Is “Materialists” a traditional romcom? No. Is it worth seeing? Yes.

While much of the promotion for “Materialists” suggest it is a film in the vein of classic 1980s and ’90s romantic comedies, that is not what this movie is,

As someone who saw and loved filmmaker Celine Song’s previous film, “Past Lives,” this was not really that surprising to me. Much like “Materialists,” it falls into being more of a romance film that leans heavily into drama with few moments of comedy or levity.

Many of the characters in “Materialists” fall into a cynical view of love and dating, valuing a potential partner’s looks, wealth and status over the idea of simply falling in love. This is embodied fully in the matchmaking work done by the lead character, Lucy (Dakota Johnson).

As she is celebrating her ninth perfect match in the form of a wedding, she both crosses paths with a former flame, John (Chris Evans), and meets Harry (Pedro Pascal), who the folks in her business call a “unicorn,” meaning he is rich, comes from a wealthy family, has a great job, is attractive and has no glaring red flags.

Harry throws Lucy for a loop when he shares that he’s more interested in dating her than enrolling in her matchmaking services.

I will say Pascal is definitely playing against type, bringing us a character that is pretty much the antithesis of the public persona he has crafted over the last few years. While it took me aback a bit my first time watching “Materialists,” I appreciated the nuance he was able to bring to Harry when I saw the movie for the second time.

Evans is pitch perfect as the lovelorn schmuck who still pines for Lucy, while Johnson does a great job of playing it cool until a couple of plot points in the middle of the film, where she starts to question her life and the path she is going down. She flips that switch in a way that seems honest and real, not going for the melodrama and overblown acting that are sometimes seen as hallmarks of the romcom genre.

If you’re coming into “Materialists” expecting something along the lines of “You’ve Got Mail” or “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” that’s not what you’re going to get.

There is a tonal shift as a major plot point happens to a secondary character in the middle of the film. Some may hate it, but I appreciated how Song crafted a story that reflects the reality of dating in the modern world: the good, the bad and the ugly.

I love her storytelling, and with “Materialists,” Song took some of the beloved tropes of the romcom genre and put them in a blender with her tender and realistic storytelling. The result is a movie that made me laugh, cry and swoon.

I went into “Materialists” as a fan of Pascal, Evans and Song, and I’m leaving with my fandom for them all intact. Plus, I’m starting to have a newfound appreciation for Johnson, especially when paired with my recent first-time viewing of the 2022 film “Am I OK?“

If you are at all curious about “Materialists,” please check it out in theaters. Like I said in my review of “Jane Austen Wrecked My Life” a few weeks ago, I would like to see a romcom resurgence in movie theaters, and I feel like this movie has the potential to tip the scales.

Rating: 4/5