Theโค Paradoxโค of Modern Love:โ A Look Inside “Materialists“
The new film, “materialists,” explores the complexities of modern relationships, moving beyond โคa simple “which man willโ she choose?” narrative to dissectโ the very nature of connection in a digitally-driven world. While the โspeakerโฃ wasn’t cast in the film, aโ promising โขconversation with โฃthe director sparked hope for future collaborations. A later,romanticโข phone call further fueled that โฃconnection.
At โคthe heart of the story is Lucy,โ portrayed as a professional at the peak of herโ career, yet emotionally detachedโ andโ driven by perfectionism. She dedicates herself โฃto orchestrating marriages for others, appearing initially as a pragmatic andโฃ transactional figure. However, beneath the surface lies a โgenuine desire for the happiness of those she helps. Lucy is also โgrappling โwith a personal crisis: a search for her own fulfillment and a essential question – should she pursue whatโ she thinks she wants, or what she truly needs?
The film utilizes two contrasting male characters to illuminate this internal struggle.According to โCeline โSong,โ theโ director,โฃ the intention โwasn’t to present a choice between “flavors” of men, but rather to expose the “marketplace of dating” that defines contemporary singleโ life. Lucy, as aโ skilled matchmaker, understands the dynamics of this marketplace intimately.
One man, played by Pedro, embodies the โขqualities traditionally considered highly desirable in the datingโ world – status, wealth, and conventional appeal.โ The other, portrayed โby Chris, represents the โฃopposite end of theโ spectrum, โคpossessing minimal “market value.” Yet, Song โขfinds both characters deeply endearing and worthy โof affection. Lucy is acutely aware of their positions โwithin this “stock market of men,” and the film suggests that โthis โcalculated system is onโฃ the verge โขof collapse.
Dakota โJohnson, who plays Lucy, โacknowledgesโฃ the discomfort of applying such โฃanalytical terms to love. While recognizing the inherentโค logic of the “marketplace” – a modern echo of historical marriage โคarrangements based on trade and necessity – she points out the unrealistic expectations โขplaced on modern partners. We now demand our meaningful others fulfillโข all โขour needs, aโ pressure exacerbated โฃby the artificiality of social media and the decline โฃof organic, real-life interactions.
The two men inโข Lucy’s life represent opposing forces, notโ just in terms of materialistic value, but also in their potential for emotional and spiritual growth. While one โmight offer financial security, the other could provide a deeper, more soulful connection. โขThis dichotomy forces Lucy to confront her own โฃdesires and priorities. Is happiness found in wealth and status, or in genuine, unconditional love?
Ultimately, “materialists” delves into the contradiction between what weโฃ say we want in a partner and how we actually fall in love. The vast chasm betweenโ these two realms, Song suggests, is were the film’s central mystery resides. It’s a film that promises to challenge our assumptions about love, connection, โขand the pursuitโข of happiness in a worldโ increasingly defined by algorithms and appearances.
“Materialists”โ opens in cinemas on August 28th.
