Writer/Director: Celine Song
Starring: Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans
‘A Captivating Classic’
Matchmaking is an activity that has become an essential part of dating. Matchmakers have the power to inspire heartbroken lovers to leave breakups in past lives behind to build a future. On a personal level, I find struggles experienced by matchmakers to be relatable. At an early age, I fell in love with a clever girl that loved making matches for marriage. A girl with enduring appeal, she would often feel strongly about matchmaking which she considered a lucrative business deal. Showcasing pride rather than prejudice, she always tried her best to make matches leaving couples satisfied. She always had talent for assisting kids going through a rough patch of breakups through making a match. Due to intense breakups she had faced causing damage, she had given up her hopes of marriage. It didn’t take long before I bonded with a girl that loved making matches of students she appreciated. While most students in my school saw her to be materialistic, I admired a girl that was unabashedly romantic. It was always easy for me to admire a nice girl giving advice about how dating involved a sacrifice. However, romance brought our bond to a sudden closure. When she found a romantic partner from a rich background, our relationship came burning to the ground. Her love for a wealthy boyfriend that offered materialistic assets brought our relationship to an end. The drastic decision to break ties with a girl that loved to make matches caused heartache. It was sad to drift apart from a girl that had held a place in my heart. Years later, I treasure a materialistic matchmaker whose words of wisdom about dating changed my life forever.
Few films I’ve seen have captured materialist matchmakers as powerfully as “The Materialists”. Released in 2025, Celine Song’s latest movie captured matchmakers facing adversity. Packed with breathtaking set-design, engaging storytelling and phenomenal acting, it’s one of the best movies of the year. At the centre of it all is Dakota Johnson, who portrays a matchmaker facing tension. Ultimately, what makes “The Materialists” a masterpiece is its message. The film delivers a message about relationships which would resonate with everyone. A mesmerizing masterpiece, there are many reasons why “Materialists” is worth seeing.
Set in modern-day New York City, “Materialists” tells the story of a materialistic matchmaker. Dakota Johnson portrays Lucy, a matchmaker with strong passion. Lucy has always enjoyed making matches between lovers without any plans of getting married. However, Lucy’s life forever changes when she falls in love. Torn between her childhood lover John (Chris Evans) and wealthy billionaire Harry (Pedro Pascal), Lucy is forced to make a hasty decision whom she wants to marry. Under tension, Lucy questions her devotion to the matchmaking profession.
Celine Song is fascinated with themes of love. A fantastic South Korean filmmaker, Song has made engaging movies about relationships facing disaster. Her Oscar-winning movie “Past Lives” captured relationships between Korean lovers separated by barriers of immigration. With “Materialists”, however, Song created her first matchmaking romantic drama. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt capturing matchmakers facing adversity but she succeeded. Evoking Autumn de Wilde’s “Emma”, Song uses montages to capture a woman making matches between couples facing a dilemma. For instance, montages elevate the interview scene. During this captivating scene, Lucy seeks to find the perfect romantic partner for clients she’s interviewing. It brought back fond memories of a girl that was skilled at making matches between classmates in school facing adversities. Montages are tricky techniques to use in movies. As Joe Wright’s “Pride & Prejudice” suggested, montages elevate Jane Austen adaptations. Nevertheless, they work well in this movie. Through stunning visuals, Song captures the struggles that matchmakers pairing up couples are facing.
Another admirable aspect of “Materialists” that merits appreciation is the production-design. Song effectively uses the production of weddings to capture matchmakers facing romantic tension. Evoking Marc Webb’s “500 Days of Summer”, Song uses weddings to capture emotions of lovers having reunions in romantic relationships. For instance, the setting of the wedding elevates the reunion scene. During this heartbreaking scene, Lucy reunites with John following several years of separation in an emotional meeting. Through the backdrop of the wedding, Song creates a romantic relationship that’s compelling. It reminded me of my strong relationship with a girl whose desire to make matches between couples I always appreciated. Moreover, the musical score is magnificent. Daniel Pemberton’s music is key to the success of the movie. It gives the movie a tender atmosphere capturing heavy burden that matchmakers bear. Through gorgeous production-design, Song demonstrates doomed romantic relationships experiencing a decline.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Materialists” is a romantic drama that’s captivating. The film is beautifully written, and effectively uses sequences of silence to capture tensions between lovers torn apart by fate. Song’s strength as a screenwriter is her abilities to capture tensions faced by childhood lovers through silence. Evoking Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight”, Song effectively uses silence to capture the tensions between lovers that fight. For instance, silence elevates the argument scene. During this heartbreaking scene, Lucy has a tense argument with John at a wedding saying they can’t be together anymore. It reminded me of my sadness when I was rejected by a girl skilled at making matches between couples that left me emotionally devastated. Silence is a tricky technique. As Ang Lee’s “Brokeback Mountain” demonstrated, silence elevates movies about the LGBTQ community. Nevertheless, it works in this movie. Through a spectacular screenplay, Song demonstrates matchmakers experiencing a painful price to pay.
One appreciates astonishing performances.
Dakota Johnson delivers one of her finest career performances as Lucy. Johnson first achieved appreciation playing sexual heroines in the “Fifty Shades of Grey” series. With “Materialists”, however, she took on her most complex role. It isn’t easy portraying a materialistic matchmaking woman unsure about whom to marry, but she succeeded. This is the actress unlike you’ve ever seen her before: intense, charismatic and emotional in her most iconic role. Johnson has often excelled at playing emotional women under stress, and “Materialists” showcased her strengths as an actress. With riveting expressions, she captures ambition, frustration and intelligence of a matchmaker. It’s a fantastic performance from a commemorated actress.
While the movie is mainly a stunning showcase for Dakota Johnson, the supporting cast is also amazing and worthy of recognition. Chris Evans is captivating, capturing tensions of a poverty-stricken man that longs to marry a wealthy woman he regards with affections. Pedro Pascal is phenomenal, bringing an air of melancholy to a wealthy billionaire that engages in a doomed romantic affair causing despair. Lastly, Zoe Winters merits appreciation. As a downtrodden victim of sexual assault, she brings heartbreaking emotion to the movie.
Finally, “Materialists” will earn everyone’s appreciation for capturing struggles of women that are materialists. Unlike most romantic comedies, the film tackles strong themes that everyone would relate to. It discusses strong themes including identity, marriage and trauma. Viewers aren’t required to be familiar with the matchmaking profession to appreciate it. It delivers a meaningful message about marriage which would resonate with everyone. Therefore, “Materialists” is one of those rare romantic films everyone would adore.
Fans of Dakota Johnson will definitely appreciate “Materialists” and so will movie-goers seeking heartbreaking entertainment. A captivating romantic drama, it captures a competitive profession in which women face a dilemma.
A marvellous depiction of tension faced by women in the matchmaking profession, it’s a magnificent reminder that stories of matchmakers that pair up couples are worth depicting in movies which deserve recognition.
As strong as Lucy’s desire to be materialistic, it has motivated me to move on with life several years after the tragic end of my relationship with a matchmaker girl that loved to pick romantic partners for couples whose intense devotion towards her career motivated me to accomplish my dreams of becoming a famous film critic.
5/5 stars
The Film Buff 