Overview

• The film centers on Lucy (Dakota Johnson), a high-end New York matchmaker torn between wealthy financier Harry (Pedro Pascal) and her struggling ex-boyfriend John (Chris Evans).
• Celine Song’s screenplay treats dating as a transaction, critiquing how metrics like income, appearance and status govern modern relationships.
• A harrowing subplot in which one of Lucy’s client matches goes disastrously wrong forces her to reevaluate the risks of commodifying love.
• Critics have highlighted Shabier Kirchner’s warm, atmospheric cinematography and Katina Danabassis’s meticulous costume design for contrasting luxury backdrops with personal vulnerability.
• Since its June 13 theatrical debut, Materialists has received acclaim for its nuanced direction, sharp dialogue and performances that subvert traditional romantic-comedy tropes.