A young, ambitious New York City matchmaker finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex.
Chuck says:
In the world of Celine Song’s “Materialists,” everyone is a commodity, their value measured by the positive aspects they can bring to a marriage. One’s background, appearance and profession are all taken into account, their height, beauty and income, just a few of the many aspects that are codified in the world of modern matchmaking. This service is available to the well-heeled, risk averse who refuse to take romance into account where their potential unions are concerned. That these people would be smart enough to succeed financially but be foolish where matters of the heart are concerned comes as no surprise.
Song’s follow-up to her Oscar-nominated “Past Lives,” this film casts cynicism as its villain, an inclination two of the principals in its “love” triangle cling to as a security blanket. Working as a matchmaker, Lucy (Dakota Johnson) has been trained to look at marriage as a business transaction, and she’s an expert at closing her deals. Coming off her ninth successfully arranged marriage, she’s insulated herself to the notion that a relationship based on love alone can ever succeed. She knows of what she speaks, having spent five years with John (Chris Evans), an aspiring actor who never had two nickels to rub together. Living hand-to-mouth eventually took its toll, Lucy leaving him for greener pastures, or perhaps a life alone.
And though she tells herself her defenses are strong in the area of romance, she’s hardly prepared for what happens at her latest client’s wedding reception. Not only does she run into John, working as a waiter at the event, but she catches the eye of the groom’s brother Harry (Pedro Pascal). Rich, handsome, kind, he’s referred to as a unicorn in Lucy’s industry, and while she’s trained to look at him as nothing more than a potential match for one of her patrons, she’s not resistant to his obvious charms.
What ensues is a moral storm within Lucy, as she wrestles with whether to enter into a situation that will provide her with all she’d ever need and more or give love just one more chance. As with any romance, our interest hinges on the likability of its characters and Song expertly puts us in her heroine’s shoes as the men she’s considering are two incredibly likable guys. Pascal’s unassuming charm is well-used here, his approach to Harry never overbearing. Quiet and considerate, never ostentatious where his wealth is concerned, he’s a seemingly atypical member of the 1%, the actor effectively underplaying the role throughout. Evans is required to take a different approach as John is a bit more passionate about Lucy and his pursuit of success. Yet, he never comes off as naïve, aware that he has little to offer Lucy but his heart, the actor’s quiet sincerity convincing us, and perhaps her, that is enough.
Song’s premise is initially strong but begins to fray by the time the third act begins. Harry and John make their arguments as to why Lucy should be with them on multiple occasions, while she ticks off the pros and cons of each of them just as often. The film loses some of its momentum due to this, its urgency waning. Meanwhile, a subplot regarding one of Lucy’s clients (Zoe Winters) being assaulted on a date she arranged is stretched to its breaking point. While it’s obvious this would cause her to question her role in this event and whether to continue in this industry, this conflict also wears thin.
The ultimate irony regarding “Materialists” is its contradictory nature. If you’ve seen “Lives,” it comes as no surprise how this film ends, Song’s leanings where love and romance obvious from that feature. Yet it’s the lack of passion on display here that ultimately undoes the movie. While love is in the air, it certainly isn’t presented as the sort that would sweep anyone away or lead to declarations of eternal devotion. And while we’ve become accustomed to finding such things in romantic movies, in the end “Materialists” is more concerned with commerce than desire.
2 1/2 Stars
