Materialists Film Review: Perfectly imperfect

Materialists reminds us that, when looking for a partner, we shouldn’t base our criteria on a rigid set of preconceived, restrictive preferences.

The love interest presented in this type of story is also the most incredible human on the planet and is without any flaws. Not only is that kind of experience untrue to life but it’s not what you’ll find in writer and director Celine Song‘s Materialists.

The film follows a New York City matchmaker named Lucy (Dakota Johnson, of Daddio), who works for a company called Adore. The professional service, which comes with a hefty price tag for its clients, promises to find each member their soul mate. Although Lucy spends her work week setting up dates, she’s a cynic, believing that relationships feel more transactional than genuine, especially when you factor in people’s shallow preferences. 

While attending a wedding, Lucy meets Harry (Pedro Pascal, of Freaky Tales), who even she admits ticks all of her superficial boxes. He’s rich, handsome, intelligent, and even tall, which seems to matter a lot to many of her women clients. At the event, Lucy also runs into her ex-boyfriend John (Chris Evans, of Ghosted), who works for a catering service to make extra money while pursuing his dream of becoming an actor. As the story progresses, Lucy finds herself caught between two vastly different men.

On the one hand, Harry can offer her a life of wealth and security, something that John could never seem to provide. On the other hand, she and John have a history, and Lucy can’t help but feel drawn to him whenever she’s dealing with the complexities of work and life and needs a shoulder to cry on. Though her former flame is poor, and she hates the thought of living that sort of lifestyle, no one understands nor values her quite like John does.

As we spend more time with Lucy and she quizzes her clients on what their ideal match would be, Materialists highlights just how shallow we are as a society and the list of limiting must-haves we tend to create when envisioning what our perfect partner looks like on paper. For some of Lucy’s clients, aligning on political views seems a logical and understanding preference. However, while being introduced to more of them, we realize how obsessing over strict dating criteria is not only limiting their options but also causing them to overlook wonderful matches simply because they don’t align with their stringent checklist. 

Most of these preferences are also driven by superficial and material priorities, such as the amount of money someone makes, their age, or whether they meet specific height criteria. Although physical attraction is important to some degree, Materialists reflects on how surface-level traits have become the primary focus for many people, particularly in a world that’s overly focused on a swipe-based dating mindset. As Lucy’s clients begin to look within themselves, they realize that love isn’t always what keeps them with someone or even leads them to get married. Often, people are either lonely, desperate for security, or settling down seems the next logical step, even though they might not want to admit to themselves that they’re not truly in love and are in a relationship for all the wrong reasons.

Materialists has a strong script, but what makes the film truly shine is the cast. Everyone works together exceptionally well to bring this intimate and sincere story to life. Johnson is sensational, completely holding her own as the unapologetically honest Lucy, who, just like the rest of us, is perfectly imperfect. She’s a wonderfully written lead who not only has a satisfying character arc but is also someone you feel completely invested in throughout the film. The matchmaker is also far from the walking clichés you often find in similar movies. Pascal is the ultimate IT guy right now, and for good reason. Harry is such a charming, enticing gentleman, all of which comes so easily to the actor through his engrossing portrayal of the character. Then there’s John, who I think viewers will relate to the most. He’s such a likable person because, unlike the others, he’s always stayed true to himself, and his commitment to loving unconditionally has never wavered.

Much like in Celine Song’s previous film Past Lives, the writer-director’s greatest strengths lie in crafting emotionally rich narratives that feature characters who are deeply human, relatable, and even flawed. Unlike the woman lead in most rom-coms, Lucy isn’t the perfect girl-next-door type nor the sickly sweet, career-minded woman who needs love to complete her. She is the first to admit that she, too, is shallow, like many of her clients, and John not being well-off is one of the very reasons she struggled to see a future with him during their past relationship. This spin on the genre is refreshing and also works extensively to Materialists’ advantage, reinforcing the film’s underlying takeaway. 

Even if the lifestyles of characters such as Harry or the other wealthy clients we meet in Materialists aren’t ones we can relate to, the film demonstrates that no matter our social status, background, job, or what we look like, when we find the person we’re meant to be with, it will feel effortless without any lingering doubts in the back of our mind. 

Materialists reinforces that true love isn’t about ticking a list of preconceived superficial boxes. It’s about embracing your imperfections while finding comfort, peace, and harmony with someone who loves them just as much and who feels like home.

Materialists will be released in US and Canadian theatres on June 13, 2025, in UK & Irish cinemas on August 15, and globally in theaters this summer.