I thought that Materialists had the potential to be one of my movies of the year! My wife basically tricked me into seeing 2023’s Past Lives, the directorial debut of Celine Song, but I ended up loving it. So much so that when I heard that Materialists was her second feature, I knew that I had to make a real effort to go and see this.
Where to Watch Materialists
Materialists was released on June 13, 2025. You can stream the film from a digital platform such as Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV.
The Movie Review
As well as being written and directed by Celine Song, Materialists has a fantastic main cast. Chris Evans, Pedro Pascal, and Dakota Johnson lead the charge here. I also have to give a shout-out to Zoe Winters, who I just adored in this movie, and she actually ended up being my favorite character by the time the credits rolled.
Misleading Trailer, Deeper Story
I have to talk about the main trailer for this movie! The trailer for this movie is kind of misleading, as it makes it seem like it is a rom-com, but it is far more of a romantic drama. To be fair, I was expecting this as Past Lives was more of a drama than a rom-com, too. Still, I can see why some people may have seen the cast on the poster, watched the trailer, and then been shocked that this is way more drama than it is funny.
Plot Overview: Lucy’s Conflicted Romantic Journey
The plot of the movie is about a woman called, Lucy Mason. Lucy works as an advisor for a dating company in New York, she is great at pairing people with their partners, even though her love life is not great. I have to be honest, I did not really warm to Lucy at all, I do not even think it was Dakota Johnson either. There was just something unlikable about her character, but to be fair, I do think that is the point.
A Complicated Love Triangle
Lucy is attending a wedding for a client that she setup and she runs into Chris Evan’s John. John has dreams of becoming an actor, but he is working this wedding as a caterer, and he and Lucy used to date. We find out that they broke up because Lucy did not see a future with someone who was not financially secure! They clearly have a spark, though, and you can tell that there is some kind of chemistry still there between these two.
Enter Harry: The Ideal Match on Paper
At this wedding, Lucy meets another man, an older, much wealthier man called Harry, played by Pedro Pascal. On paper, Harry is everything that Lucy wants in a man; he is very wealthy, he is a decent guy, and he is not too bad on the eyes either. On the flip side of this, Lucy, on paper, is everything that Harry wants in a woman; she is younger, beautiful, and he can wow her with what he has. To be fair, Harry is not a bad person at all.
A Relationship Without a Spark
Lucy and Harry start dating. The thing is, there is no real spark or connection with Lucy and Harry; they are just together to tick all the boxes that are on their list for what they think is the perfect partner! John, on the other hand, despite having nothing to offer Lucy, legit loves her and still wants to be with her. My actual favorite part of this story was Zoe Winters as Sophie, who has been a client of hers for ages, but never manages to stick with a guy.
Final Thoughts on Materialists
The title, Materialists is very fitting as it perfectly describes Lucy and what she thinks she wants! This was a decent movie, and a movie that I think is about showing that true love is more than just what you think you want and money. However, I just did not click with Lucy or Harry at all. The movie is certainly not bad by any means, but I think I may need to give this one a watch again to see if it clicks with me a bit more. This is a funny one, as I can see why some people would love it, but I could also see why it would not be for some people.
