If you’ve spent any time on Film Twitter or TikTok lately, you've definitely seen the "broke boyfriend vs. billionaire" debate. It’s all thanks to Celine Song’s latest project. After the quiet, soul-crushing beauty of Past Lives, people expected her next move to be another delicate masterpiece. Instead, she gave us The Materialists.
It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s New York.
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Finding out exactly where to watch The Materialists is the first hurdle. Since its theatrical run in June 2025, the film has bounced between premium rental windows and streaming platforms. If you missed it in the cinema—or if you just want to rewatch that Central Park ending to see if Dakota Johnson’s character actually made a massive mistake—here is the current situation for watching it at home.
The Materialists: Where to Watch on Streaming
Honestly, the streaming rights for A24 movies can be a bit of a headache. However, thanks to a major deal, The Materialists is currently streaming exclusively on HBO Max. It officially landed on the platform on November 7, 2025.
If you aren't an HBO Max subscriber, you've still got a few choices. You can go the old-school digital route. The film is available to rent or buy on the usual suspects:
- Apple TV+
- Amazon Prime Video
- Google Play
- Fandango at Home (formerly Vudu)
Usually, renting it will set you back about $5.99, while buying a digital 4K copy costs around $19.99. A24 also released a pretty slick Blu-ray edition through their official shop, which includes a director's commentary and a featurette called The Math of Modern Dating.
What is The Materialists actually about?
Forget the "sad girl" vibes of Song's previous work. This movie is a sharp-edged romantic dramedy that basically asks: Is it better to marry for love or for a Tribeca penthouse?
Dakota Johnson plays Lucy, a high-end matchmaker in Manhattan who is actually quite jaded about the whole "soulmate" thing. She treats dating like a business transaction—math, essentially. Then she gets caught in a triangle that feels like a fever dream:
- The "Unicorn": Harry (Pedro Pascal), a charming, absurdly wealthy financier who is basically the perfect man on paper.
- The Ex: John (Chris Evans), a struggling actor and cater waiter who is perpetually broke but has that "we have history" pull.
It's not just a rom-com, though. There’s a subplot involving one of Lucy’s clients, Sophie (played by Succession’s Zoë Winters), that turns the movie into a much darker critique of how we commodify people. It’s why some critics loved it and others found it "hollow." It doesn't give you the easy, warm feelings you'd expect from a movie starring three of the most likable people in Hollywood.
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Why everyone is talking about the ending
Without spoiling the minute-by-minute play, the ending of The Materialists has sparked massive threads on Reddit. Lucy’s final choice—and specifically the flower-ring proposal in Central Park—is being dissected like a lab specimen.
Director Celine Song even chimed in during an interview with IndieWire, saying she views the couple's future as a "50-50" shot. She isn't promising a happily-ever-after. She’s promising a "material" reality. That grit is what makes the movie worth the watch, even if you end up wanting to yell at the screen.
How to get the best viewing experience
If you’re watching on HBO Max, try to catch it in 4K. Shabier Kirchner, the cinematographer, did some incredible work with the New York City lighting. The "upstate wedding" scenes are particularly gorgeous and deserve a big screen if you have one.
Pro-tip: If you’re a fan of the music, the score is by Daniel Pemberton (the guy who did the Spider-Verse music) and it’s a total vibe. It shifts from glitzy and fast-paced to something much more melancholic as Lucy realizes her "perfect math" isn't adding up.
Next Steps for You:
If you already have an active subscription, head over to HBO Max and search for The Materialists to start streaming immediately. If you prefer owning your media, check the A24 Shop for the special edition Blu-ray, as their physical releases tend to sell out and become collector's items quickly.