‘Materialists’ Is the Hit Movie Chris Evans Needs After the MCU

Chris Evans recently turned 44, and with age comes wisdom and growth. With his latest film, Materialists, he has achieved an artistic growth that seemed to elude him as he navigated his career following his exit from the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Avengers: Endgame. Make no mistake: Evans is a very talented actor who can play across various genres. However, aside from his turn in Knives Out, which showcased a devilish charm, he has chosen projects that aren’t worthy of his talents. Writer and director Celine Song has tapped into a vulnerability in Evans that makes his work in Materialists his best work to date, signaling a new direction for his career.

Written and directed by Song, Materialists is all about modern-day dating and the bloated expectations that come along with it, told through the guise of a rom-com. Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is a former actress turned New York City-based matchmaker who has just become responsible for her ninth client taking a trip down the aisle. At the wedding of this client, she encounters his brother Harry (Pedro Pascal), a wealthy financier who is not turned away by Lucy’s attempts to rebuff his respectable and suave advances.

Also at the wedding, albeit working as a caterer, is John (Evans), Lucy’s down-on-his-luck ex-boyfriend, who is a struggling actor barely making ends meet. Despite not having the material assets that Lucy believes she needs, she’s still drawn to John but has to navigate her old feelings for him while engaging in a relationship with Harry, who checks all the boxes.

Most of Chris Evans’ Post-Endgame Career Was Lacking in Quality

Looking at the output from Evans, post-Endgame, only Knives Out stands tall as a film that allowed the actor to flex his talents. After playing the Stoic Steve Rogers/Captain America for so long, Evans was able to portray someone a bit nasty who was far from being a hero. It was a refreshing turn that seemed to indicate that his post-MCU career would be bright. While he delivered a strong performance in the Apple TV+ miniseries Defending Jacob, his questionable movie choices soon began to overshadow his successes.

His four major live-action films (excluding his voice work in Lightyear) in which he played a major role were The Gray Man, Ghosted, Pain Hustlers, and Red One. The nicest thing to say about some of these films is that they were maybe entertaining in the moment, and, at worst, they were totally forgettable. That’s not to say that Evans was bad in these films; it was just clear that he was so much better than the material he was being given.

In Materialists, Evans shows a remarkable accessibility and vulnerability as John. He makes the character achingly real, and the audience forgets that the man playing him has been in some of the biggest movies ever made. What is instantly noticeable is the look in Evans’ eyes, which speaks volumes throughout the film. When the movie dives into the complexities of the relationship between John and Lucy, you can see his palpable pain and regret. You can feel his belief that he just couldn’t be good enough for her. Much of this is done through his delivery of Song’s painfully honest dialogue, but it’s at its most poignant with just a look. Evans creates an instant connection with the audience, one that he hadn’t truly achieved until his performance in this film.

What’s even more impressive is that, even though he has his fair share of time on screen, there are stretches where his character is absent while Lucy ponders her standing with Harry. Despite the trailer selling a more traditional love triangle, this is one where the two male characters aren’t fully aware they’re in one. The triangle separating them is more about money, stature, and social status, as seen through Lucy’s eyes.

This means there aren’t any traditional scenes where John tries to convince Lucy he’s better for her, or Harry tries to convince her that John is a scrub who doesn’t deserve her. In this “battle” for the girl, it comes down to individual personalities and what Evans can sell as John is that, despite his misfortunes and lack of financial stability (something that broke them up after a five-year relationship), is his unwavering love for her, including all the flaws that she’s very much aware of. She knows she’s judgmental and materialistic and even wonders what he could love about her, but Evans sells the notion that he’s seeing something deeper in Lucy’s soul. Not only is the character intuitive, but it’s a very intuitive performance from an actor who, for whatever reason, gets who John is.

Chris Evans’ Vulnerable Turn in ‘Materialists’ Is His Best Work To Date

Materialists

Release Date

June 25, 2025

Director

Celine Song

Writers

Celine Song

Producers

Christine Vachon, Pamela Koffler

Evans’ shining moment comes near the end of the film, where he has to deliver a monologue that is bound to be the top choice for anyone needing meaty material for an upcoming audition. It’s a painfully honest declaration of his feelings, where insecurities are laid bare and the truth is finally revealed for all to see. As Evans delivered his lines, it became apparent that this was an actor who wanted to take it to the next level and show a side of himself that had been missing from some of his most recent roles. It’s this singular scene that represents Evans’ best work, and bravo to Song as a writer and director for seeing something in him that made him believe he could deliver. At this stage of his career, this is the work we want to see from him.

Related

Chris Evans Left Marvel for the Right Reasons but Says He Might Come Back Under These 2 Circumstances

For nearly a decade, Chris Evans was a beloved face of the MCU with his unparalleled performance as Captain American, a role he left behind in 2019.

This isn’t to suggest that Evans shouldn’t make fun, check-your-brain-at-the-door films, because there is room for those. Not every role needs to offer up deep pathos and extreme emotional depth, but it’s great to see an actor have his moment. The reviews for Evans in Materialists have said he’s giving career-best work, and that is what happens when an actor finally comes into his own because of solid writing, direction, and a genuine desire to show up and display talents many already knew he possessed. Materialists is in theaters now.