Materialists (2025)

Detailed Summary

Meet Lucy the Matchmaker

Lucy Mason, a once-aspiring actress turned successful New York matchmaker, thrives by pairing clients using checkboxes—the perfect height, income, social status. Deep down, she claims she’ll “die alone or marry rich.”

The Wedding Wilderness

At a client’s wedding, Lucy sees her philosophy backfire: the bride is distraught, committing to marriage out of obligation. Lucy, ever the fixer, talks her down—hinting at Lucy’s own internal crises.

Enter Harry and John

Harry (Pedro Pascal), wealthy and polished, catches Lucy’s attention at the reception. Lucy refuses his romantic advances—yet curiosity lingers. Moments later, ex-boyfriend John (Chris Evans), now a caterer and struggling actor, resurfaces. Sparks (and awkward baggage) fly.

Height Lies and Realizations

Lucy discovers Harry’s secret tibial-lengthening surgery—increasing his height. It’s a literal—and symbolic—heightening of societal expectations. Lucy realizes their attraction was built on superficial metrics, not emotional connection.

Upstate Gatecrash and Truth Kisses

With nowhere else to go, Lucy visits John upstate. They gatecrash a wedding, share a kiss—but tension remains. Lucy admits she was blindsided by John’s lack of ambition, though John confesses enduring love. It’s candid, messy, and real.

Protection and Reconciliation

Lucy helps her friend Sophie when her ex shows up threateningly. Lucy helps file a restraining order, and Sophie reconciles with her partner—bringing Lucy face-to-face with the consequences of treating relationships like transactions.

Movie Ending

Lucy is offered a promotion to lead Adore’s New York office—she considers it despite having planned to quit. At a relaxed Central Park lunch, John proposes with all his emotional truth laid bare. Lucy accepts.
In the closing credits, we see various couples (including Lucy and John) receive their marriage licenses—showcasing love rooted in vulnerability, not metrics.

Critiques note that while the ending is hopeful, some viewers find the romantic closure between Lucy and John feels a bit earned-on-paper, especially compared to the emotionally richer dynamic with Harry.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

Yes—a subtle and adorable post-credits surprise: the cave-dwelling couple (from the film’s opening ritual marriage scene) briefly appears walking through the marriage license office. A small wink at how timeless love rituals are.

Type of Movie

Romantic Comedy-Drama—but not your grandma’s formulaic rom-com. It’s a smart, emotionally grounded reflection on modern love, commodification, and emotional authenticity.

Cast

• Dakota Johnson as Lucy Mason
• Chris Evans as John Finch (ex-boyfriend, struggling actor)
• Pedro Pascal as Harry Castillo (wealthy financier)
• Zoe Winters, Marin Ireland, Louisa Jacobson, others in supporting roles

Film Music and Composer

• Score by Daniel Pemberton; soundtrack released June 13, 2025 via Milan Records/A24 Music
• Original songs include “My Baby (Got Nothing At All)” by Japanese Breakfast, as well as Baby Rose’s “I’ll Be Your Mirror” and “That’s All.”

Filming Locations

Shot on 35 mm film by Shabier Kirchner in Manhattan and Brooklyn (Sunset Park, Brooklyn Heights, West Village), plus a whimsical “caveman marriage” scene filmed in Durango, Mexico.
These urban locales root the film in real NYC dating culture—even the rustic Durango scene bookends the modern story with ancestral commitment rituals.

Awards and Nominations

Nominated for 6 Astra Midseason Movie Awards (Hollywood Creative Alliance) but didn’t win—outpaced by the film Sinners.

Behind the Scenes Insights

• Celine Song drew from her own experience as a professional matchmaker—inspired by her time at Tawkify—to critique transactional dating.
• Marketing leaned into a stock-market approach to romance, with men’s “value” displayed at the New York Stock Exchange—some matchmakers found it clever, others uncomfortably literal.
• Critics and audiences note the film is dressed like a rom-com, but runs deeper—melding sardonic humor with emotional heft.

Inspirations and References

Inspired by the commodification of relationships in modern capitalism. Celine Song juxtaposes romantic comedy conventions with critiques of a society that values love in measurable terms. References echo classics like Pride & Prejudice—first lines about income and marriage—even as the film resists transactional love.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

No publicly known alternate endings or cut scenes have been reported.

Book Adaptations and Differences

Not based on a book—it’s an original screenplay by Celine Song. No book-to-film comparison needed.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

• The opening “caveman” marriage, symbolizing love’s antiquity.
• Lucy discovering Harry’s height surgery—raw, revealing, and oddly emotional.
• The gatecrashing of a wedding, mixing humor and tension.
• The restraining-order moment—Lucy confronting emotional consequences of her profession.

Iconic Quotes

• Lucy (paraphrased): “I’ll either die alone or marry wealthy.”
• John (paraphrased): “I’ve always loved you.”
• Harry (paraphrased, height reveal): “It changes your life.”
• Lucy (reflexively): “We’re all just checking boxes.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

• The caveman couple reappearing post-credits—tiny wink that love rituals never change.
• Marketing motifs like financial tickers subtly reflect the film’s critique of modern love as capital.

Trivia

• Celine Song’s second feature—following Past Lives (2023), which received Oscar nominations.
• Shot on traditional 35 mm film for a tactile, intimate aesthetic.
• Filming lasted from April 29 to June 6, 2024.

Why Watch?

You’ll love it if you crave a rom-com that isn’t afraid to interrogate its own genre. It delivers emotional nuance, smart critique of capitalist dating norms, vivid NYC textures, and surprisingly tender performances. Think you know how this triangle ends? Think again—it’s more heart than cliché.

Director’s Other Movies

• Past Lives (2023)

Recommended Films for Fans

• Past Lives (2023)
• No Hard Feelings (2023)
• The Worst Person in the World (2021)
• The Age of Innocence (1993)