If the question “would you rather marry a rich yet emotionally absent partner or marry a relatively wealthy but emotionally present partner” arises, a good number of people would rather marry rich because money rules the world right? This is a controversial topic to discuss but in the end, everyone knows what they want and it's okay to go for that.
Another controversial question would be “why do people get married?” Is it because they are lonely, hopeful or simply because everyone is getting married around them and hence it seems like a good thing to do? Many of such controversial and thought provoking questions were stirred up in my mind after seeing the movie I'll be making a review of today—Materialists.
Materialists is a modern romantic drama that centers around Lucy, a matchmaker navigating the intricacies of the dating world in New York. Lucy tries to always ensure that anyone who contracts her is satisfied with their matches but Lucy is lagging behind in her own romantic life. Entangled in a love triangle with her ex-boyfriend and a charming millionaire, Lucy must decide what she truly wants for herself; love or money.
Released on the 13th of June, 2025, this romance comedy (rom-com) movie features veteran actors like Dakota Johnson as Lucy, Pedro Pascal as Harry and Chris Evans as John. The movie was directed by Celine Song and has a runtime of about 1 hour and 57 minutes.
The movie explores themes of love, marriage and materialism. Asides from the themes, the movie questions whether genuine happy long lasting relationships can occur in a society where partners are often evaluated like commodities—based on criteria like wealth, height and even the colour of their skin. This offers observations on the modern dating scenes where many people are tied between cold calculations versus the hopeful persistence of love.
The tone of Materialists is more sophisticated and grounded than typical rom-coms with moments of warmth and humour alongside darker, more dramatic turns including candid discussions of challenges in relationships. This– lack of vulnerability in relationships– happens to be one of the leading causes of failed relationships and I was absolutely thrilled when this movie portrayed the importance of having certain uncomfortable conversations with our partners. The movie went ahead to show how easy this makes things.
Dakota Johnson delivered a very strong performance as Lucy, balancing confidence with vulnerability. This was really captured when she was caught between two men; a wealthy and charming Harry and her ex, John. The three lead actors in this film performed pretty well and they somehow manage to blend rom-com with serious emotional depth.
The movie has a visually absorbing quality, capturing the different moods of New York City. The sound effects and music compliment every scene beautifully, enhancing the movie’s atmosphere. The dialogues also stand out as one of the movie’s strengths.
One moral lesson I picked from the movie is that when the heart truly connects with someone, loving that person would be the easiest thing. Love shouldn't be forced or bought.
Materialists is a compelling rom-com movie that thoughtfully questions the intersections of love and materialism in today’s dating world, anchored by solid performances by the casts. However, it wasn't a memorable watch for me as I'm not a big fan of rom-coms. I would give the movie a 7 out of 10 rating.
If you enjoy romantic comedies with substance, Materialist would be a good watch for you.
