Movie: Materialists (2025)
Production Companies: 2AM, Killer Films
Distributed by: A24
Producers: David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon, Pamela Koffler, Celine Song
Directed by: Celine Song
Written by: Celine Song
Starring: Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, Chris Evans
Review by: Stefano Todaro

Celine Song is only two films into her directing career, and yet she already feels like a master of the form. With Materialists, her follow-up to the deeply affecting Past Lives, Song once again crafts a world that feels astonishingly real. Her characters are so layered, flawed, and human that you might swear you’ve met them before. Past Lives and Materialists are different in many ways, but their similarities make them beautiful companion pieces. They share an emotional core: both are thoughtful explorations of love that transcend the usual boundaries of romantic storytelling. Song resists melodrama in favor of intimacy and demonstrates the messiness of real relationships. There’s so much more in both films than a mere “love triangle.” As with Past Lives, Song’s commitment to telling love stories in an honest, simple, yet powerful way is part of what makes Materialists such a success.

Materialists centers on Lucy (Dakota Johnson), a young professional who works at a matchmaking firm in New York City. She spends her days curating perfect matches and helping people find their forever partners. While attending the wedding of one of her clients, she meets Harry (Pedro Pascal), a charming groomsman who immediately takes an interest in her. Their flirtation is quickly interrupted by the unexpected reappearance of Lucy’s ex, John (Chris Evans), who is working the wedding as a catering waiter. All this time Lucy has spent helping others find their soulmates, she’s avoided exploring her options. She even tells Harry that the next person she dates will be the man she marries. This revelation sets the stage for a personal reckoning. What does Lucy truly want from a husband? Love? Money? Validation? She starts to discover what she truly needs from a partner, now that Harry is in her life and John has re-entered it.

Though marketed under the guise of a paint-by-numbers rom-com, Materialists is so much more than that. It takes the charm and simplicity of late ’90s and early 2000s rom-coms and pairs them with a sharp, modern take on dating in today’s world. Song makes it clear that love has always been the same since the beginning of man, but social status, money, and perceived value have made the definition of love fuzzier over time. Is it right to be with someone just because they value you? Is it okay to stay in a relationship because it revolves around nice things and expensive dinners? Is it worth it to be with someone you love deeply, even if that means you might struggle along the way?

Song makes it clear that she believes in true love, but she doesn’t punish anyone for thinking about relationships differently. With the emotional complexity that is interwoven between our three leads, she never turns any of them into a villain. The care with which she treats her characters is largely what made Past Lives so beautiful. Everyone is coping with their own trauma and baggage, and it’s not necessary for there to be a “bad guy” when we’re all fighting ourselves. What matters is how these characters navigate the messy realities of love and identity. Song understands that people will find their life partners however they see fit, even if that means paying for a blood-sucking matchmaking service.

What elevates Materialists further is its sheer beauty. The cinematography is rich and intimate, the editing restrained and thoughtful, and the dialogue is full of lovely insights. With all the heartbreak and realism that lives inside Song’s worlds, it’s telling when I say: I would love to live in a Celine Song film. And with all the beauty on display, I want to especially highlight the conversations and dialogue. Song has a gift for long conversations. Just as Past Lives centered around conversation as a storytelling engine, Materialists lets its characters talk, and in doing so, teaches us. These conversations are rich in humanity and offer little lessons throughout: the kind of lessons that give you butterflies, affirm your choices, or quietly nudge you toward change.

Song has only directed two films, but she’s already built a universe of exquisitely crafted love stories. Even though Materialists may be lighter in tone than Past Lives, it still pulses with the same emotional intelligence and grace. I can see a scenario where the six main characters across both films live in the same cinematic universe. They all view love and relationships in refreshingly thoughtful ways that only Song could bring to life. If you pulled the camera back during Harry and Lucy’s show-stopping dinner conversation, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Nora and Arthur from Past Lives sitting at a nearby table.

8.9/10

By: Stefano Todaro