‘Materialists': Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a mess

Boston Globe

2 days ago

When the trailer dropped, I saw online complaints that Song had betrayed the success of her prior feature, 2023's
I disagreed—'Past Lives' was my
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Since A24 is treating this movie as a rom-com, I suppose I should as well. So, stop me if you've heard me say this a bazillion times before: All a rom-com (or a movie purporting to diss rom coms) needs to be successful is two characters whom the audience wants to see fall in love. That's it. The reason why the majority of these films fail is that the filmmakers needlessly overcomplicate matters to the point of convolution. These movies want to be about emotion, but the plot keeps getting in the way.
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Dakota Johnson and Pedro Pascal in 'Materialists.'
Atsushi Nishijima
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The sides of this film's love triangle are Lucy (Dakota Johnson), a matchmaker whose matches have resulted in 9 marriages; Harry (Pedro Pascal), the brother of her most recent success, whom she meets at her client's wedding; and John (Chris Evans, coasting on his charm), her struggling actor ex-boyfriend who lives with two roommates in the kind of cluttered (and realistic) apartment you don't normally see in New York City movies.
The movie works best when dealing with Lucy's job,
Meanwhile, Harry is referred to as 'a unicorn' several times throughout 'Materialists.' That's a familiar term in rom-com land—it means he's the perfect catch. Harry is rich, lives in a $12 million apartment so awesome that it distracts Lucy during foreplay, and has a confidence that sparkles and the rugged good looks of Pedro Pascal.
Conversely, John works for a catering company, barely has enough money to survive in Manhattan from day-to-day, and is chasing an acting career he clearly will never have. (The film's biggest laugh comes when you discover who wrote the bad play John is currently doing.) John is as broke as Harry is rich—in fact, Lucy admits that she ended their 5-year relationship because he was so poor. And yet, John still pines for her like a lost puppy.
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In an odd move, John is treated less like the ex our hero should really end up with and more like the standard issue rom-com gay BFF who's always there when needed. (Lucy calls him for advice or support more than once.) Except he's straight, has no sass, and even fewer powers of observation.
Dakota Johnson and Chris Evans in 'Materialists.'
Atsushi Nishijima
Of course, to adhere to the rom-com tropes Song thinks she's mocking, things have to get complicated. They do so in the aforementioned dark subplot that is not handled well at all, despite the fine acting by Winters. See my rating description if you wish to know more.
Watching this film, I kept being reminded of Joan Micklin Silver's 'Crossing Delancey,' an infinitely better movie that skewers rom-com tropes by presenting an often infuriating protagonist played by Amy Irving. It even has a matchmaker. Might I suggest you rent that and bypass this altogether? Because, to be honest, I don't know why any fan of rom-coms would want to see 'Materialists.' It's designed to punish you for liking what you like, so why waste your money?
The film makes you think it's better and more respectable than the average rom-com, only to end the exact same way they all do. A24 made a killing by releasing what critics called 'elevated horror.' Now, the studio is peddling the 'elevated rom-com,' a new genre I hope I never have to see again.
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★1/2
MATERIALISTS
Written and directed by Celine Song. Starring Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, Chris Evans, Zoe Winters. At Coolidge Corner, AMC Boston Common, Landmark Kendall Square, Alamo Drafthouse Seaport, AMC Causeway, suburbs. 116 min. R (profanity, discussions of sexual assault)
Odie Henderson is the Boston Globe's film critic.