Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is an ambitious matchmaker in New York City. Whilst at the wedding of her latest success story she meets a dating unicorn in Harry (Pedro Pascal). He is 6 feet tall, rich, charming, physically fit and intelligent. Lucy asks if she could sign him up as a client but he gives her one condition, she must date him first. If things were not already about to become complicated the waiter serving her a drink is her ex-boyfriend and possible soul mate John (Chris Evans). 

I slept on Materialists during its cinema release. I thought it looked like a generic romantic comedy and at the time I just had too many other things on my to do list to make it a priority. What a huge mistake that was! Materialists is a film that on its surface is a generic romantic comedy but underneath it is so much more. 

From writer/director Celine Song who also brought us the exceptional Past Lives (so I really should have realised it would be so much more) this film takes a long hard look at the perils of dating. It discusses the high expectations and entitlement that people feel and experience not only when meeting others but before they even choose to meet others. It talks about how those high expectations and entitlements can increase as time moves on and how “settling for someone” is sometimes quite the opposite. There are some rather sharp and upsetting observations around the risks that people take emotionally and physically when dating, especially women who are in a more vulnerable position. But the subject it looks at most closely is the intangible nature of love versus the material nature of what makes logical sense. And that is clearly defined by John and Harry in the eyes of Lucy. 

Most importantly though, Materialists manages to convey a hopefulness about the idea of love and relationships despite its unflinching eye on the perils of dating. 

Everything about the film works despite it feeling like it should be more run of the mill. The New York setting allows the film to really show a disparity between rich and poor as well as suit the idea that people would actually pay someone to find their perfect match. The actors chosen for the roles are perfect for the characters they play. Dakota Johnson is perfect as the matchmaker who likes to think she can make the best decisions on matches but finds herself doubting that thanks to a number of different events. Chris Evans is obviously going to be believable as a man whose distinct lack of a real job or viable apartment is overlooked by women when it comes to dating. And Pedro Pascal, a man who appears to be in every movie at the moment is great as the measured and wealthy businessman looking for a good match. 

I really enjoyed Materialists and am glad I allowed myself to be surprised by what it brings to the table in the romantic comedy genre.