India, June 13 -- If you judged Celine Song's second feature by its trailer, you might expect a frothy romcom with a glossy love triangle-Dakota Johnson caught between Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal sounds like an OTT platform algorithm's dream. But as with Past Lives, her Oscar-nominated debut, Celine is not afraid to steer the ship into deeper, stormier waters. Materialists may sparkle with the trappings of romantic comedy, but it's really a sophisticated examination of how money complicates intimacy-and whether love without financial stability can survive in today's world.

Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is a high-end matchmaker in New York City, pairing affluent clients with partners who tick every curated box-from height and hair density to inc...