Finding love in the modern world isn’t easy. Many of us have lost the gumption to ask a stranger out in public, meaning the opportunity for romance relies on a plethora of apps that lead us to disappointing dates, unsuitable matches, or worse – profound boredom. Of the 4.4 million adults in the UK using online dating services such as Tinder, Bumble and Hinge, about a quarter are paying for the premium editions in an attempt to make the hunt for love effective and enjoyable. These can cost up to £70 a month. As you might expect, rich people have a markedly pricier and more successful version of this: welcome to the world of millionaire matchmakers.
Dakota Johnson is one such professional cupid in Materialists, the naturalistic new romcom from Past Lives director Celine Song, released in UK cinemas this week. Her character Lucy’s slew of high-net-worth New York clients bombard her with demands for a match with the perfect height, weight, age – even salary. Essentially, it all comes down to numbers. Song was inspired to make the film by her own six-month experience working as a matchmaker. “I learnt more about people and what's in their hearts than I did in any other period of my life,” she has said – and the search for “the one” has become even more unusual since Song had the job in the late 2010s.
