Materialists (2025) Film Review: Star-studded romance is suitably stylish, but falters in the writing department
- reeltalkin'
- Aug 14
- 4 min read
Set against the lavish backdrop of New York City's luxury-driven dating culture, an ambitious, young matchmaker, Lucy (Dakota Johnson), finds herself torn between the perfect match in charming millionaire, Harry (Pedro Pascal), and her aspiring actor, financially broke ex-boyfriend, John (Chris Evans).
Materialists (2025) is the second feature film by director and writer Celine Song, whose debut romantic drama Past Lives (2023) received widespread critical acclaim and was a runner-up for the Best Picture Oscar that year.
Despite showcasing some admirable stylistic elements and a thoughtful, contemporary social commentary revolving around the modern dating landscape and the concepts of love and marriage, this misleadingly marketed romantic comedy unfortunately pales in comparison to Song's impressive feature debut.
There is a distinct, uneven quality and often awkwardly crafted screenplay to the film, which never quite manages to hit the mark due to its rather muted, minimalist approach, that struggles to balance all of its ideas. Whatever message Song is attempting to convey ends up becoming quite confused and lost amongst an unfocused narrative.
The movie essentially works as a deconstruction of the modern romantic relationship, beginning with a rather bizarre choice to open with a couple from the caveman era, which sets up the notion that marriage is often compared to a business transaction.
The examination of dating in our modern society and finding the right match is a very relevant, identifiable element of the film which does lead to some compelling plotting; however, the execution of its themes is quite muddled. There are notable instances of repetitive dialogue, such as Lucy comparing her job as a matchmaker to essentially working with maths by determining several factors regarding her clients, which will act as suitable matches, causing the messaging to feel too on the nose and lacking any subtlety or nuance.
However, similar to Past Lives, the movie does exhibit a lush production quality, with Song's signature tender, intimate direction highlighting the deep intricacies of the human condition. The film certainly embodies an inviting, nostalgic visual aesthetic with its use of romantic colours and scenery, such as a lowly lit restaurant or a wedding reception taking place during the beautiful twilight hours on a sunny evening. The enchanting mix of Daniel Pemberton's simple yet mesmerising piano melodies and a tangible sense of natural beauty through crisp photography makes for a deeply immersive cinematic experience.
Song does have a unique, attentive eye when it comes to exploring the highs and lows of what it means to be human in her filmmaking, and her stories have an endearing authenticity and open honesty to their complex characters. There are a couple of effectively engaging, sometimes humorous montages of Lucy speaking with her clients, as they list their wants and desires from potential matches, with many having seemingly impossibly high standards.
Although the overall confused tone does result in quite a serious character beat being treated as more of a plot device to trigger an identity crisis in our lead, which may be seen as tasteless or offensive to some viewers. There is also a disappointingly predictable ending, which greatly contributes to the incoherent, inconsistent themes of the film and feels a little too idealistic and whimsical, leaving one with a general sense of dissatisfaction, as the narrative is wrapped up safely.
Fortunately, the vast majority of performances are strong, particularly regarding the two dashing leading men and a wonderful supporting role from Zoe Winters as one of Lucy's top clients, Sophie, a lonely woman in her late thirties, hoping to find the man of her dreams. Winters very often overshadows Fanning in their scenes together, projecting authentic emotional vulnerability, which greatly enhances the movie's impact.
Due to the many methodical, slow, and quiet conversations between the characters, there are genuinely touching, heartfelt moments where the cast can provide a delicate, raw honesty. Both Pascal and Evans can always be relied on for their natural charm, and they both breathe life into their roles, giving layered, multifaceted performances.
Unfortunately, Dakota Fanning is the clear weak link in the cast, but this may also be due to the poor writing for her character. Lucy generally comes across as unlikable, which is a big problem for the leading lady of the film.
It is difficult to root for someone as shallow and wooden as Lucy, who herself embodies unrealistically high expectations for her potential matches and is unfairly leading both men on, despite not knowing what she actually wants. In all honesty, Lucy is a pretty boring protagonist, and it does not help that Fanning has little to no chemistry with her co-leads. Unfortunately, many of the 'kissing scenes' felt unconvincing and even uncomfortable at times, with many sequences falling flat from empty line delivery.
Overall, Materialists is a disappointing follow-up to Celine Song's lovely debut feature. The film had much potential; however, it ends up being the very definition of a mixed bag. It genuinely looks gorgeous, with high production values across the board and some solid performances. Yet, the lackluster writing severely lets this one down, with mixed messaging and an uneven tone, resulting in a strange viewing experience, where it is difficult at first to work out why one is left feeling a tad underwhelmed.
Despite a rocky second feature, hopefully Song's future projects will match or surpass both the writing and general filmmaking quality of Past Lives.
Check out the trailer for Materialists (2025), and please let me know your thoughts in the comments!
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