Romcom Gets Capitalist: Dakota Johnson Is Selling Love—and Falling Into It
Dakota Johnson just priced romance like a burrito at Whole Foods—and cinephiles are screaming.
That's the vibe of A24's third and final trailer for Materialists, Celine Song's sleek follow-up to Past Lives. It opens like a Mastercard ad on shrooms—slapping price tags on New York clichés like “organic beer” ($16) and “coke from a rooftop bar” ($26). But then? Cut to Dakota Johnson's Lucy, a high-end matchmaker who sells curated love to NYC elites—and maybe starts buying her own BS.
This isn't your mom's romcom. It's high-gloss, hyper-aware, and probably hiding a knife in its designer purse.
Why This Changes Everything (Or Exposes It All)
Let's talk stakes. A love triangle with Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans isn't exactly a crisis—unless you're in a Celine Song film. Then it's existential.
Lucy, the matchmaker, falls into a mess of her own making: torn between her “perfect” client match (Evans? Pascal? That's the bait) and her messy ex (probably also Evans or Pascal—Song's keeping it vague). Meanwhile, the trailer suggests this triangle is less about who she loves and more about what love is worth. Literally.
The insane detail? The entire trailer riffs on late-90s Mastercard ads—suggesting the film is acutely aware of how modern relationships are commodified. The cost of love, desire, even heartbreak—itemized like a luxury receipt.
Savage comparison? Think Clueless meets Eyes Wide Shut—if Alicia Silverstone moonlighted as a Tinder exec in Louboutins.
What's Really Going On Here?
Here's what they're not saying out loud: Materialists might be the first romcom to fully embrace late-stage capitalism as the third lead.
Celine Song isn't just parodying excess—she's dissecting it. Remember how Past Lives gently gutted the immigrant longing trope? This one might do the same for dating apps, social clout, and the performance of “being in love.” Lucy doesn't just sell love—she engineers status. Her clients don't want soulmates; they want LinkedIn spouses.
And Johnson? Casting her post-Persuasion and Cha Cha Real Smooth is low-key genius. She thrives in roles where control masks chaos. Expect her to unravel stylishly.
The real twist? Song's refusal to idealize romance. The love triangle isn't will she choose A or B? It's will she escape the algorithm she built for other people's desires?
Genius or Garbage? Fight Me in the Comments
Look—if you want warm, fuzzy kisses in the rain, this might not be your thing. But if you liked Past Lives and screamed during The Menu, Materialists is your niche.
Would you rather watch this or spend $80 on a Manhattan date night with no spark and a soggy Uber home? No judgment. (…Okay, some judgment.)
