22 hours Ago
The trailers make it look like a flighty love triangle with Johnson’s Lucy the object of desire, but the reality is a more profound — and emotionally real — look at the complexities of modern relationships and economics.
Romance Meets Realism
As with Song’s last film, Past Lives (nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards), Materialists is heavy in character and dialogue. Lucy, portrayed by Dakota Johnson, is a high-end matchmaker who is clear about what she wants — a rich husband.
Her view of going through a marriage like a business deal is typical of her no-nonsense attitude toward love. She meets Henry (Pedro Pascal), a wealthy and winsome man at a wedding — and there is also John (Chris Evans), a hapless actor who is her former boyfriend. Their earlier split over money woes is played out in flashback – the implicit choice between comfort and love – capturing some of that tension.
Though Johnson and Pascal’s characters have similar ideas about lifestyle and money, their rapport is more intellectual than emotional. Evans’ John, though, radiates warmth and residual feeling — this is a man still pained by Lucy’s absence. The film makes Lucy’s decision ambiguous, recognizing that real-life decisions are rarely cut and dried.
Keen Writing and Good Depth of Emotion
Celine Song inserts comedy and reality into the narrative, particularly in the form of Lucy’s zany clients whose standards for matchmaking are impossible. With a wink and a nod, Johnson plays these scenes earnestly and full of wit, and somehow injects humor and a bit of down-to-earthness into the role. "We see her once saying that she can design a perfect match, in other words, "I can do that because I'm Dr. Frankenstein", highlighting the ridiculous demands made of love.
But the tale is not averse to its darker turns, either. And a subplot about an abusive date brings a sudden, sober note that keeps the story grounded in the realities of romantic life.
The last scene of the movie is simply great, beautiful, and moving, where Lucy, who is dancing to that relaxing and sweet love song "That's All" that has nothing to do with the materialistic realms that both Lucy and Greg are so caught up in throughout the film.
A Thoughtful Romantic Journey
“Materialists” shuns romantic clichés and instead reflects complexity, honesty, and hope. Starring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal, this film is directed by Celine Song with the same care she invested in Past Lives, and thoughtfully asks whether true love is possible in a world fueled by wealth.
