The internet can’t stop talking about the Materialists, and the height surgery reveal.
Let me explain.
(Warning: Spoilers ahead.)
When it comes to finding love, people are willing to do a lot to get it. They join dating apps (ugh, Hinge), hit the gym or go to therapy, and even occasionally get surgery to permanently alter their physical appearance to fit society’s beauty standards.
The last option is what Pedro Pascal’s character goes for in A24’s newest romantic comedy about Lucy (Dakota Johnson), a New York matchmaker, and the two men vying for her heart. One is Harry (Pascal), a wealthy financier. The other is John (Chris Evans), a broke failed actor.
As the title suggests, Lucy is a bit of a materialist. For one, her job makes her view love as transactional. She also just really likes money and wants to marry someone who has a lot of it.
Given this information, you would think Lucy would end up with Harry. He’s rich, handsome, and played by the internet zaddy, Pedro Pascal. Spoiler alert, she doesn’t. Instead, Lucy ends up with John, realizing love is more important than material things.
People were not a fan of her choice. Setting aside the rom-com clichés, many were upset that Lucy ended up with anyone other than their favorite, Pedro Pascal. But what really struck a nerve was how Lucy broke up with Harry right after he reveals he underwent leg-lengthening surgery to become six inches taller. And also, they just can’t get over the surgery plot point.
Just to be clear, the internet could care less about Harry being an ex-short king and understand why some men may feel pressure to undergo such a leg-lengthening surgery.
Instead, the main issues around this plot point seems to be that it’s, first off, very random.
“Expected Materialists to be a romantic comedy, but didn’t know the comedy would be Pedro Pascal’s character getting height surgery to be 6ft,” a TikToker said.
And second, a lot of viewers didn’t know leg-lengthening surgery existed and what it entails.
According to GQ, a surgeon breaks a person’s femurs and inserts adjustable nails into the bones, which are then extended by a remote control every single day, for 90 days, following the surgery.
Either way, a height-enhancing surgery isn’t going to convince the internet that Lucy made the right choice. It’s Harry all the way for them.
