Materialists | Film Review

 

Matchmaker Lucy (Dakota Johnson) finds herself caught between two potential relationships, offering her two drastically different lives.

I was really looking forward to seeing this film. Not only do I like the actors involved, but I'm always interested in a new rom-com, and this one seemed somewhat original.

I liked this film a lot!

For a start, I love that Lucy was a matchmaker - it's a really fun job to centre a romance movie around.

The thing that struck me almost immediately, was that it felt like it would have made more sense for the male actors (Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans) to switch roles. Maybe it's from knowing their other projects, or due to the differences in their chemistry with Johnson, but neither felt particularly believable in the roles they had.

Which doesn't take away the enjoyment, but the thought did keep coming up for me.

Speaking of the chemistry, I'm not sure it completely worked with either suitor. I really liked Lucy as a character, but that was it, none of the other characters had a strong impact on the film.

The sections of the film with Lucy and her clients are the best parts of the film. And in terms of the writing, they're the only parts that really feel authentic. The subplot is a lot more interesting than either potential romance.

The twists around the matchmaking lead to some great intense moments that I really wasn't expecting from a traditional rom-com. It made the film a lot more thought-provoking than you initially expect.

And ultimately, the matchmaking subplot is why I liked the film so much, and why it's getting a higher rating than it would get otherwise.

Because none of the romances worked for me. I didn't believe either of the male characters, and as good actors as they are, neither of the characters felt necessary in Lucy's story. In fact, all they did was hinder her story - the film would have got an extra star from me if she hadn't ended up with anybody.

Overall, there were some great things about this film, but the thing that we started watching it for, the romance, was weak and didn't work. The film is still worth watching, but not for this reason.

6.5/10