by Samuel Nichols, Contributing Writer
Love is complicated because we all have expectations. We want someone with a certain income. They should believe the same things as us spiritually, politically, and ethically. Their habits should match our own. Perhaps they should look exactly how we dreamt our Mr. or Ms. Right would look. All of these desires we have get even more complicated when we want or expect one thing from our significant other, and they need something else out of us. In her new movie Materialists, writer/director Celine Song explores these expectations and shows us how to manage them best.
I want you to imagine that all of this is being read in the classic 2000’s rom com voice: Lucy (Dakota Johnson) was living her dream in the big city. Working as a high class matchmaker, she brings together lovely singles who are just trying to find the right person. But everything gets a little more complicated when she finds herself stuck between two ideal matches. Harry (Pedro Pascal) is everything she’s ever said she wanted in a man: rich. But he has charm, kindness, and great taste. Yet her long lost love who got away has come back into her life too. Good old John (Chris Evans) is still a down-on-his-luck aspiring actor, but he has all that history with Lucy. Lucy’s connection with both these men gets stronger and pulls her further in, but she eventually will have to choose.
For the sake of honoring the theme of this movie, let’s start with how incredible it looks on the surface. Whether we are in the high society that Lucy’s job can take her to, the delightful opulence of Harry’s family wedding, or the theater where John works, everything looks and feels real and wonderful in its own way. This version of New York City is homey and luxurious at the same time. And the stars look amazing too. The wardrobe department deserves credit for putting them in outfits that make them shine and bring you into their stories.
On the deep end here, I have to credit Song’s writing. The vast majority of single people are looking for someone. Is it always for altruistic and fully romantic reasons? No. Just go to the comments section of the internet, and you’ll see my point. But beyond the physical primal urges that people can be swayed by, there is a yearning for another person to be with. And Materialists gets into the nitty gritty of how we can get in the way of that with all those expectations of ours. When everyone is in their own head about finding the one or their soulmate, they complicate it for themselves and everyone one they interact with on that journey.
Talking about those complex stars, our big three are at their best here. Normally I am not the biggest fan of Ms. Johnson’s blank face, low-reactive style of acting, and usually its all that’s on her menu. But I was pleasantly surprised by how charming and endearing she is here. She has half a dozen amazing interactions with potential matchmaking clients. During tough moments, she speaks words of wisdom that show just how much she cares about the people she’s trying to bring together.
Johnson has such chemistry with both her co-stars as well. With Pascal, everything is as smooth as a freshly zambonied ice rink. They connect like two neighboring puzzle pieces, and everything clicks with them from moment one. It is clear as day why Pascal is the internet’s current boyfriend. Later on, he opens up more and lets us in just enough to remind us how capable he is as an actor. With Evans, everything is raw and real. It’s like relighting a candle from your mom’s house you remember from years before. Evans might not quite be up to par with the performances of his peers here, but he’s not a slouch. He gets his quiet moments of vulnerability too.
That vulnerability is birthed again from Song’s brilliant writing. The kind of honest and empathetic dialogue she puts on paper is second to none. At no moment does the conversation between our protagonists feel inauthentic. And it makes the difficulty of Lucy’s decision, and dynamic between these two men, even more believable. Song makes the love found here feel simple, the way love is supposed to be.
Rating: Loved It
Materialists is currently playing in theaters
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