Materialists

Following up her Oscar-nominated debut Past Lives, playwright Celine Song stakes an authentic claim for the return of the romantic comedy. Playing with a conceit as old as Jane Austen – whether to marry for love or for money – she whips three of modern cinemas most delightful stars into something far more than a trifle it might seem.

Dakota Johnson is Lucy, a New York City matchmaker, effortlessly glamorous, and above the fray of romance that mere mortals find themselves in. Attending the nuptials of one of her successful pairings, she meets the groom’s brother, Harry (Pedro Pascal), utterly eligible, including his huge fortune. The bases are loaded when old flame John (Chris Evans) turns up as one of the event’s waiters. It’s a classic conceit, but Song manages to build it into a genuine dilemma because both men are valid choices. Watching Lucy make her decision is as heart-felt and memorable as anything in Past Lives, while pairing it with a rare wit and sparkle.