Materialists Synopsis: A young, ambitious New York City matchmaker finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex.
Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is a sharp, successful matchmaker… and a total cynic when it comes to love. To her, relationships are just transactions, and people are products with varying odds of success on the dating “market.” After breaking up with her long-term boyfriend for being chronically broke, she had made herself a promise: the next man she dates will be the one she marries, and he’s going to be filthy, stinking rich.
Then she meets Harry. In Lucy’s line of business, he’s what they call a “unicorn”: handsome, charming, intelligent, and absurdly wealthy. Basically, Pedro Pascal in a tailored suit. Lucy sees a perfect client. Harry sees a potential partner. On paper, it’s a great match. But just as Lucy starts to envision a future lined with luxury, her ex, John (Chris Evans), reappears. Their breakup wasn’t about falling out of love; it was about being broke, and Lucy was never going to be satisfied living a life without financial stability. Even so, reconnecting with John forces her to question everything: the life she thinks she wants vs. the love she thought she left behind.
While Materialists is being marketed as a romantic comedy, it leans more into romantic dramedy territory, and that’s a good thing. Written and directed by Celine Song (Past Lives), the film takes a glossy premise and grounds it in something more nuanced. The characters feel real, messy, and emotionally complicated, rather than just polished rom-com tropes.
Through Lucy, Harry, John, and the revolving door of clients that fill Lucy’s roster, Song explores some thorny questions: Is love ever truly unconditional? Are marriages just strategic partnerships in disguise? And when it comes to choosing a partner, does emotional connection matter more, or less, than financial stability?
Pedro Pascal might not have the most screen time, but he’s still magnetic as Harry. He plays the role with charm and restraint. I appreciated that he wasn’t written as a villain just to make the choice between him and John easier. Harry is portrayed as a viable man for Lucy, and I could absolutely understand it if he ended up being the man Lucy ultimately chose to be with. He enjoys the superficial trappings of wealth but carries just enough emotional vulnerability to stay sympathetic. Plus, hello, it’s Pedro Pascal.
Dakota Johnson is solid as Lucy. She plays her with a cool, calculated professionalism, someone who sells love for a living but doesn’t quite believe in it for herself. She tells her clients they’ll find the love of their life, but privately, she’s decided that the only thing that’ll make her happy is a large bank account. The contrast between her personal beliefs and professional promises eventually catches up with her in a rather heartbreaking way, as well. I can see how viewers may find Lucy’s cold detachment to be unlikable. But even Lucy knows she’s not a very nice person. At one point, she even questions why Harry or John would want to be with her. I’ll be honest, I asked myself the same thing a few times.
The real standout, though, is Chris Evans. He hasn’t had the strongest post-Marvel run, but this role might be a turning point. As John, he delivers one of his most grounded, emotionally resonant performances yet. He doesn’t play John as a romantic ideal. He’s a struggling actor in his thirties, stuck in a cramped apartment with crappy roommates and working catering gigs to get by. He wants to give Lucy everything, but he knows he can’t offer the life she’s chasing. Evans’s charm is still evident, but it’s infused with a touch of dejection. Out of the three characters, I found John to be the emotional anchor of the movie, and Evans nailed it.
The third act wobbles a little. There’s emotional payoff, but it’s softened by the film’s unwillingness to deliver clean answers. And yet, that’s part of what makes The Materialists so compelling. It’s a story about how we perform love, how we curate our romantic lives just like we do our social media, and what happens when reality refuses to fit the plan. Even with its anti-rom-com edge, the film still manages to deliver a final beat that will be deeply satisfying to any fan of the genre.
Watched: 06/13/2025
Notable Song: That’s All by Baby Rose
