Materialists Blu-ray Review
“Materialists” is a flawed, but perceptive look at modern dating and relationships.
Set in NYC, A24’s “Materialists” revolves around Lucy- a bright and attractive young woman who works for a matchmaking service dubbed Adore. She’s become quite the success at Adore due to her knowledge in the dating world, but isn’t interested in love herself. While at a client’s wedding, she meets Harry- a rich man working in private equity. She initially tries to push Adore on him, but winds up becoming involved with him. At the same time, she encounters her ex-boyfriend John (the definition of a starving artist). Lucy soon finds herself in a quandary. Does she stay with Harry who provides financial security or does she pursue true love with her broke ex John?
Elsewhere in the film is a crucial subplot involving one of Lucy’s Adore clients Sophie. Lucy has been attempting to find Sophie a partner for quite a long time, but her latest match proves to be a disaster. No spoilers as to what happens.
After helming the excellent “Past Lives,” writer/director Celine Song tries her hand at a romantic comedy of sorts. On paper, the plot sounds like a corny rom-com, but in reality it’s a rather astute examination of present-day dating, love, and relationships. It’s true the film’s story has been seen as divisive due to some viewers who thought Lucy made the wrong choice in the end. With that said, it speaks volumes that “Materialists” is eliciting conversation (not to mention being a box office hit). The film not only presents a feminine perspective of dating, but it also makes you think about your own dating life. What do you look for in a partner? What do you value? Is love more important than material wealth? Do some people place security over love? Is marriage more of a financial contract in this day and age? These are but some of the questions that race through the mind not only in life, but in watching “Materialists.”
As much as Celine Song’s script explores the complexities of dating in a sophisticated manner, it’s not always smooth sailing. The pacing is rather slow (especially the first half), the dialogue often feels like a stage play, and some of the storytelling comes off as a bit clumsy (particularly the Sophie subplot and Harry’s arc).
Perhaps the biggest selling point of “Materialists” is the inclusion of 3 of Hollywood’s biggest and sexiest stars. Dakota Johnson further solidifies herself as one of the best actresses around. The variety of roles she has taken on in a short span of time is rather remarkable. She’s nothing if not versatile. Chris Evans may be forever known as Captain America, but the actor shows depth and vulnerability as John. Pedro Pascal is truly everywhere in 2025, but if you take a look at all of his projects this year, the actor is crushing it. Much like Dakota Johnson, Pascal is not afraid to take on any kind of role to push himself and showcase his range.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 1.85:1 1080p. How does it look? This hi-def transfer features sharp image quality all while maintaining the print grain.
Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. How does it sound? Atmos may seem like overkill for this film, but it hits all the right notes.
Extras:
* Commentary by Celine Song.
* “Composer Deep Dive With Japanese Breakfast”- Interviews with band members Michelle Zauner and Craig Hendrix talking about the score and creative decisions.
* 6 postcards
* “The Math of Modern Love: Making Materialists”- A featurette with cast and crew interviews, film clips, story and character discussions, and more.
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