Rom-coms are back, baby! And they’re more mature and relevant than ever. By that, I mean: love triangles! Terrible bosses! Sweet dates! Tear-jerking finales! Charismatic and beautiful leads! But also a sharp reflection on modern dating culture, where checklists often matter more than chemistry. Thanks to writer-director Celine Song (Past Lives), the movie ditches the usual lies, fake misunderstandings, and lazy tropes of the genre, and instead offers something just as romantic—but far more honest. The result is a film that works both for rom-com lovers and for anyone craving something with a bit more substance.
The story centers on Lucy (Dakota Johnson), a smart, emotionally perceptive matchmaker working at a high-end dating agency in New York, where love has been reduced to an algorithm—a streamlined, hyper-curated experience designed to eliminate risk and unpredictability. Lucy is one of the best at what she does, helping others find their “perfect match” by ticking all the right boxes. But when her own love life takes an unexpected turn—reconnecting with a struggling theater actor from her past (Chris Evans) just as she begins dating a wealthy, stable client (Pedro Pascal)—the tidy framework she’s built for others begins to crack. The film isn’t just about who she’ll choose, but whether she’s ready to accept that real connection rarely comes without discomfort—and that some feelings can’t be simplified into bullet points.
Dakota Johnson is perfectly cast in the lead role. She’s long proven her ability to play intelligent, composed women whose doubts and contradictions feel lived-in and authentic (Cha Cha Real Smooth is another great example). She’s especially compelling when Lucy begins making messy decisions, in a way that recalls a lighter, more rom-com version of The Worst Person in the World. Like that film, we rarely agree with her—but we always understand her. Pascal does what he can with limited screen time—though, like in Gladiator 2 and Edington, you can sense the production worked around his tight schedule. It’s not a major role, but he plays it well. The real surprise is Chris Evans, delivering his best performance in years: vulnerable, warm, and likable without ever tipping into fantasy. He brings just enough impatience and self-doubt to ground the character in something real. Zoe Winters also stands out in a small role, though the subplot involving her leans a bit too far into caricature. A more restrained approach could’ve made the critique of Lucy’s profession sharper and more believable.
For all the star power and chemistry that makes Materialists work as a rom-com, what stood out most to me was Song’s take on modern dating culture. It’s not especially deep—the emotional thesis is laid out in the first five minutes during a stairwell conversation—but it still rings true. Whether it’s a 40-year-old listing why he wants a 27-year-old girlfriend, or Lucy bluntly telling someone they’re not actually a catch, the film cleverly skewers how love has become a kind of market transaction. The quieter moments resonate too—like a kitchen scene between Johnson and Pascal, or a third-act confrontation between Evans and Johnson that’s raw and revealing. The script does stumble occasionally—especially in the street confrontation with Winters, which lands a bit awkwardly—and it could’ve used a little more visual subtlety in Lucy’s arc. Many of her realizations are spoken aloud and spelled out (“You don’t love me because we’re broke!”).
Materialists gently nudges us to reconsider what connection really means—especially in the modern world and in big cities, where options are endless. With this follow-up to her Oscar-nominated and introspective Past Lives, Celine Song delivers a film that still gives you plenty to think about, without losing the efficiency and charm of a well-made rom-com. Despite the bigger budget and A-list cast—with strong chemistry across the board—she preserves the contemplative spirit that made her debut so resonant. It doesn’t all flow perfectly, but there’s real warmth here, a sweetness that doesn’t feel forced, and a genuinely great finale. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy might still be the rom-com to beat in 2025, but Materialists is a lovely, sincere runner-up.