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3. In 'Materialists,' Dakota Johnson Explores Love in the Age of Algorithms

With Materialists, director Céline Song examines the classic love triangle through the lens of emotional capitalism. Starring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal, the film questions the value of appearances and social status in matters of the heart when algorithms rule our choices.

In Materialists, Céline Song reinvents the romantic comedy with Lucy, a New York matchmaker specializing in high-end unions, who suddenly finds herself torn between two very different men: Harry, a wealthy, reassuring heir, and John, a struggling but genuine actor. Beneath its glamorous surface, the film dissects the bold machinery of an era where passion and social climbing intertwine, where intimacy is treated like an investment. Everything is calculated. Nothing is spontaneous.

Drawing from her own experience working at a luxury matchmaking agency, Céline Song questions the loyalty of desire in a world where optimization and return on investment overshadow sincerity. From beers and sodas to fine dining and upscale apartments, Materialists explores the delicate balance between authentic intimacy and social pressure. This ironic, philosophical fable unveils the illusions haunting a whole generation.

Materialists may seem like a typical romantic comedy, but it isn’t. With honest performances, the actors take us beyond the usual love triangle. The film raises questions that are less existential and more about everyday relationships. What are the foundations of our life choices? What is love? Are there different ways to love? How many still marry for the wrong reasons, and why marry at all, if not for hope, hope for a better future together, a partnership that lasts, two hearts beating in harmony to build a life, a child, a song… whatever it is, but together. The film also confronts themes of harassment and assault, jolting us out of any romantic idealism or naive hope for falling in love.

There’s a touch of irony here: Dakota Johnson, freshly out of a highly publicized breakup on social media, plays a matchmaker in Materialists. Chris Martin, lead singer and co-founder of British band Coldplay and her ex of eight years, recently promoted the film during his latest concert, urging fans to see Dakota Johnson on the big screen. The story gains extra layers as we watch Dakota search for love, that infinite attachment. She still carries the same magnetic charisma that captivates audiences. We follow her through heartbreaks, despair, and the faint smiles flickering in her blue eyes. What does it mean to be an actor if not to bring your own vulnerabilities and strengths to life on screen?

Dakota Johnson embodies a dreamer’s soul, and in this tension of circumstances, believing in her performance means believing that despite breakups, disappointments, and time, “there is always hope.” And it’s this hope we cling to, come what may, for a smile, for tomorrow. Perhaps the actress herself, beyond the role and beyond the screen, clings to it too, simply as a human being.