CELINE Song’s Materialists is not your average romantic comedy and that is by design. Set amid New York City’s gilded dating ecosystem, it swaps out laugh-out-loud moments for subtle smirks and eyebrow raises, anchoring its narrative in the gritty realism of class, expectations and the deeply unfunny side of falling in love. Think of it less as a romcom and more of a rom-dram with side-eye.
Starring Dakota Johnson as Lucy, an emotionally walled-off matchmaker who treats love like a luxury commodity, the film unfolds through carefully curated interactions that feel equal parts intimate and transactional. Enter Chris Evans as the dreamer with a day job and Pedro Pascal as the six-figure suitor with everything, except, perhaps, actual chemistry. The casting trio might seem like a thirst trap, but viewers who show up just for the eye candy will stay for the existential dread disguised as romantic revelation.
Love, actually, is a luxury product
At its core, Materialists offers an unusually nuanced examination of modern dating. It is not just about whether love conquers all, it is about whether love even stands a chance in a system where people match based on curated checklists and net worths.
This film does not ask, “Who will she choose?”. It asks, “Why are these even the choices?”
The love triangle is not so much a triangle as it is a Venn diagram of privilege, passion and practicality, with Lucy awkwardly straddling the overlap. The rich guy is not a villain, he is just… convenient. And the broke guy is not a saviour, he is just inconveniently sincere. That Materialists gives both men equal footing while poking holes in the illusion of perfect relationships is what makes it clever.
It is not about choosing love over money. It is about confronting how inseparable the two have become.
Classy dates, broke realities
There is a deep undercurrent of class commentary here, cloaked in champagne flutes and rooftop soirées. As Lucy navigates the spaces between dating up and settling down, the audience is treated to a buffet of high-society rituals that feel just a hair too polished. And that is intentional. Director Song does not just romanticise the wealthy, she questions whether wealth actually satisfies emotional hunger, or just masks it with better lighting and valet parking.
Much of the emotional resonance comes from the ways Materialists captures the quiet tension of navigating relationships across socio-economic lines. It is a reminder that luxury does not always equal love and sometimes, a parking fee says more about compatibility than a diamond ring.
Still, the film is careful not to villainise aspiration. It is not anti-rich, it is just gently sceptical of the myth that wealth guarantees fulfilment. If anything, Materialists might be the year’s most compelling piece of broke-boy propaganda: a soft, heartfelt plea for intimacy over investment portfolios.
For the disillusioned and the hopeful
Visually, the film is grounded in crisp cinematography by Shabier Kirchner, capturing New York not as a city of dreams, but as a marketplace, of jobs, partners and identities. The production design subtly reinforces the thematic split between authenticity and appearance and Daniel Pemberton’s score glides between melancholic piano and soft jazz, adding to the film’s emotional ambiguity.
Katina Danabassis’ costume work is also worth noting, each character practically wears their class status. From Lucy’s muted power dresses to the careful contrast in her two love interests’ wardrobes, the film signals its themes before a single word is spoken.
Conversation sparkler
Critics have described Materialists as elegantly devastating, a fitting label for a movie that makes viewers laugh uncomfortably and then immediately question why. It functions less as escapist romance and more as a Rorschach test for how one views relationships.
This is a film that sparks conversation, about attraction, compatibility and the myth of the perfect partner. And it is worth stating plainly: if someone is not initially attracted to the lead cast, Materialists might be the perfect gateway drug to appreciating storytelling over superficiality. But if someone is attracted to them? Welcome to emotional damage in high definition.
Swipe thoughtfully
Materialists is a romcom for people who have been burned by both love and capitalism and are finally realising they might be the same thing. With grounded performances, sharp direction and writing that delivers quiet gut punches instead of punchlines, it is one of the rare love stories that earns its depth.
Romance? Check. Drama? Check. Social commentary, heartbreak and gentle existential dread? Triple check.
It may not offer a specific fairytail ending, but it does provide something rarer: clarity.
DIRECTOR: Celine Song
CAST: Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, Pedro Pascal, Zoe Winters, Marin Ireland
E-VALUE: 7/10
PLOT: 8/10
ACTING: 7/10