We are convinced that love always finds its way. We write about it, we make movies about it, and it might be one of our favorite things to talk about. But maybe we have closed the door on it.
I mean, what happens when everyone’s looking for a business deal?
I watched Celine Song’s Materialists last night. It didn’t feel like fiction, at least not in the first half. It felt like a quiet reflection of the world we’re already living in. A world where love sounds more like negotiation and affection comes with a price tag.
I’m not even against the idea of being materialistic. or, how do you put it? The right to choose your partner? For sure, choose. It’s the terrible way we confuse judgment for standards.
I know it’s normal to choose and have preferences. But it was still strange, quite shameful, to watch people in their late 30s come to Lucy with their lists of non-negotiables. I was like, a matchmaker’s job must be tough, man. Because that’s not a list, that’s a whole business plan.
Everyone seemed so sure about what they wanted. Like “this,” and nothing else. Maybe that’s what makes modern love so strange: we want connection, but only on our terms. So we start filtering people like resumes. And once all the boxes are checked, we look for “unconditional love” in the same person like we didn’t just filter them through tens of conditions.
The first half felt painfully real. In the next, Lucy gets back with her ex, a poor guy who she believes truly loves her. I guess that’s how movies end.
By the way, I don’t buy the idea of “unconditional love.” If it’s love, it’s unconditional. Love needs no adjectives.