MATERIALISTS (2025) – Love in the Age of Algorithms—A Witty Dissection of Romance

Materialists marks Celine Song’s much-anticipated return after her luminous debut, Past Lives, which drew Oscar nods for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. This time, she pivots from bittersweet nostalgia to the lively (and sometimes ruthless) terrain of contemporary romance, delivering a film that’s equal parts rom-com, social commentary, and philosophical wrestling match.

The story orbits around three dynamic leads: Dakota Johnson shines as a sharp-witted, fiercely independent matchmaker who applies her relationship theories with the precision of a chess grandmaster. Pedro Pascal, magnetic and understated, inhabits the role of a billionaire suitor—a man who could buy anything except perhaps the elusive currency of genuine affection. Chris Evans, in a surprisingly nuanced turn, is the ex-lover whose lingering affection refuses to be relegated to the past.

Song’s strength, as always, is her writing. Materialists is studded with rapid-fire dialogue and clever repartee, as the trio debate everything from modern courtship rituals to the commodification of love in a swipe-right society. The couple’s exchanges—by turns earnest, acerbic, and vulnerable—are a masterclass in verbal sparring, and the chemistry among the leads crackles with authenticity. Evans, in particular, delivers a performance as heartfelt as it is heartfelt, shedding the superhero armor to reveal a rawer, more contemplative presence. Pascal brings a quiet gravitas, making his billionaire both enviable and endearing— in an effortless performance that is comparatively less arduous than his The Last of Us role.

Throughout, Materialists feels like a loving homage to rom-coms of decades past, yet it never lingers in nostalgia; instead, it updates the formula with pointed questions about what it means to date, love, and choose in an age when even affection can seem transactional. The film’s wit is matched by its willingness to probe uncomfortable truths, inviting viewers to reflect on their own choices.

However, as the narrative winds toward its conclusion, the film stumbles slightly opting for a fairy tale ending that undercuts the sharp realism that precedes it. After so much incisive debate, the resolution feels more like wish fulfilment than earned catharsis. One wishes Song had offered her characters a path to happiness that felt as thoughtfully constructed as their arguments.

Still, Materialists is a breezy yet brainy delight—a film that entertains as much as it challenges and leaves just enough ambiguity to spark debate long after the credits roll. Perhaps Song, ever the sly observer, has left a door ajar for a sequel—or simply for us to finish the conversation ourselves.