Materialists review: Celine Song's latest isn't quite Past Lives, but it's a tender study of love led by stellar cast

Mint

2 days ago

Celine Song's 'Materialists', starring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal, is not your typical romantic comedy. Despite its glossy cast and breezy title, this is less 'rom-com' and more an emotional study in romantic longing, quiet decisions, and the type of love that creeps up on you rather than explodes.
Set to release globally by A24 today, June 13, 2025, with Sony handling international distribution, Materialists follows Lucy (Johnson), a successful matchmaker who begins to question her own beliefs about compatibility and lasting love.
As with Song's 'Past Lives', her latest film is about the quiet moments between people — but this time, it's delivered through a lens of American romantic realism.
The film is cleanly divided into two parts. In the first half, Lucy attends a wedding of one of her matched couples and meets Harry (Pedro Pascal), the groom's brother. Harry is, as the film tells us, a 'unicorn': rich, handsome, successful, kind — the sort of man rom-coms are built around. They click instantly, and Lucy starts to believe he might be the one. Their relationship is full of fun, affection, and comfort, but it also begins to unravel when Lucy hits a professional low and starts to doubt her direction.
This moment leads her back to John (Chris Evans), her ex-boyfriend and long-time friend. John is the emotional opposite of Harry. He's broke, struggling, but grounded and quietly devoted. He never stopped loving Lucy, even when they parted ways.
When they reconnect, he's there — not forcefully, not dramatically, but gently and consistently. He doesn't push his feelings on her but lets them surface when the time is right. And when he does open up, it's moving: 'When I look at you,' he says, 'I see wrinkles, grey hair, and children that look like you.'
It's the kind of line that could feel cheesy in a different film, but under Song's direction and Evans' performance, it lands with emotional weight.
What makes 'Materialists' especially interesting is how it deconstructs the formula. It doesn't paint Harry as a villain or John as a saviour. Both men are fully human, and Lucy's choice isn't about moral correctness — it's about emotional resonance. She's not choosing wealth over love or vice versa. She's choosing the person who feels like home.
The film makes a strong case for the idea that the 'right' person is the one who makes you feel like your best, most authentic self. With Harry, Lucy experiences the excitement of a perfect match on paper. With John, she feels seen and known — even in her mess. Song delicately reminds us that love can be inconvenient, unglamorous, and still absolutely right.
Dakota Johnson delivers a controlled, quietly expressive performance. She anchors the film with a believable vulnerability, navigating Lucy's inner conflict without ever tipping into melodrama. Pedro Pascal, despite only appearing in the first half, leaves a strong impression. His portrayal of yearning — particularly in a scene where Lucy tells him she doesn't deserve him — is full of depth.
But it's Chris Evans who leaves the biggest mark. His character isn't flashy, but Evans plays him with so much restraint, longing, and empathy that his presence grows slowly and powerfully. Even his silences say everything.
A small, telling moment: when John hugs Lucy after years apart, he exhales like she's the breath he's been holding in for too long. No words. Just a feeling. And that's where the film shines.
Stylistically, 'Materialists' bears Song's signature. There's minimal background score, giving room for dialogue and glances to speak. The use of silence is purposeful and intimate. The film isn't as lyrical as 'Past Lives', but you still feel Song's command in every frame. She uses stillness and framing to draw you into Lucy's emotional state, rather than rushing to the next plot beat.
Still, the film isn't perfect. The structure, while intentional, creates an imbalance. With Pedro Pascal dominating the first half and Chris Evans the second, it can feel like you're watching two different emotional arcs back-to-back. Viewers hoping for a more integrated triangle or fuller development of the Harry-Lucy relationship may find the shift jarring. And while many will resonate with Lucy's emotional journey, others may find her choices impractical — especially her decision to move from a stable, secure partner to one whose future is uncertain.
But here's the thing: it's Lucy's story. It isn't trying to mirror your experience or offer universal answers. It's a film made from her point of view, driven by her values, her fears, her wants. She is the main character. And both Harry and John are pivotal in helping her understand not just what love means — but what her love means.
In the end, 'Materialists' is a film about emotional safety, the value of history, and the long game of love. It's not about dramatic declarations or neat conclusions. It's about how we crave familiarity, how we need people who understand us without explanation, and how love sometimes isn't a firework but a quiet, persistent light.
Is it as poetic as 'Past Lives'? No. But it's still emotionally intelligent and deeply human. If you watch it with an open mind — and perhaps an open heart — you'll find plenty to take away.