craving a smart, heartfelt, and old fashioned rom-com, director Celine Song delivers...and I'm convinced this is one of the best movies of the decade.
Materialists, which opens in theaters June 13, follows matchmaker Lucy (Dakota Johnson), who knows exactly what she wants and how to give everyone else what they want. She's constantly doing the math of age, weight, and salary to find her clients their perfect match; someone who can be, not just a second date, but a grave buddy. (I loved this term, I couldn't help but include it).
At the beginning of the film, Lucy's life feels both accessible and unattainable. It's the kind of New York caricature that characterizes our favorite rom-coms, but this time we're in on the joke. (Because let's face it, sometimes modern dating very much feels like a joke.) There's a romanticized quality that paints love and life in the city in a rose-colored hue.
Lucy is driven and straightforward, and very good at her job. But despite the fact she's a dating expert, she's not actually that romantic. Matchmaking turns the art and poetry of love into math, and Lucy's the master calculator. So when she meets 'unicorn' Harry (Pedro Pascal) at a wedding, she doesn't expect to be swept off her feet…or to run into her ex John (Chris Evans), a broke waiter — and the only person who knows Lucy well enough to comfort her in distress or bring her the perfect drink order (let the record show I'm only telling you he's broke because that's why Lucy called it off in the first place.)
Right up front, Materialists lets us know Harry and John are complete opposites in every way that matters to Lucy's math (namely the fact Harry has a $12 million apartment and John has roommates). But when an emergency bursts Lucy's bubble (I won't reveal too much, but trust me, the bubble does burst) everything she thought she knew goes up in smoke — including who she thought she was.
And THAT'S the true tension of the movie, despite what the love triangle-centric marketing would have you believe. Lucy's spent her whole life trying to prove she's valuable, to everyone else and herself, and when supposed perfection can't fix someone's awful flaws, Lucy has to decide what worth actually means — and the viewer does too. I literally couldn't stop writing 'what is a person's value???' in my notebook over and over.
From a thematic standpoint, it's a beautiful story that feels very familiar, but Celine Song's script breathes new life into the romance genre. The main reason Materialists stands out is that the story is quiet and slow, but not in a passive way. It never leaves you bored; instead, it's emotionally charged in a way that has you hanging on every facial expression. My favorite scene is a moment where two characters literally just stare at each other!
The other great strength of Materialists is its incredible cast — whom Celine Song promised me in our exclusive interview are 'so in love' with each other! Dakota Johnson balances hope and cynicism in a way that stands in stark contrast to Chris Evans' heartbroken yearning and Pedro Pascal's effortless, grounded confidence. All three actors totally lose themselves in these roles, and the nuanced way they interact grips your attention. And they were so great, I would have been happy with any ending.
Despite the way it engages with cynicism, Materialists is a hopeful commentary on modern dating. It's not telling us that money is more or less valuable than love, it's asking us what we actually value. The film isn't about our insatiable need for the material, it's about our insatiable need for the intangible. Because calculating your way to the picture-perfect life removes the soul, but when you love someone, and you know their intricacies, all math goes out the window. (Because let's be honest, as long as you're with the people you love, you come out at a net positive.)
Love isn't about finding the perfect partner who will provide you the most spending money — it's about the people you're so gravitationally pulled to that you couldn't stop loving them if you tried. It's about the people you want to grow old with, who will help you bury your parents, and ultimately become that grave buddy.
All in all, Materialists fits right in with rom-com classics, and it reminded me why I love movies in the first place. Celine Song's style is half pain, half beauty, all yearning — and this is definitely a movie for romantics AND realists.
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