Warning: Spoilers for Materialists ahead!
I know who you wanted Dakota Johnson‘s Lucy to end up with in Materialists, the romantic drama from Past Lives writer-director Celine Song. I heard it from close friends, and from acquaintances, and from strangers on the internet. Everyone, it seemed, was rooting for Pedro Pascal—or rather, his character, Harry, the winsome financier with both a $12 million penthouse in Manhattan and taste. Not since Napoleon Dynamite was there this much enthusiasm for a Pedro, fictional or otherwise.
But as soon as Chris Evans’s character John—Lucy’s scrappy, temperamental, and ruggedly handsome ex—appeared on screen in the trailer, plopping down her quirky “coke and a beer” drink order, I knew that the two were meant to be. I think we all did, in a way—and maybe that’s part of the reason why Team Harry was so fervent. Perhaps we’re all just empaths who can’t stand the idea of a man like Pedro Pascal living the sad, single life (even in a made-up version of reality). But c’mon. When John anticipated Lucy’s order? That was smooth as hell. Their fate was sealed at that very moment!
Still, John is a late-30s actor-slash-cater waiter who still lives with roommates. Not to mention, they had already dated for five years and broke up over money—specifically, a lack of it. Anyone, and especially a matchmaker like Lucy, would tell you that on paper, Harry is Husband Material and that there’s a reason John is an ex.
There’s a sense of urgency underscoring Harry and Lucy’s relationship, too. He’s desperate to settle down, and she’s worried he’s the diamond in the rough who won’t stay on the market for long. That they found each other in the first place seems like a miracle. (According to my single friends in the city, it is.) But soon, it becomes clear that their relationship fails to scratch the surface. Their attraction seems to be entirely based on their material desires: He wants a wife who is grounded but can still fit neatly into his world among the rich and even richer; she longs for financial security and stability. Neither of these desires makes them villains. In fact, they are entirely sensible. But…
When given the choice to ride home from her client’s wedding with John or with Harry’s driver, who does Lucy choose? John. After dealing with a tragedy at work, who does Lucy call? John. When asked if she’d rather go home with Harry, or grab a drink with John and his castmates, whose offer does she accept? John’s.
Many will say Lucy’s decisions here are misguided, or even regressive. And I’m honestly concerned by Lucy’s lack of female friends to lean on after so many years (does she really have no one else to call?). But the point is, attraction doesn’t always make sense, especially to those on the outside of the relationship. A matchmaker can be good at her job, but she’s not God. A spark—that elusive special sauce that makes true love so delicious—is not something anyone else can find for you and another person.
Plus, that whole speech at the strangers’ wedding somewhere upstate, when John says something to the effect of, “When I look at you, I see gray hair and wrinkles and children that look like you. I can’t help it.” There’s no box you can check to order that kind of love from a dating service.
Therein lies the central thesis of Song’s work: A person can be too good to be true and still not be right for you! And that’s okay! Sometimes you’ll just have to settle for People’s Sexiest Man Alive, Chris Evans.
Materialists, starring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal, is now in theaters.
The post Actually, Dakota Johnson Ended up With the Right Guy in Materialists appeared first on Glamour.
