On the podcast, Alex Heeney takes a close look at Celine Song’s film Materialists, which poses the question: Is love enough when money is tight? Alex digs into the film’s strengths and weaknesses.
Celine Song’s Materialists is the story of Lucy, a matchmaker struggling with her own personal love triangle. Will Lucy (Dakota Johnson) choose love or money? And can they even co-exist?
With its charming cast, elegant blocking, and standout sound design, Materialists could have been a sharp, class-conscious rom-com.
But for all its promise, it ends up skimming the surface.
In this podcast episode on Celine Song’s Materialists, you will hear:
- What works well in the film, including the visual storytelling, sound design, and premise
- What the film raises — and what it avoids — about love, class, and money
- Where the film struggles, especially with its thin characters and reluctance to fully engage with class and money
- Comparisons with Gossip Girl (2007–2012) and Patricia Rozema’s Mansfield Park (1999), which tackle similar themes with more depth
If you’ve been curious about the film, or if you’ve seen it and had mixed feelings (as Alex did), this episode will give you something to chew on.
Synopsis of Celine Song’s film Materialists
For a bit more info on the Celine Song’s film Materialists, which Alex discusses on the podcast, here’s the plot synopsis:
Dakota Johnson stars as Lucy, a 35-year-old college dropout and professional matchmaker who is cynical about the dating field. She spends her days listening to clients give her impossible checklists of what they’re looking for in a match. Men have to be over 6’, make more than 200k/year, and have a full head of hair. Women have to be under 30, look like a supermodel, etc.
A fork in the road happens when she attends the wedding for one of her clients. She’s there on business to build her client list of singles. But a potential new client, the rich and handsome Harry (Pedro Pascal) propositions her personally, instead. And while they are getting acquainted, a blast from Lucy’s past shows up in the form of a cater water: her ex, John (Chris Evans), a fledgling 37-year-old actor. We later learn Lucy dumped John because he was poor and she was tired of arguing about money.
So Lucy dates Harry, but never seems to connect with him in the way she did with John, who she’s still in love with. Will she choose love or money? And can they even co-exist?
Links mentioned
🎟️ Reel Ruminators: seventh-row.com/reelruminators
🎥 Guide to One of the Best Films of 2024: seventh-row.com/guide
📚 Kelly Reichardt ebook: reichardtbook.com
📚 Lindsay Pugh (Woman in Revolt) on Materialists
Referenced episodes
If you enjoyed this podcast episode on Celine Song’s Materialists, you might be interested in our episodes on films written by her husband (Justin Kuritzkes): Challengers and Queer. You might also enjoy our two episodes on the better rom-com Jane Austen Wrecked My Life.
- Ep 137: Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers
- TIFF 2024 Ep 7: Luca Guadagnino’s Queer
- Ep. 172 and Ep. 173: Jane Austen Wrecked My Life — a film that delivers more fully on the promise of a smart, satisfying modern rom-com.
Podcast Credits for this episode on Celine Song’s film Materialists
Alex Heeney edited, produced, and recorded the episode.
Follow Seventh Row on Twitter, Bluesky and Instagram. Read our articles at seventh-row.com.
Follow Alex Heeney on Bluesky, Twitter and Instagram.
An AI-generated transcript for the episode is available on Apple Podcasts.
