Materialists

Trigger warning: movie discusses sexual assault

How do you know someone is your type? What makes a relationship “work”? These are all questions matchmaker Lucy (Dakota Johnson) answers when her clients come to her for help. As she’s celebrating a client’s wedding she meets the groom’s attractive brother (Pedro Pascal) and also runs into her ex (Chris Evans). The makings of a Grade-A rom-com right? Wrong. So wrong. I went into this movie thinking it would be a Nora-Ephron-Nancy-Meyers-feel-good-chick-flick but it was actually a take-down of rom-coms. It’s more of a dram-com? Anyways, Celine Song (also wrote and directed Past Lives) has done it again with a very smart and full scope movie. Not only does she call out and highlight the realistic pitfalls and hypocrisy people deal with in dating but gives almost therapy-like dialogue that makes sense of “why” relationships and love are complicated. Great choice if you want a deep movie that will make you think, stay away if you’re looking for a light-hearted movie!

Rating: 4/5