From the trailer and publicity around this film, you might think it’s your classic chick flick. But you’d be wrong. Written and directed by Academy Award nominee Celine Song (Past Lives) the basic plot screams rom-com: beautiful single matchmaker meets the perfect guy at the wedding of one of her clients. He’s rich and as she says often in the film, “checks all the boxes.” But at the same time her ex just happens to come back into her life as a waiter at that same wedding. Where would you go with that plot?
Here Celine Song revisits some of the same ground as in her freshman outing, There is a man who cares for her and she, him, but a past love complicates her seemingly happy life with the “right” guy. In this film, the woman in the middle is Lucy (Dakota Johnson), a mid-thirties professional who spends all her time servicing her high-end matchmaking clients. Everywhere she goes she’s working, handing out cards, collecting more people to add to her bucket of great catches and checking in with clients on how their dates have gone and what’s next.
She really buys her company’s philosophy that everyone is looking for someone that “checks the boxes” and that love isn’t the most important part of a great match. And when she meets Harry (Pedro Pascal), the groom’s very rich bother, at the wedding she believes she’s found her unicorn, the match to end all matches – smart, charming, good-looking, and RICH – and she can’t wait to find him the right woman, but, not so fast! He’s more interested in dating her. Meanwhile, her also handsome but broke actor/waiter ex John (Chris Evans) is still waiting in the wings. And she’s torn, but it ultimately comes down to the question of love or money.
The film is a pretty honest look at the ways people value others, particularly in the dating scene, but also in their own personal lives. And while there are some light, comedic moments, it’s essentially a drama about the difficulties in finding the right partner to spend your life with in this very transactional world in which we live. And it doesn’t always work out, as one of her clients finds out in a very distressing way.
Does Materialists it live up to Song’s previous work, which I loved? No. There are a few scenes towards the end that felt a bit clunky, and I don’t think Dakota Johnson has the range that would have enlivened her role a bit more. But should you see it? Yes. Pascal and Evens are both joys to watch. And it is beautifully shot with a great soundtrack. Just maybe don’t choose this one for a first date outing.
In theaters now.