Written by Sam Clark
Certificate: 15
Running time: 116 minutes
Director: Celine Song
However, there is nothing more crushing than finally sitting down to watch a film everyone has raved about, only to find yourself disappointingly underwhelmed and deflated. Despite the fact it was gorgeously made and looked astonishing, there was just something about it that prevented me from being completely and utterly emotionally engaged with the story and characters, no matter how hard I tried. This is one of the rare occasions in which I have been in the minority this much, and nothing could've changed my mind. But we all know that the more you read these kinds of reactions and reviews, the more it sets you up for failure. Past Lives was like a haunted spirit hovering over my shoulder, staring at me aggressively as I went into Materialists fully aware that her previous film didn't work for me. I wanted this to be different. It was, and so much more than I anticipated it would be.
This is Celine Song's second feature debut (she is primarily a writer instead of director). Dakota Johnson stars as Lucy, a smart and dedicated matchmaker who works for an agency specializing in setting people up to go on dates. She helps out all sorts of different clients and characters (wealthy, poor, old, young, different ethnicities, different backgrounds etc) try and find their one true love. She is also trying to navigate her own complicated life and moral battles. Lucy is successful and good at what she does (at one point we are told that she is responsible for nine weddings). One day, complications arise when two men come into her life: her struggling actor ex-boyfriend John (Chris Evans), and smooth millionaire Harry who she meets at a wedding (Pedro Pascal - boy does Hollywood seem to love this guy). Her personal and professional world begin to clash and collide, and she is forced to make a choice between wealthy and success, or happiness and love.
Image credit: IMDb / A24 / Sony Pictures Releasing
I was simply not prepared for how swept up I ended up being here. I find that Materialists can be humorously compared to Will Smith's Hitch, purely in the sense that the two are about the same thing at the end of the day. That sentiment might cause some to chuckle, but it's true. However, it goes without saying that this is the far more sophisticated, buttoned up A24 version. I have never encountered a piece of cinema that understands love and romance as well as this does, or knows how to capture it this well (it is one of the softest films I have ever seen). There are two incredible monologues that Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal deliver to Johnson's character, each one convincing her why she should be with them, and vice versa. I was stunned during these moments, and wasn't prepared for how Shakespearean it would become. The patience, the framing, the delivery, the performances from each one was astonishing and perfectly demonstrates how well the film understands this genre. I have never seen a film have this much of a crush on it's own characters as much as this does. Every performance across the board is fantastic and to single anyone out would be unfair.
One of the many things Materialists does so well is showcase just how different these men's lives are from each other and how different their worlds are - the dirty, poor underbelly of society that is Evans' life, and the lavish, golden wealth of Pascal's (each one equally important). The whole film is so incredibly tender and mesmerizingly captured and knows exactly what it wants to be doing. This is what I seemed to be missing from Past Lives, but I'm glad I felt it here. The film knows and remembers to explore the beautiful side of dating, but also has the courage, bravery and brains to explore what happens when things go wrong - the uglier side. It does not let it's warm and cuddly exterior get in the way. To be more specific, what would happen when a date organised and found by this agency takes a dark and dangerous turn, and what must be done to handle and prevent it?
Image credit: IMDb / A24 / Sony Pictures Releasing
Without wishing to give too much away, a client of Lucy is attacked by a man on a date, and it is up to her to deal with these consequences and fix them. As any film exploring love should, the film deals with the idea of domestic violence and abuse with appropriate maturity but also powerful emotion that I was sucked into. I was already on board with everything going on, but I loved that this had the intelligence and awareness to explore both sides, and that gave the story some real depth that just made me love it even more. One of the biggest surprises of the year for me. Even if others do not share my views, I don't mind if I'm in the minority on this one either.
In cinemas from the 13th of August
