With successful rom-coms something of a rarity these days, ‘Materialists’ is something of a more earnest look at dating specifically matchmaking, not the Swan Vesta type but instead an agency that puts suitable singles together and here’ it’s the responsibility of Lucy (Dakota Johnson). Part matchmaker, part therapist to her clients when the dates start nit picking about their date and the process starts all over again.
But Lucy herself is improbably single having broken up some while ago with John (Chris Evans) a jobbing theatre actor but the pair were always broke and eventually split up. But she bumps into him again at the wedding of one of her clients where he’s temping as a waiter but a chance of starting over again comes at a time where she has just started the faintest whisper of romance with Harry (Pedro Pascal) the best man at the wedding. He is, as Lucy later tells him, something of a unicorn and something that our own Editor regards himself as until we pointed out that it doesn’t mean someone constantly with the horn (‘You’re fired!’ – Ed) . What she means here is that he is the elusive and seemingly perfect male that her clients are looking for – Tall, confident, charming, well salaried with a penthouse and yet as played by Pascal he’s a little bit bland and he has a secret too. But its him that Lucy develops a relationship whilst at the same time rekindling a friendship with John but not so secretly that she doesn’t take Harry along when they’re invited to a play he’s appearing in.
Writer-director Celine Song has drawn on her own experience as a matchmaking agent herself some years ago and clearly has had too many clients looking for the impossible unicorn themselves which are mythical for both men and women looking for a perfection in another that doesn’t really exist. The women want perfection and the 40-something men are keen to only date twenty-something women.
Johnson is ideally cast – cool, level headed, good at her job and always available for her clients both professionally and personally until one catastrophic match make goes awry. Evans is as likeable as ever and Pascal fits the role even if he is a little dull. For those who use the dating apps this is an ideal movie albeit admittedly not one suited for our Editor who has been left swiped so often he’s got whiplash from voodoo. But Materialists is an emotionally mature, engaging and entertaining drama that would make an ideal if perhaps potentially awkward first date movie.
related feature : Kevin Smith talks about his new film, ‘The 4 30 Movie’ plus those censored scenes!
related feature : We take a look at the extremely controversial, ‘Romance’ in our blu-ray review
Here’s The Materialists trailer ……
The post Materialists – REVIEW appeared first on Any Good Films.
from Any Good Films https://ift.tt/9qEhTkI
