A film from A24, written and directed Celine Song who helmed the wonderful “Past Lives” from 2023? On paper it looks like a slam dunk. Unfortunately, that’s not quite the case.
In Song’s second feature film, Dakota Johnson stars as a matchmaker in New York City named Lucy. She works for a company that specializes in setting up dates between similar people. Basically, it’s an in person dating app, but the app is a human match manager with an office.
Work is going well enough, but Lucy herself has been single for a while. That changes, though, when she meets the charming and understanding Harry (Pedro Pascal), and the two start dating. At the same time, she meets up and starts talking with former boyfriend John (Chris Evans).
Despite a year stacked with major competition, Song’s “Past Lives” ended up being the No. 1 film released in 2023. It was an absolute masterclass in handling romantic elements in a drama, and rightfully received award recognition that season. It makes “Materialists,” Song’s follow-up, a real let down.
It’s unfair for this to be a one-to-one comparison to “Past Lives.” However, it’s hard to see everything that worked so well in that 2023 feature be absent this time around. The raw emotion, intricate handling of relationships and believable, relatable conversations just aren’t there this time.
The same can be said about the level of chemistry at play with the principal cast. Lucy’s relationships with John and Harry both have a superficial feel. That’s not to say they are entirely unconvincing, but true endearing romantic connections feel missing on screen.
Another issue with “Materialists” is a rather inconsistent tone. At times, the picture seems to be going for a full-on comedic vibe, especially in a few “audition” scenes where a slew of characters explain what they’re looking for in dating. However, in the second half, the movie gets into some really heavy territory.
Not only does it seem inconsistent in tone, the way it gets there plays out in a contrived manner. It also doesn’t help that attempts at commentary about issues in modern dating, the shallowness some express and how much work is needed to make a relationship last feel played out and ineffective.
Johnson has shown some solid acting in the likes of “Peanut Butter Falcon,” “The Lost Daughter” and “Cha Cha Real Smooth,” but her acting feels rather stilted this time around. Her character lacks a convincing motivation and deeper personality, too.
Evans and Pascal, meanwhile, represent two sides of the same bland coin. One’s rich, one’s poor, but both are characters who don’t have a ton of character, other than to represent relationship options for Lucy. So much of their characters is tied to their class, and we end up missing any real humanity. Again, paling in comparison to “Past Lives.”
“Materialists” isn’t completely awful. Song does have a good level of artistry with her films, that is on display here, and this is a capable cast able to make some of the scenes work. However, this one has a lot working against it, ultimately making the experience unenjoyable and disappointing. 2 out of 5.
Matthew Liedke on Film 
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