Spotlight REVIEW Review: 'Materialists' doesn't have the same punch as 'Past Lives' BRUCE R. MILLER Jun 20, 2025 Jun 20, 2025 Updated Jun 27, 2025 0 × BRUCE R. MILLER Bruce Miller, Sioux City Journal entertainment reporter, says "Materialists" had potential with its great cast, but its plot comes up short. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Marriage, apparently, can be classified as a business transaction.kAmx? 6I492?86 7@C 2 8@@5 :?4@>6[ 2 H@>2? H:== 92G6 E@ 2446AE 2 D9@CE[ 32=5:?8 >2? H:E9 =:EE=6 @C ?@ A6CD@?2=:EJ] x7 D96 H2?ED >@C6[ D96 92D E@ @776C >@C6]k^AmkAm~C D@ :E 8@6D :? “|2E6C:2=:DED[” 2? @55 =@@< 2E C6=2E:@?D9:AD E92E ?6G6C D66>D E@ 5@ >@C6 E92? D:>>6C]k^AmkAm(C:EE6? 2?5 5:C64E65 3J r6=:?6 $@?8[ H9@ 4C62E65 E96 362FE:7F= “!2DE {:G6D[” “|2E6C:2=:DED” :D =:<6 2 $2?5C2 qF==@4< 4@>65J H:E9@FE E96 4@>65J @C qF==@4<]k^Am Dakota Johnson expresses interest in Pedro Pascal in "Materialists." A24 kAm(:E9 s2<@E2 y@9?D@? :? E96 =625[ :E ;FDE D:ED E96C6[ 9@A:?8 E@ 4@>6 E@ 2 3@:= 2?5 5@6D?’E]k^Am People are also reading… Friday Five: Raising Cane's and Sheetz coming to Concord Kannapolis looks at core services in budget planning meetings Commissioners Notebook: Fair contracts and an overview of human services agency Friday Five New flights, new homes, pancakes and art Pancake Day is set for Thursday at the Boys & Girls Club 'Wizard of Oz' returns to Catawba College Theatre Motown group, Duke of Hazards star highlight Swanee schedule The Chamber presents awards, recalls 2025 accomplishments NC House committee supportive of bill to cap local property tax levies 'Shrek the Musical Jr.' comes to OCT Next Gen program CHURCH EVENTS: McGill barbecue to feature Jim Avett Atrium, Novant pursue hospital beds in Cabarrus, Lincoln counties Cabarrus Sheriff’s Office earns state accreditation after two-year process Rowan-Cabarrus hosts leaders celebrating No. 1 workforce ranking Cabarrus celebrates 25 years of healthy living at wellness expo kAm$96’D 2 >2E49>2<6C W9@=J[ “w6==@[ s@==JP”X H9@ EC:6D E@ A2:C 4@FA=6D H9@ 42?’E BF:E6 >2<6 E96 =@G6 4@??64E:@? @? E96:C @H?] &DF2==J[ E96C6’D D@>6 <:?5 @7 DEF>3=:?8 3=@4< — 286[ H6:89E[ 96:89E — 2?5 D96 =:7ED E96 G6:=]k^AmkAm(9:=6 2EE6?5:?8 E96 H655:?8 @7 @?6 @7 96C >2E496D[ D96 >66ED E96 8C@@>’D H62=E9J C6=2E:G6 W!65C@ !2D42=X H9@ 92D 6G6CJE9:?8 2 H@>2? 4@F=5 H2?E] !=2J:?8 E96 qFCE #6J?@=5D 42C5[ !2D42= DF886DED 96 >:89E 36 C:89E 7@C E96 >2E49>2<6C] yFDE 2D D96’D 23@FE E@ A@?56C E96 @776C[ 2 3@EE=6 @7 r@<6 2?5 2 366C 2C6 A=@AA65 @? 96C E23=6] %96J’C6 7C@> 2? @=5 362F Wr9C:D tG2?DX H9@’D 2 42E6C\H2:E6C H96? 96’D ?@E 24E:?8]k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack kAmx? @?6 DH:7E >@G6[ D96’D 8:G6? 49@:46D] qFE H96C6 E@ EFC?n }2EFC2==J[ E96C6 2C6 :DDF6D 2E H@C< 2?5 D@>6 D64C6ED E92E 5@?’E 4@>6 E@ =:89E F?E:= $@?8 92D 6I92FDE65 6G6CJ A@DD:3:=:EJ] (96? D96 C6G62=D H92E >:89E 36 2 5@H?D:56 E@ @?6 @7 E96 42?5:52E6D[ :E’D 2 ?@?DE2CE6C 7@C >@DE]k^Am kAmw6C6[ E9@F89[ :E’D 2 562= 3C62<6C — 2 C62D@? E@ CFD9 :?E@ E96 2C>D @7 E96 @E96C] (9:=6 !2D42= 2?5 tG2?D 5@ 2 8@@5 ;@3 >2<:?8 2 42D6 7@C E96>D6=G6D[ :E’D 2 >:C24=6 E96J’5 H2?E E@ DA6?5 E96 C6DE @7 E96:C =:G6D H:E9 2 H@>2? H9@’D 4@?DE2?E=J D:K:?8 E96> FA[ D66:?8 H96C6 E96J >:89E =2?5 @? 96C '6?? 5:28C2> @7 C6=2E:@?D9:AD]k^Am Dakota Johnson and Chris Evans crash a wedding in "Materialists." A24 kAm(9:=6 tG2?D 4@F=5 >2<6 2 =:G:?8 :? D@2A @A6C2D WE9FD 6?5:?8 9:D A2E9 @7 A@G6CEJX[ E96C6’D C62==J ?@ 5@H?D:56 E@ !2D42=] ~H?:?8 2 DEF??:?8 A=246 :? }6H *@C<[ 96 A:E496D E96 :562 @7 2 G242E:@? :? x46=2?5[ D66>D 6?5=6DD=J :?E6C6DE65 :? 9:D ?6H DBF66K6[ 2?5 5@6D?’E >:?5 E92E D96’D :? 2 7:6=5 @?6 DE6A C6>@G65 7C@> AC@DE:EFE:@?]k^AmkAm“|2E6C:2=:DED” =:>AD 2=@?8 F?E:= 2 4C:D:D @44FCD H:E9 @?6 @7 y@9?D@?’D 4=:6?ED] %96? :E 8:G6D 96C 2 >@>6?E E@ A2FD6 2?5 4@>6 E@ D@>6 5F>3 4@?4=FD:@? 23@FE 96C @H? H2?ED 2?5 ?665D] %@@ @7E6?[ y@9?D@? A=2JD >F49 @7 E9:D 4=@D6 E@ E96 G6DE] *@F 42?’E C62==J E6== :7 D96’D H@CE9 E96 :?G6DE>6?E @C =@@<:?8 7@C 6?EC:6D 7@C 96C @H? 3FC? 3@@<]k^Am kAm$@?8 6:E96C ?66565 E@ DA:77 E9:D FA H:E9 D@>6 @?6\=:?6CD WE@ C6=:6G6 E96 6??F:X @C 8:G6? :E 2 5C2>2E:4 EH:DE E@ D@7E6? E96 3=@H]k^Am kAm%H@ 9@FCD :?[ J@F H2?E D@>6@?6 E@ 36 2 D6C:2= <:==6C ;FDE E@ ;FDE:7J E96 E:>6 DA6?E H2E49:?8 E9:D] $25=J[ ?@ @?6 :D]k^AmkA 4=2DDlQE?4>D\:?=:?6\=:?<Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^?6HD]=66]?6E^E?4>D^2DD6E^65:E@C:2=^b7ehbd7d\b_ee\dcef\35af\ea63cdfg`d_`Qm#6G:6Hi p4E:@? 86ED :? E96 H2J @7 #636= (:=D@? ?233:?8 =2F89D :? VqC:56 w2C5Vk^2mk^Am kA 4=2DDlQE?4>D\:?=:?6\=:?<Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^?6HD]=66]?6E^E?4>D^2DD6E^65:E@C:2=^a__5a4ha\b4g6\d64e\g26a\`65fb35d725dQm#6G:6Hi V{:76 @7 r9F4<V 92D C62= 6>@E:@?2= 967Ek^2mk^Am Bruce Miller is editor of the Sioux City Journal. 0 Comments Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Now streaming and on DVD: 'Snow White' didn't need another interpretation Like the seven dwarfs, it’s a something-for-everyone venture that sags repeatedly, even though Zegler is a bright (and fitting) choice for the… Movies in a Minute: "Materialists" Bruce Miller, Sioux City Journal entertainment reporter, says "Materialists" had potential with its great cast, but its plot comes up short. Review: Action gets in the way of Rebel Wilson nabbing laughs in 'Bride Hard' "Bride Hard" gives Rebel Wilson a chance to ply her action skills in a middling comedy with “Pitch Perfect” co-star Anna Camp. Review: 'Life of Chuck' has real emotional heft Director Mike Flanagan may understand Stephen King’s darker side better than most, but he also has a good handle on the author’s sentimental b… Review: 'Ballerina' repeats familiar moves — without John Wick “From the World of John Wick: Ballerina” is a roundabout way of saying, “John Wick really isn’t in this, but we want the crowd he attracts.” Movie review: Alfie Williams makes impressive debut in '28 Years Later' Pegged as a hunter, 12-year-old Spike is sent on a rite of passage with his father, Jamie, to the place where zombies run in herky-jerky fashi… Maggie Q brings the heat to cold cases in 'Ballard' Actress Maggie Q says she’ll watch a serial killer documentary just before bedtime. Consider it an occupational hazard.
Now streaming and on DVD: 'Snow White' didn't need another interpretation Like the seven dwarfs, it’s a something-for-everyone venture that sags repeatedly, even though Zegler is a bright (and fitting) choice for the…
Movies in a Minute: "Materialists" Bruce Miller, Sioux City Journal entertainment reporter, says "Materialists" had potential with its great cast, but its plot comes up short.
Review: Action gets in the way of Rebel Wilson nabbing laughs in 'Bride Hard' "Bride Hard" gives Rebel Wilson a chance to ply her action skills in a middling comedy with “Pitch Perfect” co-star Anna Camp.
Review: 'Life of Chuck' has real emotional heft Director Mike Flanagan may understand Stephen King’s darker side better than most, but he also has a good handle on the author’s sentimental b…
Review: 'Ballerina' repeats familiar moves — without John Wick “From the World of John Wick: Ballerina” is a roundabout way of saying, “John Wick really isn’t in this, but we want the crowd he attracts.”
Movie review: Alfie Williams makes impressive debut in '28 Years Later' Pegged as a hunter, 12-year-old Spike is sent on a rite of passage with his father, Jamie, to the place where zombies run in herky-jerky fashi…
Maggie Q brings the heat to cold cases in 'Ballard' Actress Maggie Q says she’ll watch a serial killer documentary just before bedtime. Consider it an occupational hazard.
