The most notable new release this weekend—at least around here—is Celine Song’s second feature, “Materialists.” Marketed as a romantic comedy, though it only loosely fits the mold, the film brought in $5M on Friday and is projected to earn a solid $12M by weekend’s end. Its production budget was $20M.
Critically, “Materialists” hasn’t matched the acclaim of Song’s debut, “Past Lives,” but it’s still received generally favorable reviews, holding a 70 on Metacritic. Audience reception has been a bit more mixed, reflected in its B- grade on CinemaScore.
Personally, I found “Materialists” to be well-written, well-acted, and refreshingly grounded—until it stumbled in the final act. The film leans on a clunky subplot and wraps things up a little too neatly, sapping some of the emotional momentum it had built.
That’s my take—but what about yours? Did “Materialists” live up to the hype for you? Is Celine Song at risk of being a one-hit wonder, or do you see real promise in what’s ahead for her career?