Materialists (film)

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Materialists
Theatrical release poster
Directed byCeline Song
Written byCeline Song
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyShabier Kirchner
Edited byKeith Fraase
Music byDaniel Pemberton
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release date
  • June 13, 2025 (2025-06-13)
Running time
117 minutes[2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$20 million[3]
Box office$75.3 million[4][5]

Materialists is a 2025 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Celine Song. The film stars Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal. Set against the backdrop of New York City's luxury-driven dating culture, it follows a love triangle between a matchmaker, her aspiring actor ex-boyfriend, and a charming millionaire.

The project marks Song's second feature following Past Lives (2023), and continues her exploration of intimacy, identity, and modern relationships. Produced by Killer Films and 2AM, the film was released in the United States by A24 on June 13, 2025, and distributed internationally by Sony Pictures Releasing International. It received generally positive reviews from critics.

Plot

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Failed actress turned successful matchmaker Lucy Mason works at Adore, a matchmaking company in New York City. A voluntarily celibate "eternal bachelorette", she maintains she will either die alone or marry someone wealthy. Despite her professional success, Lucy grows frustrated with her clients' increasingly unrealistic standards. Her long-term client Sophie is struggling to lower her standards and settle while Lucy consoles her over her recent rejection.

Lucy attends a former client's wedding, the ninth she has been responsible for. The bride is crying, feeling she is marrying for shallow reasons and out of obligation, but Lucy ultimately persuades her to proceed with the ceremony. At the wedding reception, Lucy is approached by financier Harry Castillo, the groom's brother, who overhears Lucy's business pitch to other singles at the party. He shows interest in her, but she rebuffs him, suggesting instead that he become an Adore client.

Lucy also unexpectedly comes across her ex-boyfriend John Finch, who is working as a cater-waiter at the wedding and continues to pursue acting. They reminisce about their past relationship, which ended due to mutual financial difficulties, such as eating a halal cart meal on their anniversary and a $20 parking fee for John's old car.

Harry persists in courting Lucy, taking her to upscale restaurants. She initially questions his interest, believing he could find a better partner, but he reassures her that his interest is genuine. Their relationship soon becomes official, and Lucy's renewed optimism translates to her work life; Sophie's latest match Mark tells Lucy that he enjoyed the date with Sophie and wants to see her again.

Lucy's confidence is shaken when her boss, Violet, informs her that Sophie is suing Adore because Mark assaulted her after the date. Violet tells Lucy that the situation was out of her hands, orders her to take four weeks off to clear her mind and instructs her not to contact Sophie due to the lawsuit.

Lucy and Harry attend a play John is starring in, and although John's heartache is obvious, he invites them to join the cast for drinks afterwards. In a private conversation, John realizes Lucy is upset about something, but his attempts to comfort her unintentionally seem condescending, so she immediately leaves with Harry.

Despite Violet's warning, Lucy tracks Sophie down and personally apologizes. Sophie angrily rejects the apology, calling her a "pimp" who was looking to pawn off a problem client on any man she could, regardless of the consequences. She storms off, further increasing Lucy's guilt.

Preparing to travel to Iceland with Harry, Lucy finds an engagement ring in his luggage. Later that night, she discovers he had undergone a $200,000 tibial lengthening surgery to increase his height. Adamant that the procedure changed his life for the better, he asks her if it changes her feelings for him. While it does not, Lucy realizes they are both pursuing the relationship simply because they "check the boxes" of what each is seeking in a partner, but are not actually in love. They amicably break up.

As Lucy had sublet her apartment because of the trip, she visits John, who suggests they travel upstate with money he earned from his play. At a wedding they gatecrash together, she kisses him. When John asks if they are getting back together, Lucy expresses uncertainty, citing her conflicted values. John confesses he has always loved her and envisions a future together despite his insecurity for not being able to provide the relationship she wanted, while Lucy admits that her dissatisfaction with John's financial situation overshadowed their love when they were together and assumes that John hates her, which he declines.

Lucy receives a panicked call from Sophie; Mark is outside her apartment and the police are refusing to intervene since he has not broken in. Lucy and John rush back to the city, finding that Mark has already left. After Sophie's breakdown and addressing her fear of dying alone, Lucy helps her to gain her confidence back and file a restraining order against Mark. They both reconcile. Before parting, John makes a heartfelt appeal to Lucy to rekindle their relationship, promising to remind himself every day that he loves her and work harder to support her. Despite Lucy's statement that she can fend for herself, she agrees and kisses him.

Later, it is revealed through a phone call from Violet that Sophie begins dating a new match from Adore; Harry has also become a client and is set up on a date with a potential match. Violet, who is needed to handle another Adore's branch, offers Lucy a promotion to lead the New York office and would support whatever pay increase she asked. Lucy reveals that she intended to resign but reluctantly agrees to consider the offer. During a casual lunch in Central Park, John proposes with a flower ring and asks whether she wants to make a bad financial decision together, and Lucy accepts with a kiss. The credits depict various couples, including them, receiving marriage licenses at the city clerk's office.

Cast

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Production

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Materialists was written and directed by Celine Song, marking her second feature following Past Lives (2023). The project was announced in February 2024, with Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler of Killer Films, and David Hinojosa of 2AM, serving as producers. At the time of the announcement, Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal were confirmed to star. A24 was attached as the film's domestic distributor and international sales agent, bringing the project to the European Film Market to secure financing. The film was co-financed by IPR.VC.[6][7]

Later that month, Sony Pictures acquired international distribution rights (excluding Russia, China, and Japan) in an eight-figure deal.[8]

In May 2024, Zoë Winters, Dasha Nekrasova, Louisa Jacobson, and Marin Ireland were announced as additional cast members.[9]

Filming

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Principal photography began on April 29, 2024, in New York City and ended on June 6, 2024.[10][11][12] Filming primarily took place in the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The neighborhoods include Sunset Park, Brooklyn Heights, and the West Village. The scene depicting the cavemen getting engaged in the first marriage was shot in Durango, Mexico.[13] The film was shot on 35mm by Antiguan cinematographer Shabier Kirchner, marking his second collaboration with Song following Past Lives.[14]

Music

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Main article: Materialists (soundtrack)

In March 2025, it was announced that Daniel Pemberton would compose the musical score for Materialists.[15] Japanese Breakfast wrote the song "My Baby (Got Nothing At All)" for the film, which preceded as a single on June 9.[16][17][18] Baby Rose also worked on two songs: "I'll Be Your Mirror" and "That's All", which were also released as singles on June 13.[19] The soundtrack was released through A24 Music on June 13, the same day as the film.[20] The original score was composed by Daniel Pemberton and released through Milan Records on June 13, 2025.

Release

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Materialists was released theatrically in the United States by A24 on June 13, 2025. Sony Pictures Releasing International distributed the film internationally on August 16, 2025.[21][22][23]

Reception

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Box office

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As of August 18, 2025, Materialists has grossed $36.5 million in the United States and Canada, and $38.8 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $75.3 million.[4][5]

In the United States and Canada, the film was released alongside How to Train Your Dragon and was projected to gross $7–9 million from 2,844 theaters in its opening weekend.[3][24] The film made $5 million on its first day, including $1.5 million from Thursday night previews. It went on to slightly overperform, debuting to $12 million and finishing in third behind How to Train Your Dragon and holdover Lilo & Stitch.[25]

Critical response

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 79% of 278 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "A mature deconstruction of the conventional rom-com, Materialists provides its trio of swoon-worthy stars some of their meatiest material yet while reaffirming Celine Song as a modern master of relationship dramas."[26] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 69 out of 100, based on 48 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[27] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B–" on an A+ to F scale, while those surveyed by PostTrak gave it a 69% positive score.[25]

Christy Lemire of RogerEbert.com described the film as "clear-eyed, even as it makes the happily-ever-after seem possible after all," praising its performances and character depth.[28] In Variety, Owen Gleiberman wrote that the film offers "sharp and serious social romantic drama" and commended its "telling observations about the way we live now."[29]

Entertainment Weekly's Maureen Lee Lenker called the film a "sly, yet charming romance," likening Celine Song's work to Jane Austen's in terms of its cultural wit and romantic nuance.[30] Manohla Dargis of The New York Times complimented Song's continued interest in time, emotion, and identity, calling the film "formally inventive, emotionally curious, and thoroughly adult."[31]

Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair wrote that the film's strength lies in its "topical boldness", with New York City rendered as both a real and romanticized cityscape.[32]

Common Sense Media praised its thoughtful storytelling and suitability for mature teens and adults, highlighting its emotional realism and mature relationship themes.[33] People referred to the film as "elusive but not inscrutable," adding that it is "delicately playful, rarely sentimental."[34]

Justin Chang of The New Yorker appreciated the vividness of the dialogue but noted that the film's second half loses momentum due to an emotionally underdeveloped subplot.[35] The A.V. Club offered a split verdict, with one critic praising its clever blend of old-school and modern romance, while another felt it lacked intimacy compared to Song's earlier film Past Lives (2023).[36]

NPR's Aisha Harris observed that while Materialists has "moments of insight," it is occasionally "undone by its own ambition," particularly in juggling commentary and romance.[37] Harris was also critical of the film's depiction of sexual assault, describing it as "most confounding".[38] Screen Rant noted that the film's pace may feel meandering to some viewers and that its social critiques occasionally overshadow emotional investment.[39]

Kristen Ghodsee, in a review published by Jacobin, interprets the film as a take on courtship warped by capitalism and 'have it all' feminism, writing, "...the implicit message seems clear: In a free market economy, women either need to marry for money or earn enough of their own money so they can afford to marry for love." [40]

The Times described the film as "the biggest disappointment of the decade," citing poor casting, flat performances, and a clichéd, dialogue-heavy storyline.[41] The Independent points to the film’s tonal inconsistency, shifting between romantic comedy, farce, and dark drama. They argue that the films emotional foundation collapses because of the lack of chemistry between Dakota Johnson and Chris Evans.[42]

Accolades

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Accolades received by 28 Years Later
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Astra Midseason Movie Awards July 3, 2025 Best Picture Materialists Nominated [43]
Best Director Celine Song Nominated
Best Actor Chris Evans Nominated
Best Actress Dakota Johnson Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Pedro Pascal Nominated
Best Screenplay Materialists Nominated

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "MATERIALISTS | Stage6". Stage 6 Films. Sony Pictures Digital Productions. Archived from the original on April 19, 2025. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  2. ^ "Materialists". BBFC. June 9, 2025. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  3. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony; Tartaglione, Nancy (June 10, 2025). "'How To Train Your Dragon' Won't Be Laggin' At The Summer Box Office With $175M-$185M Global Start For Live Action Redo – Preview". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Materialists". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Materialists – Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  6. ^ Wiseman, Justin Kroll, Andreas (February 7, 2024). "Celine Song's Next Project The Materialists Heads to EFM with A24, Dakota Johnson in Talks & More A-List Cast Circling". Deadline. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved August 24, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Dalton, Ben (November 6, 2024). "How European fund IPR.VC is harnessing investment knowledge for the film sector". Screen International. Archived from the original on November 6, 2024. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  8. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (February 18, 2024). "Celine Song's Past Lives Follow-Up Materialists Sells to Sony for International in Another Big EFM Deal; Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal & Chris Evans In Talks To Star". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 3, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  9. ^ Stephen, Katcy (May 7, 2024). "Celine Song's Materialists Adds Zoë Winters, Dasha Nekrasova, Louisa Jacobson and Marin Ireland (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  10. ^ "Celine Song's Materialists Has Begun Filming in NYC". August 19, 2019. Archived from the original on May 1, 2024. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  11. ^ Ritman, Alex (February 7, 2024). "Past Lives Director Celine Song's Rom-Com Materialists Set at A24 with Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans in Talks to Star". Variety. Archived from the original on February 14, 2024. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  12. ^ DeVore, Britta (June 6, 2024). "Pedro Pascal and Dakota Johnson's Rom-Com Just Got One Step Closer to Our Screens". Collider. Archived from the original on June 10, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  13. ^ Charlie Hobbs (June 13, 2025). "Where Was Materialists Filmed?". Yahoo Entertainment. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
  14. ^ Desowitz, Bill (March 12, 2025). "20 Movies Shot on Film in 2025: Separate Safdie Brothers, Paul Thomas Anderson, and More". IndieWire. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  15. ^ "Daniel Pemberton Scoring Celine Song's Materialists". Film Music Reporter. March 27, 2025. Archived from the original on March 21, 2025. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  16. ^ Ahmed, Aneesa (June 10, 2025). "Listen to Japanese Breakfast's dreamy track "My Baby (Got Nothing At All)" from 'Materialists' soundtrack". NME. Archived from the original on June 11, 2025. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  17. ^ "Japanese Breakfast's 'Baby' Arrives In 'Materialists'". Spin. June 10, 2025. Archived from the original on June 11, 2025. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  18. ^ Redfern, Mark (June 9, 2025). "Japanese Breakfast Shares New Song "My Baby (Got Nothing At All)" From "Materialists" Soundtrack". Under the Radar. Archived from the original on June 25, 2025. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  19. ^ Peterson, Lauren (June 13, 2025). "'Materialists' Director Celine Song Reveals the Inspirations Behind the Film's Soundtrack". Spotify Newsroom. Archived from the original on June 25, 2025. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  20. ^ "Materialists (Original Soundtrack)". Apple Music. June 13, 2025. Archived from the original on June 25, 2025. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  21. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (February 18, 2024). "Sony Pictures Buys International Rights to Celine Song's Materialists at the EFM". Variety. Archived from the original on March 18, 2025. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  22. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 4, 2025). "A24 Sets Summer Release For Celine Song's Matchmaker Movie 'Materialists'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 8, 2025. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  23. ^ Taysom, Joe (May 22, 2025). "'Materialists' reveal new trailer and international release date". Far Out. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  24. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (June 11, 2025). "Box Office: 'How to Train Your Dragon' to Fly to $75 Million in Opening Weekend". Variety. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  25. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony; Tartaglione, Nancy (June 14, 2025). "'How To Train Your Dragon' Still On Course For Franchise Best $82M+ Opening After 'A' CinemaScore; 'Materialists' Reps A24's Third Biggest Opening – Saturday Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  26. ^ "Materialists". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved August 20, 2025. Edit this at Wikidata
  27. ^ "Materialists". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  28. ^ Lemire, Christy. "Materialists movie review & film summary (2025) | Roger Ebert". www.rogerebert.com. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  29. ^ Gleiberman, Owen (June 9, 2025). "'Materialists' Review: Celine Song's Follow-Up to 'Past Lives' Is a Rom-Com Played Straight, With Dakota Johnson as a Matchmaker Tangled Up in Love and Money". Variety. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  30. ^ "'Materialists' review: Dakota Johnson woos in sly, yet charming romance". EW.com. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  31. ^ Dargis, Manohla (June 12, 2025). "'Materialists' Review: When Dakota Johnson Met Pedro Pascal (and Chris Evans)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  32. ^ Lawson, Richard (June 9, 2025). "'Materialists' Is Not a Romcom, and That's Okay". Vanity Fair. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  33. ^ Movie & TV reviews for parents. "Materialists Movie Review | Common Sense Media". www.commonsensemedia.org. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  34. ^ "Materialists Review: Dakota Johnson May Finally Have Found Her Perfect Movie". People.com. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  35. ^ Chang, Justin (June 9, 2025). ""Materialists" Is a Thoughtful Romantic Drama That Doesn't Quite Add Up". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  36. ^ "Materialists doesn't cash in on its promise to revive the rom-com". AV Club. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  37. ^ Harris, Aisha (June 13, 2025). "The math in Celine Song's 'Materialists' doesn't add up". NPR. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  38. ^ Harris, Aisha (June 21, 2025). "I can't stop thinking about this plotline in 'Materialists'". NPR. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  39. ^ Freeman, Molly (June 9, 2025). "Materialists Review: Celine Song's Past Lives Follow-Up Completely Wowed Me With Its Unique Perspective On Beloved Romance Tropes". ScreenRant. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  40. ^ Kristen R. Ghodsee (July 12, 2025). "Materialists Skewers the Dating Market — But Stops Too Short". Jacobin.
  41. ^ Critic, Kevin Maher, Chief Film (August 13, 2025). "Materialists review — the biggest disappointment of the decade". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved August 17, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  42. ^ "Materialists can't decide if it's a romcom, a farce, or a dark drama – review". The Independent. August 14, 2025. Retrieved August 17, 2025.
  43. ^ Neglia, Matt (June 30, 2025). "The 2025 Hollywood Creative Alliance (HCA) Midseason Astra Award Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
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