‘Materialists’ is an outstanding film that initially disguises itself as something much lighter. The trailer suggests a conventional romcom, even recalling 2001’s ‘The Wedding Planner’ starring Jennifer Lopez. But what Celine Song delivers, following the luminous ‘Past Lives’, is a deconstruction of romantic tropes and a sharp exploration of class, money, and compatibility in relationships.

Dakota Johnson plays Lucy, a sleek, educated woman moving in Manhattan’s wealthiest circles. At first, she seems to embody the effortless sophistication of a romcom heroine. But as the film unfolds, the veneer cracks, and the question of whether we can ever truly escape our roots comes to the fore. The title, ‘Materialists’, suggests a story about the ultra-rich, who can afford to pay exorbitant sums to matchmakers promising ideal partners. Yet the film constantly asks: can a person really be reduced to an algorithm? Is value something we find in ourselves, or in how others transact with us?

One subplot illustrates this perfectly: a woman considers cancelling her wedding, not because she doubts her fiancé, but because her sister’s envy validates her choice of husband. Lucy, who advises clients on ‘value’, must confront the hollowness of this reasoning – especially when her own ex, John (Chris Evans), re-enters her life. John is a struggling actor, living with equally directionless roommates and working catering gigs. Against the backdrop of Lucy’s wealthy clientele, his world could not be further removed. Yet it is precisely this juxtaposition – the material versus the ideal – that forces Lucy to question whether financial security is enough, and whether she should leave behind the ‘safe’ rich choice for a riskier, more authentic love.

Song weaves in flashbacks, road trips, and layered conversations that echo her playwright’s background. At times, the film feels like a visual dissertation on modern relationships, touching on the ancient roots of matchmaking in New York, as well as the pitfalls of contemporary dating culture. The soundtrack, notably more plaintive and Korean in tone than the trailer’s teasing nod to Madonna’s Material Girl, underlines the tension between glossy surfaces and emotional depth.

As with ‘Past Lives’, the film interrogates whether it is ever right – or even possible – to revisit a past relationship that ended unsatisfactorily. Are there people who are ‘the one’ for us, and if so, should they remain in the past, or be reclaimed in the present?

‘Materialists’ may masquerade as a romcom, but it is really a rich, melancholic, and intellectually playful meditation on love, value, and the choices that define us. It is one of the rare films that makes you laugh at its absurdities even as it quietly breaks your heart.