In the year of "Barbenheimer" one movie rose above everything for me and that was Celine Song's debut Past Lives. Being as that was my favourite of 2023, I was obviously very excited for what Song would do next. Early trailers promoted this as a throwback to the romantic comedies of the late 90s and early 2000s, and while that isn't really what Materialists is, I wound up loving it.
The film follows Lucy (Dakota Johnson), a professional matchmaker whose career has taught her to view relationships as a series of math and statistics, or boxes to check off in order to be the best match for someone. Whilst attending the wedding of one of her clients, she runs into the rich and effortlessly charming Harry (Pedro Pascal), only to also bump into her definitely not rich but still quite charming ex John (Chris Evans). When one of Lucy's clients has a traumatic experience on a date, Lucy finds herself at a crossroads questioning her career and relationships all while Harry and John each try to be the right man for her.
I think the biggest reason that this movie works in Song's understanding of not just the modern dating landscape but the intricacies that make it so complicated. She isn't critiquing the idea of using a matchmaker or a dating app to find someone, she is rather dissecting the way some approach these modern practices with a transactional mindset. Many have found love through apps and matchmakers but they have also made modern dating at times feel more focused on working within an algorithm than creating genuine connection. Some of the funniest scenes in Materialists are where Lucy is speaking with clients and they are going through their requirements for a match. These scenes are partially hilarious because of how outlandish some of the deal breakers these people have, but are also so funny because of how relatable they are in a world where so many people are presented to you that it can be easy to feel picky at times. While Song is critiquing these elements of modern dating, she also brings these ideas full circle and gets to the core of what does make a relationship work. You can look at this as a film about matchmaking, but really it's all about how amidst all the checking off of boxes, the most important one is that unquantifiable connection. Sure having similar views, or backgrounds, or lifestyles/appearances can make it easier to forge a connection, but Song shows that none of those matter if you don't have that love for the other person that just comes naturally.
I'll admit, it did take me a bit to get a feel for the tone Song creates here. I went in expecting something tonally in line with the old school rom coms, so when it became clear the film was leaning more into the romantic drama it took some time for me to adjust. As the film progressed though I just got more and more swept into the way everything plays out, offering something full of hope despite its moments of cynicism. The cast of Past Lives were a huge part of why I loved that film, and I felt the same here. This might be the best I've seen Dakota Johnson, playing a leading lady whose career has made it hard for her to be the romantic lead. Lucy is a character that knows and addresses her faults but doesn't know how to fix them, and the way Johnson portrays the frustration with that while at the same time commanding the sense of confidence needed for her position as a matchmaker is a brilliant balancing act. Chris Evans is also amazing. I feel like this is where so many thought his career could be going after leaving Marvel, but aside from Knives Out we just haven't gotten to see him flex his acting muscles much. Here he plays the perfect antithesis to Lucy, he's a near-broke aspiring actor living in a rundown apartment with a shitty roommate, but what he lacks in material worth he makes up for in his love for her. His character is written extremely well, with some honestly beautiful moments, and Evans nails every one of them. Pedro Pascal is also naturally great. While Evans gives a more raw performance, Pascal has a flow to his delivery that feels almost mathematical. His character is one that knows exactly what to say, and the way he approaches relationships in almost a businesslike manner not only makes sense based on his career and social standing but also works perfectly within the themes Song is tackling.
Even if the themes of Materialists didn't work, Song through two films has shown that at worst her films will be beautiful. Thankfully it works marvelously on a thematic and narrative level as well, but damn is this a beautiful film to look at. The characters are consistently framed with an acute intimacy that makes every important line just hit a little bit harder. There's a scene in Past Lives where two characters sit outside at night illuminated by lanterns strung above them, and she does it again here to maybe even greater success. It's almost a sneaky beauty she manages, as you aren't often in awe questioning how some shots were achieved, but the film is consistently beautiful to look at. The score operates in a similar way, it doesn't hit you over the head by any means but it has almost a soothing effect that sucks you into the beauty of it all. In a film that is as deeply romantic as this one, that visual and sonic beauty works wonderfully in creating that swoon worthy tone that I think it a large part of why this has stuck with me since leaving the theatre.
Two films into her film career, it's pretty clear to me that Celine Song is one of the biggest names to keep an eye on. I still prefer Past Lives, but this exceeded my already high expectations and delivered something incredibly tender and beautiful. As someone who loves a good romance, I couldn't have asked for much more here, this is magnificent. 4.5/5
Comments
Post a Comment