Here We Meet Again: A 'Materialists' Review
Celine Song showcases how true love is ultimately priceless.
Two things you should know about me: I am deeply and hopelessly in love with Pedro Pascal, and I love revived romances. Naturally, when the trailer to Celine Song’s sophomore film ‘Materialists’ was released, it immediately skyrocketed to the top of my watchlist on Letterboxd. A wealthy Pedro falling in love with my style icon, Dakota Johnson, amidst a love triangle with heartthrob Chris Evans? I’ve never been more thankful AMC added an extra film slot to my A-List account.
At a glance, ‘Materialists’ is a heartfelt New York love story for the Carrie Bradshaws in every friend group. Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is a chic and ambitious matchmaker. There’s not a match she can’t find for her clients… except herself. While attending a client’s wedding, Lucy finds herself caught in a love triangle between billionaire heartthrob Harry (Pedro Pascal) and broke, aspiring actor John (Chris Evans), who just happens to be her ex.
While sounding like your classic early-2000s rom-com, most would commonly place ‘Materialists’ in a more grounded category. With A24 setting the trailer under the gaze of the next Nora Ephron story, I found myself pleasantly surprised the actual film feels more like a Richard Linklater classic.
Naturally, I firmly believe any woman in their right mind would choose Harry. However, knowing Celine, I knew this wouldn’t be a cut and dry choice for our female protagonist. ‘Materialists’ takes that moment to shine a light on a subject that plagues every modern relationship today: what if I can find someone better?
New York City can be one of the most romantic cities in the world and the film’s cinematographer, Shabier Kirchner, definitely highlights that. However, with the rise of online dating apps in a city full of millions of people, the increase in people’s relationship FOMO turns the quest for true love into an online shopping spree. What if I could find a partner that makes more money? What if I could find a partner that is a little taller? What if I could find a partner that meets all my standards and doesn’t challenge me at all? It’s very Jane Austen-esque.
When it comes to an ideal mate, majority of people assume they know exactly who they want. It’s a trope we’ve seen played over and over again in rom-coms, we’ve heard it on social media about women who are “looking for a man in finance, trust fund, 6’5, blue eyes,” (terrifying, but some must learn the hard way). It’s very easy to fall in love with this ideal mate that checks all of your boxes while they’re still living in your head—especially if that person is Pedro Pascal who looks downright delectable in every scene. It’s another thing when this “unicorn” (a term Lucy uses to describe Harry) is standing right in front of you, forcing you to come face-to-face with your own insecurities.
Now, I can imagined you are reading this with a furrowed brow whilst yelling “It’s basic math! Why the hell would anyone even entertain their loser ex over a billionaire hunk?! Make it make sense!” I get it, trust me. I’ve dated my fair share of unemployed actors and I have no desire to ever go back. If I was Lucy, I would’ve shoved John’s face into the wedding cake the minute he approached me at the reception. Although upon reflection, I don’t think it would’ve been all too easy for me to pick either.
In a modern world where marriage is more often than not looked at as a business deal, can someone’s “intangible assets” still play a role on who we choose?
Setting aside my lust for Pedro, rekindled love is a theme I have toyed with far too often in my own life. I would watch films like ‘Before Sunset’ and imagine what it would be like if I ran into that one ex. If this time, time was really on our side. Would everything be different? Would we be happy? And if they finally said the words that I needed them to say all those years ago, would I take them back?
Chris Evans does a tremendous job at portraying the down-on-his-luck ex who’s hoping his fortune is finally turning around after unexpectedly running into the love of his life. The man delivers an impeccable monologue of yearning that gives Anthony Bridgerton a run for his money (money that Evans’ character could definitely use). John knows that he doesn’t stand a chance up against Harry, but it’s his honesty and passion that allows him to stay in the running. Harry could easily take care of Lucy for the rest of her life, but would he ever open up to her like John?
“As long as he can open up his wallet, then I don’t need anything else,” is what I imagine most of you are saying right now, and I hear you. While I could sit across a table from Pedro all day and never need him to say a word, that doesn’t mean we should be together (unfortunately). Throughout the film we see Harry doting on Lucy and showering her with lavish gifts, but we don’t feel like we really know him. At times, I found myself wondering what the two really had in common to begin with outside of their bed chem? Then again, unicorns tend to be elusive creatures.
Much like in ‘Past Lives,’ Celine Song makes timing a key theme in her storytelling. While the old Lucy ends things over John’s lack of financial management skills, the new Lucy sees potential for a horizontal merger between the two. Like I said, marriage is often just a business deal and, in Lucy’s line of work, only the couples with similar backgrounds have the best long-term projections. It’s a safe bet. It’s within the tides of time in one’s life that these metrics can shift and our risk tolerance grows. Lust gives way to love. Without time to explore what she truly wants in love, Lucy might never question if material possessions were the whole valuation.
It’s within the final act, as Song calls into question what makes a person feel valued, that the grounded romantic plot begins to float. Here you can see Lucy finally processing what Harry meant by “intangible assets” that can’t just be written out in fifty characters on someone’s profile. When this unicorn of a person we’ve had built up in our head for years is finally in front of us, will we feel confident enough in ourselves to accept their love and will it really be enough?
While it’s never explicitly said which matters to Lucy more: the comfort that comes from being financially taken care of or from someone with a similar upbringing, Dakota brilliantly never reduces the character of Lucy to a gold digger or regretful ex. She’s merely a woman who’s spent her life putting others first, now turning to two (gorgeous) men in the hope that, for once, someone might make her feel truly valued.
‘Materialists’ tells its viewers that sometimes love isn’t always a good business deal, but true love isn’t formulaic. It’s not something a finance bro can plug into a spreadsheet and guarantee trending numbers. It requires being your messy, honest self and hoping someone will accept and love you for it.
‘Materialists’ opens in theaters Friday, June 13th.