Dakota Johnson will star as an elite matchmaker in A24 romcom Materialists, shedding light on the heavily guarded industry of finding love for high net worth singles
This summer’s most-anticipated romance film, The Materialists, centres on the life and lucrative business of an elite matchmaker, Lucy, played by Dakota Johnson. Starring alongside Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal in the upcoming A24 production, Johnson takes on the role of a romantic ‘headhunter’, handing out business cards, reviewing CVs and interviewing affluent singles looking for love.
The film offers a glimpse into the discreet business of helping the elite find love, but could it be the next viable alternative for singletons? Services catering to “exceptional singles” market a personal touch that has been missing from online dating in recent years. The desire for more personal, high quality matches is evidenced by the stark decline in usership.
Tinder and Hinge, two of the most popular online dating apps in the UK, saw an exodus of 700,000 users between May 2023 and May 2024, according to Ofcom’s Online National report. Even Raya, the membership-based dating app for A-list professionals has lost significant appeal, now filled with ex-reality TV stars, DJs and celebrity-seekers.
Elite matchmaking is a highly appealing alternative for those serious about finding like-minded, professional partners, particularly for those who value discretion and don’t have the time to do their own vetting. But outsourcing the often draining and time-consuming task of looking for love comes with a high price tag.
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Bowes-Lyon Partnerships is one elite matchmaking agency operating in London and Surrey, offering “a discreet and bespoke matchmaking service for eligible and sophisticated people”. On their website, the company totes a high success rate, with 72% of members entering into a long-term relationship during their membership.
But the price for love might dampen the mood for some. The Bowes-Lyon’s Classic membership package has an annual fee of £10,000 + VAT, which includes 12 introductions, a dedicated matchmaker and complimentary photoshoot.
If you’re really invested, there’s also the Premium package, which includes consultations with a dating coach and stylist and headhunting services on professional networks. This premium service will run you £15,000 per year but it also includes unlimited introductions.
Most people will be priced out of these elite matchmaking services (which is part of the point), but a pendulum swing back to in-person dating experiences is giving people greater opportunities to break free from apps while expanding their networks. Speed dating, blind dating and even singles’ supper clubs are all gaining traction at the moment.
Dating apps are also vying to win back users seeking more tailored connections with AI-powered matchmaking features. Bumble recently introduced a new ‘Discover’ feature designed to show users more compatible matches daily, “categorised by commonalities such as shared dating intentions, interests and communities.”
Tinder also announced earlier this year that it will be testing AI-curated recommendations to deliver “more personalised and engaging matches.” The investment in AI as matchmaker is part of a larger corporate initiative by Tinder’s parent company Match Group—which also owns Hinge and OKCupid.
According to Match Group CEO, Spencer Rascoff: “This Cambrian explosion in AI is going to allow Match Group to have the same kind of business inflection that the shift from desktop to mobile created for our category and other categories around 10 years ago — when mobile exceeded desktop.”
The Materialists is set to premiere on June 13, and is written and directed by Celine Song who is behind the Oscar-nominated film Past Lives.
