Materialists (2025) * *

 

Directed by:  Celine Song

Starring:  Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, Pedro Pascal, Zoe Winter, Marin Ireland

The characters in Materialists are jaded and cold, even the guy who wants to win back our protagonist years after they broke up.  Because of this, our sympathies only go so far with the movie and its characters.  Materialists tells an age-old tale of a woman who chooses love over money, and does so in such a swerve that it isn't convincing.  

Lucy (Johnson) is a star matchmaker who may not believe in true love for herself, but is forever trying to match up lonely people with prospects whom she promises will be "the one".  In one such instance, the man of her client's dreams sexually assaulted her on a date, which sends Lucy into a crisis of conscience.  Prior to that, Lucy is attending the wedding of one of her clients when the groom's brother, the rich and smooth, but enigmatic Harry (Pascal) makes it his business to get to know Lucy.  She tells him that being rich is a prerequisite for any potential suitor.  Harry has no issues with money.

At the same wedding, Lucy runs into John (Evans), a late 30's struggling actor working as a waiter at the event.  He's a kind soul and clearly still in love with Lucy, even though she dumped him five years ago for not being rich.  He's still poor and lives in a dumpy apartment with two obnoxious roommates, but he still has hope that he and Lucy will reunite.  Will she dump Harry and go with John?  What do you think?

The outcome in romantic dramas or comedies is not in doubt.  What counts is the style and the characters.  Do we care for them?  We try, but we cannot fully embrace them.  Materialists keeps us at arm's length, never fully enveloping us in the proceedings.  Pascal's performance is the best in the film.  He's very good at not showing us all the cards, but also projecting tenderness and warmth.  Is he hiding something?  Yes, but not what you may think.   Evans, while doing what he can, is simply the true, earnest guy whom Lucy does not deserve.  At least we're spared the scene of the two men fighting over Lucy physically and/or emotionally.   Lucy's change of heart is not convincing either and her eventual breakup with Harry fails to register.  We don't believe she has chosen love over money.  We simply realize the screenplay told her to.