'Materialists', the second feature from writer-director Celine Song of 'Past Lives' fame, has premiered to critical acclaim. The film stars Dakota Johnson as Lucy, a high-end matchmaker caught between two suitors: Chris Evans' scruffy aspiring theatre actor and Pedro Pascal's wealthy private-equity broker.
Described as a 'rom-com played straight', the film is set in elite New York society and explores the intersection of love and money. The distributor A24 is marketing it as a romantic comedy, but critics note it is a sharp social drama with a dark side, akin to 'Sex and the City' directed by Eric Rohmer.
Dakota Johnson delivers what one critic calls 'the most forceful performance' of her career, shedding her signature daze for a 'radiant sharpness'. Her character Lucy works for Adore, a matchmaking service that promises clients they will marry the love of their life, treating romance like a shopping mall of ideal traits.
Song's dialogue is praised for its wit and flow, while the film itself is seen as a beguiling contradiction—a rom-com that takes itself seriously. The New York setting and focus on perfectionism in dating offer a modern twist on themes from Jane Austen and Edith Wharton.
