Rob Reviews "Materialists"

It’s been a while since we did this, so let’s give it a whirl…

Stop me when you’ve heard this one: Madame Web, The Human Torch, Captain America, and Mr. Fantastic show up at a wedding reception, and something ensues.  This is not exactly the story of Materialists, but that would have made it a better movie.  Allow me to explain.

Dakota Johnson plays Lucy, a matchmaker in New York City who has reached the ninth wedding of couples she has introduced to each other.  While there, she meets Harry (Pedro Pascal), the best man and brother of the groom, who puts the full-court press on her while she approaches him in a business sense.  As they are talking, their server at the reception turns out to be John (Chris Evans), her ex (not quite sure how long ago that was) whom she may or may not still have feelings for (and it’s mutual).  As Lucy struggles between her head and her heart, she has to figure out where her future lies.

Under normal circumstances, this looks like your average rom-com (there was an intro by a local Fashion Week representative that pitched it that way), and the first half plays out in a way that reminded me of the classic Hollywood man meets woman and has witty banter (although delivered VERY flat by a cast that is SO much more better than the delivery they are being instructed to by Past Lives writer/director Celine Song) while they flirt.  The trailer (which I watched after the film to test a theory) even has a cutesy cover of Madonna’s “Material Girl” that would lead one to think that this is one of those Sex and the City kind of films. But there is one small detail that changes everything.

It’s from A24.

I’m not sure why I looked past that little tidbit as the film progressed, but it shows its colors about the halfway mark by taking a VERY dark turn that lingers over the film itself the rest of the way through.  While I was looking at my watch quite a bit up to that point given how banal the dialogue was not only written but (again) delivered, it was that much more so after that reveal.  (Warning: the subject matter could be seen as triggering.)  If it was Song’s intent to keep the audience uncomfortable and ramp up the intensity, then mission accomplished.  At least market it that way so you don’t have people going in with false pretenses.  Most of the trailer is taken from the first twenty and last ten minutes of this film, and there is a TON more that it doesn’t get into that even a couple of shots giving the vibe without giving the content would have helped.  It simply made a rough experience even less enjoyable.

I know that as one who reviews movies (I have realized that is what I do versus critiquing film), I have to be honest with those who read these, but at the same time I find it difficult to give a bad review.  Art IS subjective, but sometimes it just isn’t good.  And Materialists is an example of this.  I would be interested to hear from anyone that feels differently about this one than I do, but I don’t feel like I am missing anything with it.  I cannot even recommend this film to ANY demographic because I am not quite sure who Song was directing this towards.  Maybe it is the “sophomore slump” when it comes to her directing for the big screen, but there is definitely something here that fell off for her.