Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Tender, thoughtful, mature drama about dating and love.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Materialists
What's the Story?
In MATERIALISTS, Lucy (Dakota Johnson) works for a matchmaking company in New York, matching couples based on things like height, age, and income. One of her matches leads to a wedding, and, after giving the bride a pep talk, Lucy meets Harry (Pedro Pascal). In the matchmaking business, he's considered a "unicorn," a perfect 10 out of 10, because he's wealthy, handsome, tall, fit, etc. Lucy wants to sign him up as a client, but he's interested in dating her. He talks her into a date, and she finds herself swept away. Meanwhile, she also runs into her ex, John (Chris Evans), at the wedding, where he's working for the catering company. He's a struggling stage actor who's living in a shabby apartment with two annoying roommates and driving a run-down car he can't afford. After one of her work matches ends badly, Lucy starts to question the idea of whether you can find love by "checking all the boxes."
Is It Any Good?
Writer-director Celine Song had a lot to live up to in the wake of her acclaimed debut Past Lives; this romance is admittedly more conventional, but it's still impressively tender and thoughtful. Materialists begins almost like a traditional Hollywood romcom, with a quirky prologue and a bouncy credits sequence in which the main character gets ready for her day accompanied by a happy pop song. But it's not long before the cynicism and superficiality of modern dating kicks in, suggesting the antithesis of everything we hope love is actually about.
The movie includes some rather profound discussions about dating, finding love, and choosing to marry, presented in Song's quiet, poetic style. She uses a lot of medium shots, consisting mainly of talking, with few cuts and no music, but the meanings and rhythms of the words make for great cinema. (Look for a subtly stirring performance by Zoë Winters, whose character, Sophie, is assaulted while on a date.) The three-way dynamic in Past Lives was infinitely more complex and emotionally gripping than it is here. But Materialists still manages to paint a compelling, insightful portrait of the longing for and pursuit of love, with all of its roadblocks and downfalls, as well as the occasional magical connection.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Materialists depicts sex. Is there consent? Communication? Trust? Why are these things important?
What does the movie have to say about body image?
How are drinking and smoking depicted? Are they glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
What are the movie's themes? Why is love so desirable but dating so difficult? What makes marriage challenging?
How well do the characters communicate their wants and fears? Does communication help with romance? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 13, 2025
- On DVD or streaming : July 22, 2025
- Cast : Dakota Johnson , Chris Evans , Pedro Pascal
- Director : Celine Song
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Asian Movie Director(s) , Korean Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s) , Asian Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : A24
- Genre : Romance
- Run time : 116 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language and brief sexual material
- Award : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : January 7, 2026
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