Review : Materialists : Despite Being Imperfect The Film Gives A Warm, Fuzzy Feeling!

In today’s world, finding a good romantic comedy with a fresh story line, genuine chemistry, and a feel-good message is becoming increasingly rare. So when a film dares to say “love wins in the end,” it already feels like a small victory. Audiences still enjoy making time to head to theatres but only when the movie promises a heartfelt, well-made experience.
Materialists offers just that, at least in parts.

The story centres around Lucy (played by #DakotaJohnson), a professional matchmaker at a company called Adore. She prides herself on successfully pairing couples and is seen celebrating one such success at a wedding. During the event, she passionately shares her matchmaking pitch to a group of women a moment that’s unknowingly overheard by Harry (#PedroPascal), who happens to be the groom’s brother.
Later, Lucy finds herself seated at the dreaded “singles table,” which is already occupied by Harry. What follows is a quirky, insightful exchange between the two. Lucy, sticking to her matchmaking instincts, starts asking Harry the kind of questions most dating apps do about his job, his salary, and his height. She cheekily tells him he checks all the boxes and calls him a “unicorn,” which leads Harry to ask, “Are you hitting on me?” Their chemistry is instant and electric. Just as things begin to get interesting, Harry offers to get her a drink, and Lucy requests, “Coke and beer.”

Coincidentally, the drinks are served at that exact moment by none other than her ex-boyfriend John (#ChrisEvans) a twist that instantly shifts the film’s tone and kicks off the true journey of Lucy’s love life. What follows is her attempt to figure out who she really wants to be with, especially since she declares that the next person she dates will be the one she marries.
The movie starts off really well the story is fun, the lead pair has great chemistry, and it gives you that classic rom-com feel. But in the second half, the pace slows down, and the story starts to feel a bit too long. What began as a light and entertaining film ends up dragging a little, and some of the charm gets lost by the end.

Still, the performances are solid. Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans are all great to watch. They bring charm and honesty to their roles, even if the story doesn’t always give them the best material. The script could have been tighter, but it’s still an enjoyable watch.
In the end, Materialists is a nicely made rom-com that’s worth watching at least once. It’s not perfect, but it gives you that warm, fuzzy feeling and sometimes, that’s all we really need from a movie.

Rating: ***

Team Cine Buster