Materialists: Breaking Down the Buzz, Backlash, and Hype

Why is Materialists Trending?

Despite what its trailer shows you, Materialists 2025 is not the romantic comedy that one would think of when the word rom-com comes to mind. Besides its stellar cast of A-list celebrity actors like Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans—this film is more so a social commentary on modern dating culture that’s shaped by wealth and appearances, rather than a girl meets boy kind of romantic film.

With the sharp criticism of the ever-widening class divide, the film balances biting commentary with high-fashion aesthetics, leaving audiences divided between being charmed and unimpressed.

In this article, we will be unpacking the Materialists cast and performances, breaking down the key themes fuelling the online backlash and praise, and exploring what the Materialists reviews reveal about our current obsession with love, luxury, and layered identities.

 Also, read about the celebrities who are using their platform to call for change here.

What is Materialists about?

Materialists is a 2025 romantic comedy film directed by Celine Song, that follows failed actress turned successful matchmaker Lucy Mason (Dakota Johnson) who works at Adore, A prestige matchmaking company in NYC. As a voluntarily celibate “eternal bachelorette”, she maintains that she will die either alone or marry someone wealthy.

Despite her successful career, Lucy grows frustrated with her client’s increasingly unrealistic standards. It is only at her long-term client Sophie’s wedding that we are introduced to the main love interests—Harry Castillo (Pedro Pascal), a millionaire financier who’s interested in pursuing her, but instead she rebuffs him, asking him to be a client for Adore.

Before any romantic interest blossoms between the two, Lucy’s ex John (Chris Evans) interrupts them in true rom-com fashion with her favourite drink, thus beginning the love triangle plot line in the film.

The film then shifts focus to Lucy as she navigates between emotional authenticity and financial security, exploring the commodification of modern love under the glamour of high fashion aesthetics and elite social circles.

The story, then, evolves into a sharp satire of modern dating, class divide, and society’s transactional mindset with dating culture, drawing both praise and criticism in early Materialists reviews.

The Hype around Materialists: 

The hype around Materialists stems from the film’s ability to explore complex topics of modern dating and the class divide through a satirical lens, all the while marketing it as a romantic comedy film for the masses.

Many layers for the film’s success began long before its release. Some of these aspects are discussed below: 

Director Celine Song’s involvement in the film:

Acclaimed director Celine Song’s involvement in the film only furthered the hype that was already beginning to build with the teasers of the film.

Song brings in her signature style of producing carefully thought-out, heart-wrenching romantic dramas similar to her previous film, Past Lives, which had gotten great audience reviews, and now blends those sensibilities with straightforward satire and commentary in Materialists.

A-List Cast:

The presence of popular A-list celebrities like Pedro Pascal, Dakota Johnson, and Chris Evans solidified the success of the film, with fan favourites playing romantic interests alongside Dakota Johnson.

The strong casting behind the Materialists cast also helped to spark early conversations online, particularly around the central love triangle. 

Unique Plot:

The film’s unique approach to a rom-com film that does not only follow through with age-old tropes of the genre, but also looks into the materialistic aspects of modern dating and love, through a woman’s perspective also draws the attention of viewers who don’t enjoy romantic films.

Its portrayal of a luxury matchmaker navigating elite social circles is elevated by striking fashion aesthetics, which also plays an important role in the narrative. 

Mixed Reviews:

While many praise the film for having a very realistic view of modern dating, others offer criticism for its narrative stumbles, saying that it does not fully deliver on its promises. Other critics even argue that it’s not enough of a “rom-com” or that it leans too much on an anti-romance angle.

The resulting Materialists reviews have sparked widespread controversy, with social media users claiming it as a bold reinvention of the genre and others calling it a confused commentary on the commodification of love.

Also, read about the morbid curiosity driving the true crime boom here. 

The Backlash surrounding Materialists:

Now that we have looked at the hype that Materialists had received even before its release, it’s time to address the backlash that the film received. 

Misleading Marketing:

The initial teasers that released framed Materialists as a light-hearted rom-com, but critics argue that it leans towards the more mature side of things with a bleak emotional tone, and addresses provocative themes, which left audiences feeling misled, adding to the ongoing controversy surrounding the film. 

Emotionally Distant Storytelling:

Materialists reviews often described the film as cold, dispassionate, and lacking genuine emotional stake, as many felt that while it does critique modern dating and the class divide, it doesn’t offer emotionally compelling alternatives or deeper resonance beyond surface-level ideas despite its satire driven approach. 

Underdeveloped Characters:

Chris Evan’s character John was criticised as a one-dimensional foil and that his working-class background was turned into an aesthetic rather than a fully formed arc. Many critics also note that poverty was treated as a quirky trait, rather than explored emotionally or societally, weakening the impact of the love triangle dynamic.

Random subplots:

A major criticism in Materialists' reviews involved sexual assault experienced by Lucy’s client Sophi, who was intended to be a bold choice, but many felt that it disrupted the main plot of the love-triangle arc, and that it lacked proper integration into Lucy’s emotional journey, making the tone feel inconsistent and jarring for a rom-com. 

Narrative lacked soul and clarity:

Another common criticism in many materialists reviews was that the film felt too much like a theoretical exploration with repeated motivational mantras and materialism. Even the character-driven conflicts seemed technical in many ways, distancing viewers from the heart of the story.

Weak chemistry and awkward execution:

Although the Materialists cast featured A-list stars, many audience members sensed a lack of chemistry between the main lead characters.

The romantic dynamics, especially between Lucy (Dakota Johnson) and Harry (Pedro Pascal), felt unconvincing or forced, detracting from the supposed tension in the love triangle and undermining the emotional payoff expected from a high-profile matchmaker narrative. 

What the Backlash Reveals: 

The ongoing discourse surrounding Materialists goes far beyond its plot and performances and taps into the deeper anxieties that the general public have around modern dating, class divide, and identity.

The film’s controversy has sparked a larger cultural conversation around the monetisation of relationships, where dating is viewed as a market that can be tapped into by apps, algorithms, and status symbols. 

Critics and fans alike have pointed out how Materialists uses satire to expose the uncomfortable truths of modern dating, particularly the transactional nature of romance among people from different socioeconomic groups.

The narrative’s emphasis on a high-end matchmaker navigating elite circles has also reignited debates on the widening class divide, and how wealth not only shapes relationships but human desires themselves. 

Conclusion:

Ultimately, Materialists is not just a film but a reflection of society’s views around dating that evolves year after year. While its glamorous fashion aesthetics, and witty rom-com packaging might initially draw audiences in, its deeper exploration of modern dating, transactional relationships, and ever-present class divide has left many viewers feeling misled. 

In the end, the ongoing controversy and polarised reviews reveal far more about our shifting cultural values than the story itself, proving that beneath the sparkle lies a much messier, more complicated truth.

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