Dakota Johnson returns to the big screen as Lucy, a sharp but emotionally distant matchmaker in Materialists, opening August 6 in Philippine cinemas.
Directed by Past Lives filmmaker Celine Song, Materialists draws from Song’s real experience as a New York matchmaker. Johnson’s character Lucy thrives in connecting others, but struggles with her own romantic life.
“Love baffles her, but she’s great at the math of dating,” Song explains. That paradox is the heart of Materialists — a story that pits logic against longing.
Johnson’s portrayal of Lucy is layered and complex. “She’s nonjudgmental and wants people to find love, but she’s shut off from that search herself,” Johnson shares. The film follows Lucy as she’s pulled between a “perfect match” and an imperfect but familiar ex.
“Lucy is a chameleon,” Johnson says. “She changes depending on who she’s with. And then you wonder — which version is real?”
Song saw that same shape-shifting ability in Johnson. “Dakota understands vulnerability. She’s beautiful, but there’s fragility behind it. That’s what makes her perfect for Lucy.”
Materialists is Celine Song’s second film after her acclaimed debut Past Lives. She once again centers her story on love, identity, and the emotional contradictions in modern relationships.
Catch Dakota Johnson in Materialists — a sharp, funny, and emotional film about what happens when the expert in love finally questions her own rules.
