Dir: Celine Song
Cast: Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, Pedro Pascal
Celine Song continues to create relatable and emotionally intelligent characters in this surprisingly humorous sophomore feature, which cleverly examines the societal norms surrounding dating and relationships
Since I launched this website in the summer of 2023, there has been one film that has resonated with me more than any other: Celine Song‘s gut-punching romantic drama “Past Lives”. This semi-autobiographical story about lost love, destiny, and the societal and cultural complexities of human connection is a game changer in its depiction of romantic relationships and may very well be my favourite film released in the 2020s. After establishing herself as a talented off-Broadway playwright, Song made a significant impact in the film industry with her debut feature, earning an Academy Award nomination for Original Screenplay on her first attempt.
Ever since its announcement in 2024, I have eagerly anticipated the release of Song’s second feature film, “Materialists” and I had the opportunity to attend an advanced UK screening ahead of its nationwide release on August 15. While this film departs from the intimate and personal narrative of her debut, which also explored her experience as a Korean immigrant in the United States, it still centres around a love triangle, and similar to “Past Lives”, a more relatable and grounded one compared to your typical romantic comedy.
Much like her debut feature, “Materialists” primarily takes place in Song’s adoptive home city of New York. It follows Lucy (Dakota Johnson), a failed actress turned matchmaker, who practices “voluntary celibacy,” asserting that she will either die alone or marry someone incredibly wealthy. Despite her professional success, Lucy becomes increasingly frustrated with the unrealistic standards set by her clients. The only exception is Sophie (Zoe Winters), who is willing to lower her expectations in a desperate attempt to find a date and settle down.
While attending a former client’s wedding—her ninth one that she has been personally responsible for—Lucy is approached by handsome financier Harry (Pedro Pascal). Despite his wealth, good looks, and interest in her, Lucy quickly rebuffs him. At the same time, she unexpectedly runs into her ex-boyfriend John (Chris Evans), who is now working as a wedding caterer while trying to revive his struggling acting career.
As Lucy reminisces with John about their mutual breakup, which was due to financial difficulties and her materialistic lifestyle, she decides to pursue a relationship with Harry. She is reassured by Harry that his feelings for her are genuine and that he can provide the luxurious lifestyle she desires. However, Lucy finds herself morally and emotionally conflicted, increasingly torn between her seemingly perfect match in Harry and her imperfect ex, John, who still loves her despite their past flaws.
It is great to see Celine Song’s excellent work once again picked up by A24. The independent distribution company notably grants its filmmakers full creative freedom, allowing the 36-year-old writer-director to tell a captivating story without a production company pushing for a more conventional romantic comedy. While “Materialists” may lean more towards genre conventions than her last film, which benefited from a more personal touch without a star-studded cast, it still showcases Song’s writing prowess, bringing great depth and intelligence to her characters—something often lacking in typical romcoms.
All three characters have their flaws, as no one can be perfectly fabricated to match another’s ideal desires, as highlighted by Lucy during her frustrating client meetups. Despite their imperfections, Lucy, John, and Harry are all likable and relatable in their own unique ways.
Lucy’s flaws stem from her materialistic obsessions and her view of relationships as financial investments rather than commitments of love and affection. Her pessimistic attitude toward marriage and lifelong partnership resonates with many people in their late twenties to early forties, who see those around them getting married simply because society deems it necessary. Dakota Johnson excellently personifies these conflicted attitudes, appearing cold and calculated when it’s not her own situation, but warm and empathetic when it is. It might be her best acting work to date, alongside the underseen “Cha Cha Real Smooth” from 2022.
Pedro Pascal is perfectly cast as Harry, the embodiment of every woman’s dream man—or “unicorn,” as Lucy refers to him—due to his rare combination of looks, wealth, height, ethics, and style. Pascal is having an exceptional year in 2025, having already starred in independent films like “The Uninvited” and “Freaky Tales”, as well as the second season of the hit HBO show “The Last of Us”. He also stars of course in the latest MCU entry, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”, and Ari Aster’s neo-western “Eddington”, which releases in the UK in August. Like Lucy, Harry believes in “perfect matches”, where relationships are formed by algorithms selecting partners based on background, occupation, income, and attractiveness. However, there is also a sense of earnestness in him that shows he genuinely cares for Lucy.
Then there is John, the most sympathetic and instantly relatable character among the three due to his financial struggles, romantic approach to relationships, and sense of self-deprecation. While Chris Evans has shown his dramatic acting chops in sci-fi films like “Sunshine” (2007) and “Snowpiercer” (2013), he has largely been typecast in stoic and comedic leading roles following his prominent role as Captain America in the MCU. It is refreshing to see him deliver a more dramatic role here, one that reveals vulnerability and self-doubt not typically associated with the movie star. His chemistry with Johnson is as palpable as Pascal’s, but for differing reasons. These financially and emotionally diverse characters in Lucy’s life provide thought-provoking insights into the world of modern dating and relationships. It is often noted that dating involves risk, whether out of embarrassment or, in some cases, safety. This theme is touched upon in a subplot that proves to be more impactful to the story than I would have preferred.
I believe this subplot involving Lucy’s client Sophie is Song’s attempt to tackle too much in her examination of the modern dating world, which is one of the film’s few negatives as well as its predictability. Additionally, Song’s exploration of dating lacks the subtlety of her beautiful debut feature. However, visually, “Materialists” has a dreamlike quality similar to “Past Lives”, with returning cinematographer Shabier Kirchner using intimate framing and slow pans to immerse us in the emotional dynamics of the core trio, which when focused on is where the film truly shines.
The Verdict:
While it may not resonate with me emotionally as much as her nearly perfect debut feature, Celine Song’s cleverly written and humorous romantic drama “Materialists” showcases her talent as a significant presence in the film industry. Her insightful portrayal of modern love stories connects with audiences, leaving a lasting impression.
Materialists is showing in UK Cinemas from 15th August
Dan Loves Film 