Materialists is a new film coming to theaters this upcoming Friday. Written & directed by Celine Song, the film stars Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal. A young, ambitious New York City matchmaker finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex.

To be quite honest, I wasn’t too excited for this film. Even going in, a friend asked if I was excited and I felt very lukewarm about it. Releasing only two years after her tremendous debut, Past Lives, I felt like I was the only person in the world that wasn’t just not excited for this film, but felt like this was just a retread of her first film where the lead actress has to decide between two men, only this time this was the happier version. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Where Scorsese focuses on gritty gangsters, Song finds her true calling by making romantic films that are made for the modern generation for everyone. I don’t mind romantic comedies, but I feel like this is going to be a true game changer.

The opening scene made me question if I was in the right movie. The only reason why I didn’t attempt to walk out was the fact that it had Celine Song’s name show up before the scene that we get. It’s not a particularly jarring scene, but it is something I don’t think anyone could ever guess. At first, I questioned the purpose of this scene. As the film progressed, I don’t think the film could have opened to a better scene as this sets the stage for the film’s themes.

Dakota Johnson has been an interesting actress with the roles that she plays. She hasn’t aways been in hits nor as she been a standout, in my opinion, but under the right direction, she truly shines. She is a powerhouse in this film, converting anyone who doesn’t like her into viewers who may appreciate more of what she has to offer. The energy & emotions she brings to this character allows her to say so much with so little.

Speaking of saying so much with so little, I can’t even begin to explain how good the writing is here. Aside from some of the clunky dialogue in the film’s set up, Song is able to bring so much of the story out of these characters. We learn who these characters are through natural bits of conversation that speaks on who these people are today, where they come from, and what their ultimate goals are today. There are even reveals that are shown naturally without the film having to stop and give an exposition dump.

To pull this off, Song is able to craft these unique scenes together that pull you straight into the scene. I often found myself forgetting about everything else as I felt like I was there in the scene with these characters. The film is able to accomplish this with the way it moves the camera in on a dolly. We get so many incredibly long takes with authentic production & costume design, inviting you further into this story. Song assembled a team here that not only understands her vision, but fully believes in it.

With Chris Evans being labeled above Pedro Pascal on the casting, I wouldn’t be surprised if Pascal has a little bit more of a runtime just by a margin. They both serve their purpose to the story. Personally, I think I was just surprised by the fact that Pascal was able to commit so much time to the film when he has a busy schedule as it is. Pascal continues to show why he’s in such high demand with his electrifying chemistry with Johnson. Chris Evans may have just broken his bad movies curse. The performance that Song pulls out of him requires vulnerability unlike anything else I have ever seen from the actor.

As mentioned before, my only complaint has to do with the way people speak in the beginning. It leans into the rom-com tropes with some of the exposition. Once you get past that, you see what the film is really about. It’s a clever way for Song to reach out to a broader audience, especially with some of the darker themes that are present later on. The film goes to some seriously dark places that surprised me, and I don’t think Song could have pulled that off without its lighthearted introduction.

Overall, Celine Song delivers an amazing outing through Materialists that she can add to her impressive resume of work. The rom-com nature eases you into what the film is really about, making you really feel what this film wants to tell thematically. The performances from the main trio are incredible all across the board. What Song is doing so far in her career is remarkable. I can’t wait to see what she does next.

VERDICT: 4.5/5 (Amazing)