Celine Song is wonderful at capturing the tender intricacies of relationships. The small, soft moments of our lives where memories are really captured. Celine knows it is not the big boisterous events that formulate connections, it is the tiny ones that have the greater impact. There is a great scene in this when Dakota Johnson slowly emerges from the back of a parked car after changing her wardrobe and gets out with Chris Evans guiding hand that shows a small tender  movement that the audience knows cements their bond- masterful filmmaking. It is not lost to me that this quiet film is being intentionally released in the summer along with the loud bombastic action popcorn films, a notable contrast that might even elevate its notoriety then diminish it. With “Past Lives” (which was in my top ten best films of 2023) and now her latest film “The Materialist” Celine Song shows us that desire can lead us all astray to your own authenticity. 

  The film is selling and promoting hard that there is a love triangle at work here, a battle for Lucy, played by Dakota Johnson between John (Chris Evans) and Harry (Pedro Pascal). The added challenge is that Lucy is a professional matchmaker. Should she get back to John who she had a previous relationship with, or with Harry, who is called a “unicorn” in the dating terminology, an ideal man.  The main question that is constantly asked from the film as we see Lucy negotiate among herself and John and Harry is how to maintain your authentic self while having a societal status- something that presents. Song is great to show each character’s flaws and perfections at the same time. The subplots are effective and work almost too well,  but what is most effective is that Celine Song knows when to cut a scene and go to the next. The editing of this is where the film is winning the most.  Each scene glides into the next with. It is also interesting to point out that there is very little camera movement in this. A choice that I absolutely agree with, the effect is that we focus more on the people and the reaction. It shows Celine Song clearly knows film.  

The Materialist is a solid film, just a touch out-of-reach for great. It is a refreshing film though, refreshing  to see among the noise of the blockbusters for the summer. There is a palatable component to this that feels genuine. Where it lacks is the indulgence of the subplots. The choice of an enchanting, dreamy music score for me seems out of place for this. This film would excel if it was isolating around the echo chamber of Harry, John and Lucy, then we can investigate more how Lucy and John got together and how it got severed.  Song wants to tell us that this struggle of monogamy relationship has been going on for a long time and will continue even after we are gone- just bring your authentic self to it. 7.5/10