This film, billed as a RomCom, is more of a Romantic Dramedy with a serious story about a woman wrestling with an old love versus a rich new lover. It stars Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal in a story that is a serious examination of values, wants and needs of a woman who wants a relationship with someone who has all the trappings of wealth unlike what she had in a past relationship.
Here we meet Lucy (Johnson), a gorgeous woman who works as a matchmaker with 9 successful matches to her credit. She approaches prospective clients, handing out business cards on the street so she can rack up more. Costume Designer Katina Danabassis along with the makeup and hair stylists make a perfect match for Lucy’s Adore upscale company matchmakers.
Created by Oscar nominated Writer/Director Celine Song, whose Past Lives, the touching story about trying to renew a childhood relationship, was so beautifully poignant. Song once worked at a matchmaking service herself. She begins the film with the scene of a prehistoric date outside a cave to show love in bloom. It’s hunting and gathering, a story as old as time. Cinematographer Shabier Kirchner (Past Lives) shot the project using 35mm film.
But in today’s world, Lucy gathers men and women who are looking for more than swiping for partners on dating sites. Song creates a montage of Lucy’s clients who have clinically divulged their likes and dislikes for age, looks, height, and wealth, all of which sound like petty, superficial demands. Some are funny, but some are unrealistic. The matchmaker’s ultimate goal is to find the man who checks off every box, The Unicorn.
Attending one of her client’s extravagant New York weddings, a handsome guest, John (Pascal) seeks her out while she’s scrolling on her phone. As he unabashedly flirts with her, she is surprised by a server plopping down her usual go-to drinks. It’s her old flame Harry (Evans), a server working for the caterer of this posh event.
Lucy and Harry obviously have history, shown when Lucy walks outside and they talk outside the venue. There’s a certain familiarity evident from their past relationship. Song’s scenes of Harry’s life as a broke, struggling actor still living with roommates in a tacky rundown apartment are funny, yet sad at the same time. But in his role as Lucy’s past love, Evans’ performance shows depth and sensitivity longing for the love he still had burning for Lucy.
Song continues to show the dichotomy between money versus love. Lucy has given up on true love as she is visibly impressed with John’s wealth and attention. She is loving his multi-million dollar Manhattan apartment, the best restaurants in town, the bushels of flowers he gifts her, and Pescal fills the bill as a Unicorn.
Suddenly, the film turns very dark, not because of Lucy’s relationships, but when one of her toughest clients, Sophie, (Zoe Winters) calls in hysterics after she is assaulted on a date by her supposed perfect match. Winters shows range being snarky in her demands for the perfect mate early in the film, and then the complete meltdown as her dreams are horrifyingly destroyed. But we see this as a forced arc, to make Lucy finally aware that this is no longer a game. The incident makes her take a good look at herself and her values. She runs to Harry for solace reevaluating her career choice.
This film harkens back to the great romantic cinema of the 30’s and 40’s with Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, Johnson and Evans have that spark. Celine Song makes us care about these characters navigating the minefield finding that Unicorn. Seeing Johnson and Evans on screen together, you know how this movie will end. Song has a talent for exposing extraordinarily honest characters well. Some say matchmaking is a business decision, but Song’s notes on love, not money, is right on key.
A24 1 hour 49 minutes R
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