đŹ Materialists â My Emotional Rollercoaster Before Even Watching It
this is a long one, sorry...
Okay, so let me tell you about the ride I went on before I even saw this film, lol. As soon as I heard about the cast, Chris Evans, Pedro Pascal, and Dakota Johnson, in a romantic movie?? I was so hyped. I love Chris Evans, I love Pedro Pascal, and while I didnât know much about Dakota before, I totally adore her now.
The trailer looked decent, not the most original plot ever, but honestly, the cast had me so excited. Then came the press tour⌠and wow. They were hilarious, had such amazing chemistry, and made me think this movie was going to be iconic. I was all in.
Then it came out in the US.
And people were... disappointed.
At first, influencers and early viewers seemed to love it. IMDb had it rated over 7/10, solid! But then the score kept dropping. I think itâs now around 6.5? Which isnât terrible, but definitely not great considering all the hype. A lot of people were saying they thought it was going to be a rom-com and were disappointed that it wasnât funny at all. And honestly⌠thatâs where the press tour kind of backfired. Because those three were so funny together in interviews, people assumed the film would reflect that vibe.
So it got me thinking, would this movie have been better received if the promo hadnât focused so much on the fun dynamic between the actors? Probably. Itâs another case where the press and trailer set up expectations the film didnât match (kind of like when I watched The Monkey, everyone was hyped after the trailer, but the film didnât deliver). Honestly, modern press tours are kind of wild. They do so many interviews and talk shows, and while itâs fun to watch, it must be exhausting for the cast!
Anyway. Back to the movie itself...
Because Iâd already heard that it wasnât a rom-com, I went in with different expectations, and honestly? It was good. Not super memorable, but still enjoyable. What I liked is that it reflected (in a slightly extreme way) what dating looks like nowadays. What matters in a relationship: money? Stability? Looks? Feelings?
It also highlighted an interesting gender gap. The women in the film, while shown as seeking tall, rich men, could still be moved by genuine emotion. Meanwhile, most of the men couldnât look past physical traits and age; once their "checklist" wasnât met, they just moved on. That contrast made Dakotaâs character feel very real, torn between the âidealâ man (Pedro) and a less-than-perfect relationship (Chris). That whole dynamic felt nuanced and very current.
That said, parts of the film felt rushed. I wish weâd gotten more backstory between Dakota and Chrisâs characters; their relationship felt a bit shallow, like we didnât see the spark that supposedly existed. So when she had to wrestle with her feelings, I was like, but⌠why were they even together to begin with?
Also, I love Pedro (rich Pedro?? yes please), but we didnât see much of him. Same with Chris, actually. Despite the way the film was promoted, this wasnât a trio story; it was very much centred on Dakota. Which is fine! But again, the press tour made it seem more ensemble-driven, and I wish we got more time with each of them.
The matchmaking company angle was fun because of how over-the-top and clichĂŠ it was. As a non-American, I kind of imagined New York would be like that anyway, so it didnât shock me too much. Side note: why were there no male matchmakers?? Just something that crossed my mind.
Overall, it was a good film! Not amazing, not terrible. The plot was predictable and not very original, that classic ârich perfect man vs. poor soulmateâ trope, but I still enjoyed it. It felt relatable in a way, like a genuine and current debate people actually have when choosing relationships.
I do think a bit of comedy wouldâve helped, everyone looked so serious and tired, which felt odd in a film about dating and matchmaking. A few light-hearted moments wouldâve made it more enjoyable.
One last thing that bugged me, while the hype around Pedro Pascal is huge (and heâs great!), I found it a bit sad to see so many comments online putting Chris Evans (and Dakota Johnson) down. Things like âWho would even hesitate when youâve got a rich Pedro in front of youâ or âIf she chooses Chris over Pedro, Iâm outâ, it just felt unnecessary and kind of missed the point of the film. Especially considering Pedroâs role is more of a secondary one, itâs literally âand Pedro Pascal.â
So yeah, a bit of a messy review for a bit of a messy experience, but Iâm glad I finally watched it!
Also, I had to include a photo from their press tour photoshoot because oh, how I wish it had ended in a throuple!