Materialists

Upon returning home from seeing Celine Song’s Materialists, my partner asked if it was a rom-com — and the question unexpectedly gave me pause. Yes, it’s a thoroughly romantic film and there are comedic elements, but there aren’t that many laughs (though enough to disqualify it from being a straight-up drama).

Instead, it’s more of a classic romance fortified by those complementary tones and traditions that blend together into an intoxicating cinematic elixir. After pummeling the heart and soul in her stunning debut, Past Lives, this pivot into decidedly lighter but no less honest territory suggests Song isn’t interested in repeating herself. And though she recycles various elements from her previous film — namely a love triangle and an NYC setting — Materialists proves a compelling shift in a sufficiently new direction.

That it works despite Dakota Johnson as the lead is a testament to Song’s writing and direction, and the strength of the supporting cast. As Lucy, a matchmaker who’s (cliché alert!) resistant to love, Johnson again shows her limitations as a performer and merely recites lines rather than making viewers believe she’s this character.

Following some amusing anecdotes about her work, Materialists hits its stride as Lucy meets the wealthy, charming Harry (Pedro Pascal) and crosses paths with her underemployed-actor ex John (Chris Evans) at the same wedding reception. Far more magnetic than our protagonist, these men excel at showing the two extremely different paths that Lucy could take. While Pascal is his usual charming self, Evans delivers his finest work to date, revealing an emotional depth and vulnerability that’s rarely surfaced in his uneven career.

Though Johnson wields an appealing enough presence during scenes with her love interests, she falters at delivering the emotional goods as she begins to question her personal and professional existence — her near-monotone voice and lack of range holding her back yet again. Nevertheless, the story, ensemble performances, and Song’s clear direction are enough to keep things on track.

Perhaps the writer/director will one day helm a sci-fi adventure, horror film, or even a superhero movie. But for now, her searing portraits of matters of the heart make for one of the most promising starts to a filmmaking career in years.

Grade: B-plus. Rated R. Now playing at AMC River Hills 10, Carolina Cinemark, the Fine Arts Theatre, and Regal Biltmore Grande.

(Photo: A24)