It’s 2 PM, and we’re sitting in the office, fighting off the urge for a post-lunch nap, when someone starts playing “Pinky” from Zanjeer. Suddenly, all the women perk up and begin singing along with a palpable sense of relatability. For those who may not be familiar, the song tells the story of Pinky, a girl who will only be with a man who has money.
Meanwhile, across the globe in New York City, we meet Lucy, played by Dakota Johnson. As a professional matchmaker, Lucy’s top criterion for a partner is his bank balance. Written and directed by Celine Song, Materialists may seem like a romantic comedy in the style of the early 2000s that we crave, but in reality, it offers an hour and a half of pure frustration. Read on to know more about whether this movie should be on your list or not in this week’s unstumbled movie review.
What Is The Film About: Materialists’ Plot
The film revolves around a love triangle involving Lucy, Harry (played by Pedro Pascal), and her ex-boyfriend John (played by Chris Evans). Lucy describes Harry as a “unicorn” – tall, handsome, and wealthy, a man most women can only dream of. In contrast, John, while still tall and handsome, is at the opposite end of the spectrum: he’s desperately broke.
The movie screams A24; it’s slow, the visuals are sensual, and the costumes are stunning – elegant but not over the top. Add to that the cast of the internet’s two boyfriends – Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans – and Dakota Johnson, who looks like a delicate doll but, as her interviews have proven, has the tongue of a snake (we love a good Ellen takedown).
What To Know About Filming Style
The filmmaking style is relaxed and easygoing, with New York City once again depicted as an expensive place to live, yet highly desirable. One of the most significant scenes in the film features a flashback of Lucy and John celebrating their anniversary. They find themselves stuck in the notorious Times Square traffic, discussing their inability to afford a nice meal. In the midst of the crowded street, Johnson turns to Evans and says, “I don’t want to hate you because you’re poor.” As I watched this scene in the theater, I restrained the urge to applaud; it was raw, powerful, and undeniably true.
While Lucy, too, had visions of being a successful actor, she moved on to something more realistic soon enough; John persevered and remained broke. You could either look at it from the perspective that Lucy gave up and John stayed true to his passion, or that at some point, you need to take a step back and look at where you are in life, especially if you expect someone to join you on that journey.
What Does The Director Wants Us To Believe
Song ensures you don’t get carried away by the idea of it being a romantic comedy by placing elements like sexual assault, which felt very skimmed over and not given the due importance it should’ve been. Or the fact that the perfect Harry has undergone a $200,000 tibial lengthening surgery to increase his height. These instances keep the film rooted in reality, yet the film feels highly unrealistic.
We may kid ourselves and say we only care about personality and loyalty, but that’s a big fat lie. Money is important. Money runs this world, and the want and need for money isn’t something to be ashamed of. That’s where I thought this film was going.
The love triangle was nice, but it’s the conclusion that bothered me. You have to watch the film to know more about the conclusion.
Final Thoughts
I personally don’t know any woman, regardless of her personal success or lack thereof, who would accept the proposal of a man living with two shabby roommates, driving a beat-up car, and lacking clear ambition to change his lifestyle. To make matters worse, he proposes on a whim with just a flower.
Materialists was intended to be a modern-day version of Sense and Sensibility or Pride and Prejudice, but it ultimately failed to achieve that, likely causing Jane Austen to roll over in her grave.
Should You Watch It
If you’re a fan of rom-coms and Dakota Johnson, watch this movie; otherwise, it can definitely be skipped.
