With “The Materialist”, Celine Song promises a sharp reality check on love in today’s dating scene… but can’t resist tying it up with a rom-com bow.
Hey guys! Big moment—this is my first ever movie review on the blog (finally! 😝🍿). Over the weekend, I went to see “The Materialist” in theaters, which officially dropped in Korea this August. Before we dive in, a quick heads-up: there will be some mentions of the story, so consider this your spoiler alert!
I first got curious after watching the trailer. At first glance, it looked like a typical Hollywood rom-com movie —Lucy, the main character, struggles to choose between two men. But when I checked social media, I noticed almost everyone was talking about how unexpected the storyline turned out to be. People were either disappointed or taken aback by how the movie turned out.
The story follows Lucy (Dakota Johnson), a successful matchmaker in New York City. She spends her days helping clients find partners who “check all the boxes”. She herself views love as purely transactional. One day, she meets Harry (Pedro Pascal), who seems to check all the boxes himself—tall, handsome, and rich. At the same time, Lucy reconnects with her ex, John (Chris Evans), still struggling to make it as an actor while working a waiter-caterer job on the side. In the perfect storm, Lucy is now faced with figuring out the true meaning of love.
In short, the movie is intriguing. It isn’t the most exciting or laugh-out-loud fun movie. But with its witty and authentic lines and humorous moments, the movie offers a refreshing—and surprisingly realistic—look at modern dating.
Here’s the trailer and… let’s dive into what I loved and didn’t love:
The Good 😎
- Realistic Depiction of Modern Dating— I love how “The Materialist” gives a realistic, yet hard look at modern dating. Instead of relying on emotions and being patient with the process, people nowadays want quick results at finding the perfect partner who ‘checks all the boxes’. The movie also shines a spotlight on the darker side of the mentality either. For example, it shows how love has become transactional or it’s as if the perfect partner has to be guaranteed based on how much money you throw at the effort of finding your partner (such as hiring a matchmaker).
- Not Your Typical Hollywood Rom-Com— As I mentioned above, a lot of people (including myself) was duped into thinking that the movie was a rom-com after watching the trailer. But “The Materialist” refuses to take the typical cliché rom-com route. Instead of focusing on a predictable love triangle between Lucy and the two men, it zeroes in on Lucy’s journey to redefine what love even means in a hyper-materialistic world. The movie also tackles tough topics, such as date rape or the struggles and the length that people go to become the person that ‘checks all the boxes’.
- The Good and the Ugly New York — Celine Song is based in New York so she knows the ins and out of New York – and it shows. That’s probably why she captures both sides so well. On the surface, we see the chic, trendy, modern New York—but she also shows the ugly side beneath it. Not everyone gets the movie-like version of New York. If you have millions, sure, you get the penthouse and fancy restaurants. But if not, you’re more likely crammed into a rundown building on few hundred bucks rent with three roommates who don’t have steady jobs either. That contrast gave the film a sense of honesty a lot of NYC-set rom-coms completely miss.
- Dakota Johnson Stuns — First of all, can I just say how beautiful is Dakota Johnson? I honestly never realized how striking she was until I watched the movie. Her beauty and style perfectly embody Lucy’s character—successful, stylish, and confident in a way that feels very much like the modern “it” woman.
The Bad 😕
- Acting —I wasn’t particularly impressed with the acting. As stunning as Dakota Johnson is, I didn’t fully buy her as a matchmaker. She came across as too formal and detached from her clients. I couldn’t tell if that was just weak acting or an intentional choice—maybe she was meant to play someone great at her job but emotionally disconnected. Either way, it didn’t land for me, and honestly, I feel like another actress could have pulled off the role better.
- Fairytale Ending —Even Celine Song couldn’t escape the typical Hollywood rom-com mold. For most of the movie, the story felt grounded and realistic, but the ending suddenly swerved into cliché: Lucy ends up with the poor (but handsome 🤭) ex she “truly connects with.” For a film that worked so hard to depict reality, this felt like a cop-out. Is it really realistic to choose someone with no stable income? A stronger ending would’ve been Lucy realizing that love is about balance—that emotions and material security both matter. She didn’t need to pick either man; she could have chosen herself and continued her journey to find someone who has both qualities.
- Misleading Marketing — This isn’t exactly “bad,” more like a missed opportunity. I wish the marketing—especially the trailer—had better represented what the movie is about. Instead of packaging it as a rom-com, it should’ve been framed as a story about one woman trying to figure out the meaning of love in a hyper-materialistic world. That way, moviegoers wouldn’t have felt misled or outraged. It could’ve been marketed as the kind of film you watch with your girlfriends and walk out of reflecting on your own dating life. The way the studio chose to market it just makes it seem like they weren’t confident in the movie at all.
- Not Enough Pedro Pascal
Okay, not really a “bad” thing, but still worth mentioning—there was not nearly enough Pedro Pascal. He had great presence whenever he was on screen, but his character felt underused. Honestly, I wouldn’t have minded a few more scenes with him stealing the spotlight.
Final Thoughts
If you’re expecting a typical Hollywood rom-com from The Materialist, this movie isn’t for you. Instead, it offers a sharp, realistic look at modern dating with a refreshing refusal to sugarcoat how transactional love has become. Still, at its core, it’s a romantic film—complete with an unrealistic fairytale ending.
If you want something different from your standard rom-com fluff, this is worth a watch. It may lack lighthearted fun, but it will definitely get you thinking about what love means in a world obsessed with checklists and “perfect partners.”
👉 My Pop In rating: 3.5/5 stars. Thought-provoking, imperfect, but definitely a conversation starter.