Story: A hotshot New York City matchmaker for the elite finds herself torn between a perfect, charming, and successful man and her struggling actor ex. As she navigates the modern dating scene, her beliefs about love, wealth, and happily-ever-after are put to the test.Review: Urban matchmaker Lucy (Dakota Johnson) treats dating and love like maths and marriage like a business deal — it’s all about matching economic background, political leanings, upbringings, and so on. The only non-negotiable for herself: the guy she dates must be rich. So, when she meets a ‘mind-numbingly, achingly, absurdly rich’ Harry (Pedro Pascal) at one of her clients’ weddings, he seems to check all the boxes. But there’s also her ex, John (Chris Evans), whom she dumped for being too broke and who comes back into her life. The struggling actor shares an apartment with two roommates and works as a cater-waiter. For Lucy, the choice is obvious—until an incident with her client Sophie (Zoe Winters) makes her question what she does and her ideas about love and marriage.The premise will have you believe the movie’s a rom-com. Though it has its funny moments, director Celine Song spins the genre on its head, delivering a profound narrative of what modern romance looks like. The portrayal of high-end clients with unrealistic expectations offers a sharp social commentary on the anxieties of today’s dating culture, where people are obsessed with physical features like height, hairline, and BMI (which cannot be over 20 for one of Lucy’s clients) — and where women, in particular, face pressures of ageism (a man pushing 50 wants a partner in her late 20s, and even 27 is considered pushing it), sexism, assault, and stalking.The movie is a cerebral mix of gloss and depth, touching upon themes of self-worth and value. It is predictable, and you know who Lucy will choose, but the plot to get there is refreshingly honest and grounded. There are some familiar tropes, like John noticing that Lucy is worked up even when she tries her best to hide it — something that goes completely unnoticed by her current boyfriend, Harry.The narrative does get too dialogue-heavy and slow at times, though the conversations are a mix of witty and deep.Dakota Johnson shines as the matchmaker who hypes her clients up but is herself low on self-esteem as a prospective partner or wife — whether for the uber-rich Prince Charming, Harry, or the washed-up John. Chris Evans is delightful as the grumpy, scruffy actor still hopelessly in love with Lucy years later. Pedro Pascal plays the rich private equity manager who lives in a $12 million penthouse, but remains charming to the core, with elan. Zoe Winters is a worthy addition, pulling off her character — desperate to find love, vulnerable yet dignified — perfectly.Materialists is part thought-provoking, part fun rom-com. It’s not for anyone seeking a typical genre outing, but it will leave you with something to think about as it exposes the superficial nature of modern-day dating.
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