Thescreescore – A24’s Materialists concludes with a seemingly simple City Hall wedding, but director Celine Song reveals a far more nuanced and cynical take on modern romance in a recent interview with IndieWire. The film, starring Dakota Johnson and Pedro Pascal, follows Lucy’s tumultuous journey choosing between her dream partner and her imperfect ex. The final scene, a seemingly mundane security-camera view of the ceremony, is anything but.
Song explains that the City Hall setting, where she and her husband were married, embodies a potent contradiction: "the most romantic place on Earth and the least romantic place on Earth." This duality mirrors the film’s central theme – the inherent uncertainty of love and marriage. The director emphasizes the statistical reality: "50 percent of those marriages will fail." The final line, a darkly comedic "How’d you like to make a very bad financial decision?", underscores this precariousness.
The seemingly impersonal, DMV-like atmosphere of the City Hall scene further reinforces the film’s realistic portrayal of relationships. It’s a far cry from the Hollywood fairytale ending, instead offering a grounded, almost observational perspective on the everyday reality of commitment. The security camera angle, initially appearing random, subtly positions Lucy and John within the larger context of countless other couples facing the same uncertain future. Their story, messy and real, is just one among many, highlighting the universal struggles and inherent risks of modern love.
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This unconventional ending doesn’t necessarily signal doom for Lucy and John. The 50/50 odds presented by Song aren’t a definitive judgment, but rather a reflection of the unpredictable nature of long-term relationships. Their success hinges on external factors and their ability to navigate life’s challenges together. The film’s strength lies in its honest portrayal of a relationship that, despite its flaws, chooses to persevere. Materialists doesn’t offer easy answers, but instead presents a poignant and relatable exploration of love’s complexities in the modern world. The City Hall scene, far from being a simple conclusion, serves as a powerful and thought-provoking commentary on the realities of commitment. The film’s ending is not a fairy tale, but a realistic and ultimately compelling reflection of modern relationships.
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