Directed by Celine Song.
Materialists was released in U.S. theaters on June 13, 2025 by A24, with international distribution rolling out in the summer of 2025.
Distributed by A24.
Materialists (2025) Movie Review
Materialists (2025) is a modern love story about dating, money, and choices.
Dakota Johnson plays Lucy, a New York matchmaker who helps rich clients find perfect partners.
Even though she understands love for a living, her own life is complicated.
She must choose between her kind but broke ex-boyfriend, played by Chris Evans, and a charming, wealthy man played by Pedro Pascal.
The movie looks at how money and status affect relationships today.
It is calm, thoughtful, and realistic rather than flashy or dramatic.
Some moments are slow, but the performances feel honest.
Overall, Materialists is a smart and emotional film for viewers who enjoy deeper, more realistic romantic stories.
CR Rating – 6.5/10
Materialists (2025) Actors
Dakota Johnson as Lucy Mason
DOB: October 4, 1989.
Bio: American actor who grew up in a film family but deliberately carved out her own career through a mix of independent cinema and major studio projects.
After early dramatic roles, she rose to global recognition with the Fifty Shades trilogy, then reestablished herself as a critically respected performer through intimate, director-driven films.
Role: Lucy Mason is the emotional center of Materialists.
A former aspiring actress, Lucy has reinvented herself as a high-end New York City matchmaker at the elite firm Adore.
Sharp, efficient, and brutally honest with her clients, Lucy sells the idea of perfect love while privately grappling with her own unresolved desires.
Interesting facts: The role was written to explore modern romance through a transactional lens, and Johnson’s performance has been highlighted for capturing Lucy’s emotional restraint and quiet vulnerability.
Notable works: The Lost Daughter, Suspiria (2018), Fifty Shades trilogy.
Chris Evans as John Pitts
DOB: June 13, 1981.
Bio: American actor who transitioned from early television and teen film roles into global stardom as Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
His post-MCU work emphasizes understated performances and emotionally grounded storytelling over spectacle.
Role: John Pitts is Lucy Mason’s ex-boyfriend, a struggling New York theatre actor scraping by on gig work, including catering jobs, while chasing artistic relevance.
John represents a version of love rooted in authenticity rather than material success.
Interesting facts: The casting deliberately positions Evans as the emotional counterweight to the film’s wealthy romantic ideal.
Notable works: Captain America films (MCU), Knives Out, Snowpiercer.
Pedro Pascal as Harry Castillo
DOB: April 2, 1975.
Bio: Chilean-American actor who rose from steady character work into global prominence through prestige television and blockbuster franchises.
Trained at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Pascal is known for blending warmth, quiet vulnerability, and roguish charm.
Role: Harry Castillo is a wealthy, cultured client at Lucy Mason’s matchmaking firm and the embodiment of her professional ideal.
Polished, emotionally intelligent, and financially secure, Harry represents the life Lucy has learned to sell and, perhaps, to want.
Interesting facts: The role lets Pascal tilt into romantic comedy while still holding the film’s sharper social critique about money and dating.
Notable works: The Mandalorian, The Last of Us, Narcos.
Zoë Winters as Sophie
DOB: February 20, 1985.
Bio: American stage and screen actor with a strong theatre foundation, including acclaimed Off-Broadway work that earned her an Obie Award.
She gained wider recognition through television, most notably for her role as Kerry Castellabate on Succession.
Role: Sophie is one of Lucy Mason’s clients, representing the emotional toll of modern dating culture.
Tired, sincere, and quietly hopeful, Sophie is caught between wanting genuine connection and feeling pressured to “optimize” her romantic life according to status and expectations.
Interesting facts: Winters’ theater background (Obie/Off-Broadway work) brings theatrical precision to a quietly painful role.
Notable works: Succession, Jules (2023), The Good Fight.
Marin Ireland as Violet
DOB: August 30, 1979.
Bio: American stage, film, and television actor widely respected for her intense, psychologically precise performances.
A major presence in contemporary theatre, she earned critical acclaim and a Tony nomination for her work in Reasons to Be Pretty on Broadway.
Role: Violet is Lucy Mason’s superior at Adore, the elite matchmaking firm.
Practical, sharp, and unapologetically business-minded, Violet embodies the corporate reality behind curated romance.
Interesting facts: Ireland’s long theatre pedigree helps make the film’s workplace scenes feel lived-in and authoritative.
Notable works: Hell or High Water, Sneaky Pete, The Umbrella Academy.
Dasha Nekrasova as Daisy
DOB: February 19, 1991.
Bio: American actor, filmmaker, and cultural commentator who emerged from New York’s indie scene.
She gained wider recognition through film work and television appearances after establishing a public profile as a podcaster and writer.
Role: Daisy is a junior coworker at Adore, the matchmaking firm where Lucy works.
Outspoken, skeptical, and generationally distinct, Daisy represents a newer, more cynical approach to love, labor, and ambition.
Interesting facts: Nekrasova’s background as a cultural commentator means her screen work often carries an extra layer of social commentary.
Notable works: The Scary of Sixty-First, Succession (guest role), Bad Behavior.
Louisa Jacobson as Charlotte
DOB: June 12, 1991.
Bio: American actor trained in theatre, holding an MFA from the Yale School of Drama (now the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale).
The daughter of Meryl Streep and sculptor Don Gummer, Jacobson has worked to establish her own screen identity, earning wide recognition for her television debut on HBO’s The Gilded Age.
Role: Charlotte is one of Lucy Mason’s clients, a bride-to-be whose engagement reflects the aspirational, status-driven success that fuels Adore’s matchmaking business.
Cheerful, polished, and eager to please, Charlotte represents the kind of outcome Lucy is professionally celebrated for.
Interesting facts: Jacobson’s stage training gives her an easy, expressive presence in the wedding-and-romance sequences.
Notable works: The Gilded Age, stage productions and theatre work.
Eddie Cahill as Robert
DOB: January 15, 1978.
Bio: American actor whose career spans film, network television, and streaming series.
He first gained widespread recognition in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with early roles on Friends and in feature films, before becoming a familiar TV presence through long-running series such as CSI: NY.
Role: Robert is a middle-aged man Lucy Mason encounters and recruits as a potential client, representing the everyday humanity behind the matchmaking business.
He is earnest, self-aware, and refreshingly unpolished compared with Adore’s high-status clientele.
Interesting facts: Cahill’s TV pedigree helps him sell small but resonant emotional beats in ensemble films like this.
Notable works: Miracle (2004), CSI: NY, Friends.
Joseph Lee as Trevor
DOB: December 29, 1987.
Bio: American actor and visual artist who gained major industry and audience recognition for his breakout television performance in Beef (2023).
Alongside acting, Lee is also an accomplished painter whose artwork has been exhibited internationally.
Role: Trevor is one of Lucy Mason’s more exacting clients, a man whose hyper-specific dating criteria borders on absurdity.
The character is used to satirize algorithm-driven romance and modern “optimization” culture, where compatibility becomes a checklist rather than a connection.
Interesting facts: Lee’s Beef acclaim made him a recognizable face for indie audiences; here he supplies one of the film’s sharper satirical notes about fitness and dating standards.
Notable works: Beef (2023), Searching (2018), independent film and television projects.
John Magaro as Mark P. (voice)
DOB: February 16, 1983.
Bio: American character actor known for his work in indie and mainstream films (First Cow, The Big Short, Past Lives).
He is recognized for bringing subtle humor and humanity to supporting roles, often making brief appearances feel fully realized.
Role: Magaro provides the voice for Mark P., a blind date arranged by Lucy for her client Sophie.
Though off-screen, the cameo is a clever nod to Past Lives collaborators and adds a layer of charm and warmth to a small but pivotal scene.
Interesting facts: Magaro previously worked with Celine Song on Past Lives (2023); Song likes to reuse trusted collaborators in different, surprising ways.
Notable works: First Cow, The Big Short, Past Lives, various indie films and stage work.
Emmy Wheeler as Rose
DOB: N/A.
Bio: Emmy Wheeler is an emerging American actor building a career through TV and indie film work.
She is known for bringing subtlety and depth to smaller supporting roles, making brief appearances feel impactful and grounded.
Role: Rose is a minor but meaningful supporting character in Materialists.
A client or friend in Lucy’s orbit who helps populate the world of New York City dating and professional matchmaking.
Interesting facts: Credit listings show Wheeler as a name to watch after a string of TV and indie film parts.
Notable works: Poker Face (guest), The Savant.
Sawyer Spielberg as Mason
DOB: March 10, 1992.
Bio: Sawyer Spielberg, son of Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw, is an emerging actor and filmmaker.
He has taken on small acting roles and behind-the-scenes work in indie projects, seeking to establish a career independent of his family legacy.
Role: Sawyer appears in a brief supporting capacity during the film’s club and party sequences.
His presence adds texture to the New York social backdrop, helping the world of the film feel populated and dynamic, even in smaller moments.
Interesting facts: Sawyer’s presence in indie films often reflects a desire to carve a career separate from his famous family name.
Notable works: The Post (small role), Honeydew (2017).
More Actors
• Nedra Marie Taylor as Audrey.
• Sietzka Rose as Eleanor.
• Halley Feiffer as Patricia.
• Madeline Wise as Beth.
• Ian Stuart as Logan.
FAQ
What is Materialists (2025) about?
Materialists follows Lucy Mason, a successful New York matchmaker navigating a love triangle between her struggling ex-boyfriend and a wealthy new suitor, exploring how money, status and expectations shape modern relationships.
Is Materialists inspired by real life?
Yes. Director Celine Song drew on her own six months of matchmaker experience to shape the story. More on Forbes
Where was Materialists filmed?
Principal photography took place in New York City (Manhattan and Brooklyn neighborhoods).
How long is the film?
The runtime is 117 minutes.
Where can I watch Materialists?
After theaters, Materialists became available on digital rental and purchase platforms in July 2025 and began streaming on Netflix in some regions later.
Conclusion
Materialists (2025) is a thoughtful and modern romance that goes beyond typical love-story formulas.
It explores how money, status, and expectations shape relationships in today’s world.
Strong performances and sharp writing make the story feel honest and relatable.
While it moves at a quiet pace, the film leaves a lasting impression and is best suited for viewers who enjoy realistic, character-driven romantic dramas.