The Materialist: The Business of Love
First things first: Celine Song’s The Materialist doesn’t quite reach the quiet brilliance of her debut, the magnificent Past Lives. Yet, it’s still a relationship drama worth your time.
Dakota Johnson (yes, of 50 Shades fame) shines as Lucy, an upmarket New York City matchmaker for the rich and privileged. She approaches romance like an M&A deal, quipping, “Marriage is a business deal and it always has been.”
Her carefully constructed world collides when she meets Harry (Pedro Pascal) — a charming private equity prince with a $12 million penthouse and impeccable style — at a client’s wedding. At the same event, Lucy’s past resurfaces in the form of John (Chris Evans), her struggling-actor ex who’s working as a waiter. Their breakup years ago, heartbreakingly, was over a parking fee.
Celine frames Lucy’s dilemma in modern Jane Austen fashion: should she choose the wealthy, flawless suitor or the imperfect, impoverished man who once held her heart? Classic setup, updated for Manhattan.
The film is peppered with witty (and often depressing) “wish lists” from Lucy’s elite clients — a satirical mirror of transactional love. A side plot also hints at the risks of modern dating.
Song still delivers memorable moments:
- Lucy admitting she left John not for incompatibility, but for his poverty.
- Lucy seduced by Harry’s luxurious lifestyle, yet starved of intimacy.
- Lucy and Harry, seemingly the perfect match, inevitably drifting apart.
Dakota Johnson gives a grounded, honest performance. Pedro Pascal oozes charm, while Chris Evans taps into raw vulnerability. The film itself, though, is uneven. The screenplay meanders, and the writing never fully soars.
Still, Celine’s words resonate: “Love is the greatest mystery in everyone’s lives, and therefore one of the most important themes in cinema.” Couldn’t agree more.
💡 The Materialist may not be flawless, but it’s a smart, satirical look at the math of love in a material world — and a worthy weekend watch.
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