Like Dakota Johnson's Lucy in Materialists, I'm a woman endlessly ping-ponging between my two great loves. Unlike Lucy, though, mine aren't Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans, they're polar-opposite genres: horror and romance. I'm just as here for an emotionally charged kiss as I am a blood-soaked kill, which not only makes me an unabashed fan of The Conjuring movies, it has me worriedly side-eyeing the way people are talking about Celine Song's latest…
Set in New York City, it centers on former actress-turned-matchmaker Lucy, who starts to question her ability to kickstart the perfect relationship when she falls for flashy financier Harry (Pascal) and her sweet, struggling ex John (Evans). "It's not your traditional rom-com, it's better!" and "Don't be fooled by the trailer!" are just some of the things critics have said about it in the run-up to its release, as others argue that it's "more thoughtful and honest" than titles we usually see in this space. "Did you really think Celine Song, already one of our best chroniclers of what love actually is, would make a shiny little rom-com about good, happy people? Please," writes Indiewire. The praise is warranted. But all the punching down at a genre that at worst, inspired it and at best, includes it can't help but leave an icky taste in my mouth – and remind me of when the term "elevated horror" was coined in the 2010s.
