the materialists review

Dakota Johnson stars in Materialists (2025), a contemporary romantic drama directed by Celine Song that reframes modern dating as a capital-driven market, focusing on how wealth, status, and marketability shape love and marriage expectations in today’s urban life. The film leans away from lighthearted rom-com tone toward sharper, more candid critique of romance amid economic precarity, with a prominent emphasis on how online dating and consumerist culture influence intimate choices. Johnson’s Lucy navigates a high-end matchmaking setting that treats relationships like transactions, exposing the emotional costs of pursuing “unicorns” and optimized pairings in a world where financial success and social capital often trump raw connection. Reviews generally highlight its crisp writing, stylish production, and a performance blend from Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans that grounds a premise about love, value, and legitimacy in a capitalist society.