Nidhish Waghmare
Writer-director Celine Song has addressed the viral criticism surrounding her latest film Materialists, which some online have labeled as “broke man propaganda.” The romantic drama, starring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal, follows a New York matchmaker caught between a wealthy financier and a struggling actor.
In an interview, Song pushed back against the backlash, calling the trend of judging romantic choices based on income “brutal” and “classist.” “I’m a pretty radical feminist and a leftist… Classism is not within the realm of what feminism was meant to be,” she said.
Feminism, Class, and the Dating Debate
Song expressed concern over how modern feminism is being distorted to justify class-based judgment in relationships. “It’s really upsetting to me… that people are going to judge each other for how much money they make,” she said, questioning how wealth became a moral virtue in romantic narratives.
She emphasized that Materialists is about love—not wealth—and that the film’s characters are meant to reflect emotional authenticity, not financial status.
Why the ‘Billionaire vs Broke Guy’ Trope Misses the Point
Song also challenged the idea that choosing a less wealthy partner is somehow regressive. “An average American makes $35,000 a year… No matter how hard you work, you’re never going to afford a $12 million apartment,” she explained, adding that wealth is often inherited, not earned.
She argued that judging someone’s worth based on income ignores systemic inequality and undermines the core values of feminism.
Materialists: A Love Story, Not a Lecture
Materialists, which released in theatres on June 13, has sparked widespread conversation for its nuanced portrayal of love, class, and choice. Song insists the film is not about promoting poverty or glamorizing struggle—it’s about choosing emotional connection over material comfort.
“Everybody who made the movie showed up because we wanted to make a movie about love,” she said
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