Materialists
Materialists
A young, ambitious New York City matchmaker (Dakota Johnson) finds herself torn between the perfect match (Pedro Pascal) and her imperfect ex (Chris Evans).
rg9400 reviewed3d ago
The Materialists feels like a much more conceptual movie than Celine Song's debut, Past Lives. I think it was marketed like a romcom, but I would not classify it as such. There are some moments of humor, but they almost feel out of place when they occur (thinking of a recurring gag about legs). Instead, I think Celine Song wants to dissect what makes love ticks and uses Dakota Johnson's matchmaker Lucy as a way to reflect both the cynical and the idealistic visions about what it can be. The movie has elicited a ton of Discourse, but make no mistake, Song remains a phenomenal talent. The shots are gorgeous, perfectly lit, and captured in elegant beauty. It's been a while since I've seen a movie where the blocking feels so intentional and thought out. Even the characters walking styles feel deliberate and purposeful. I think a lot of people wanted this movie to feel more character-driven, and I agree that the relationship between Chris Evans' and Pedro Pascal's characters is not exactly that organic. However, I think Song is really focused on Lucy and her worldview, and in that regard, those two characters play the exact role she needed. This movie is not about a sweeping romance that will leave people in tears or even a slow-burn yearning like her prior movie. Instead, Song wants to see if love can be mathematically determined and the role material wealth (hence the name) plays a role in it. It's honestly a very fascinating examination, and even though the movie felt very different than what I was initially expecting, I was enthralled with it. I do wish we got a bit more with Pedro Pascal, which could have made things feel a bit more sincere and maybe curbed some of the dumb controversies surrounding it. Regardless, I think this movie feels authentic in a different way, in a way that feels less about the characters themselves but the very nature of dating and love. It's an earnest and lovely second feature from a director who is proving to be a talented tour de force and someone who is unafraid to challenge genre norms.