“Materialists” Is Not Your Typical Romance
Ella Spyrison | Nov. 18, 2025
“The Materialists” Poster.
Love or money, which would you choose? In “Materialists,” director Celine Song explores themes of pretty privilege, capitalism, personal identity and the age-old question of what love is. Lucy, played by Dakota Johnson, is a high-end, successful matchmaker making her way through New York City when she bumps into a dilemma that will change her life: should she pursue handsome, wealthy suitor Harry Castillo (Pedro Pascal) or her broke ex-boyfriend? “Materialists” is not just entertaining, it also reveals deeper truths about modern society's obsession with materialistic values.
Lucy approaches love the same way she approaches business, strategically and mathematically. The equation has to fit. When she begins dating wealthy finance man Harry, he crosses off every single one of her boxes. Things get complicated as her broke ex-boyfriend John, played by Chris Evans, walks back into her life. His reappearance begins to tear up everything Lucy thought she knew about love, dating and romance as she begins to question her values. We watch Lucy and her client’s relationships evolve as she is faced with the reality of the materialistic world and her misguided view of love. This film questions the evolution of dating and societal values, serving as an emotional exploration into the true impact of the world we have created.
Pretty privilege is a topic often neglected, and “Materialists” takes the daring jump in a distinctive critique of the dating market. Right off the bat, the film explores the topic of plastic surgery, comparing it to paying for your worth and value in society. In the very start of the movie Lucy is reflecting on what a good investment plastic surgery is and remarks, “You're not ugly, you just don't have money.” We also see an emotional moment where Harry confesses that he felt worthless until he had a surgery to increase his height, reflecting on the way we assign worth based on physical traits forgetting the real impact this has on people. Later in the movie, Lucy's thoughts of dating being a business transaction comes into question when one of her clients is sexually assaulted by the man Lucy set her up with. Afterwards, Lucy’s manager refers to the incident as just another known risk of dating. This extremely dark statement is a reflection of the way sexual assault and dating is treated in our society. Sophie, Lucy’s client who was sexually assaulted, ties this issue into the movie’s larger themes when she says, “The truth is, you set me up with that man because you think I’m worthless. You didn’t know what to do with me. That’s how I ended up on that date.”
“Materialists” is Celine Song’s second movie, having previously directed the romantic drama “Past Lives". “Past Lives” was a box office hit, exploring themes of immigration, destiny and the tension between culture and personal choice. It is a little more toned down than “Materialists,” where Song’s direction balances humor with critique, keeping the mood light while exploring a deep and painful topic. “Materialists” was produced by Killer Films and 2AM, and released by the infamous A24, which has helped to create such famous films as “Midsommer,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once”, “Moonlight” and “The Witch.” A passionate fan base has described A24 films as original, artistic and very thoughtful.
I was positively surprised by how introspective this movie was, and I resonated with many of the topics it explored. I was emotional, and at times crying, as this film touched on topics that have deeply affected me in my own life and I’m sure the lives of many others. I thought Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans acted phenomenally. Dakota Johnson is not my favorite actress. Though her constant lip biting, lip pressing and sexualization of every single moment was annoying at times, I felt overall she was still able to communicate the message of the film. This film is definitely worth the watch, so you can both experience the romance and walk away reflecting on the deeper message.
In the end, “Materialists” is more than just a romance movie; it explores how dating has evolved with a culture obsessed with wealth, appearances and status. By exploring Lucy’s dilemma, the film highlights how pretty privilege and materialistic values dictate who is seen as worthy of love. Song reminds us that love goes beyond material things, and there are real consequences to these societal values. Change begins one step at a time, and it's time we take inventory of our values and follow our hearts instead.