Why The Materialists Is So Refreshing:
I watched The Materialists last night and was stunned to find myself gently meditating on the idea of compromise in love—something so many romantic comedies and dramas in our cultural zeitgeist try to explore, but never quite land. They have compromise baked into their narratives, sure—but this one actually tastes like something real.
Let’s take Anyone But You as an example. It wasn’t a critical darling, but it was wildly popular. In it, the main characters resist each other’s character defects, eventually deciding to embrace one another—flaws and all—because that’s what a romcom does. These movies are light, breezy, predictable. In the end, love always prevails.
How nice! But also—not particularly challenging or rewarding. It’s nice in the way it’s nice to buy a bag of candy and let the sugar hit your dopamine receptors – you knew exactly what you were getting when you grabbed the Nerds Gummy Clusters.
The Materialists, though, is nice in the way it feels to go on a long, gentle hike in a beautiful, scenic place. It doesn’t hurt, but it isn’t exactly easy either. You might get a branch to the shin, walk through a spiderweb you didn’t see coming. But you keep putting one foot in front of the other, and you’re rewarded with beautiful scenery, and perhaps a better sleep that night from burning some energy.
That’s the emotional arc of the film, too. Even if you can sense where the love triangle is headed, the resolution feels hard-won—earned in a way that mirrors how real relationships evolve. The characters’ decisions are shaped by their actual material circumstances, and while the film gives you the pleasure and tension of a traditional romcom, it never feels overly scripted or saccharine.
It’s sincerely refreshing to watch a love story where the love that prevails feels both inevitable and grounded. The characters are honest about their struggles—both within themselves and with each other—but there’s a clear-eyed understanding of why the struggle is worth it. Their love isn’t effortful; it’s natural, reflexive. The challenge lies not in loving each other, but in navigating the external realities that test that love. And the movie lets us sit with that—lets us feel it fully.
It’s like getting to see that beautiful scenery (perhaps a waterfall – I love waterfalls) at the end of the hike. Sure, you got a scrape from that rogue branch, and yeah, you saw a bug so terrifying it’ll haunt you forever. But still—how incredible is it to witness something so naturally majestic? Something that exists—seemingly as effortlessly and enduringly—as loving someone simply because you just do.
Okay… What the heck does this have to do with the nonprofit sector???
Thank you, dear reader, for indulging my thoughts about this movie I watched (with the support of my lovely team here at the Center for Nonprofit Advancement—I will never stop being grateful that I get to explore ideas about movies and pop culture in a professional setting). And now, I’ll explain why I think this is worth your time—especially if you came here looking for professional development inspiration.
Essentially, I want to urge nonprofit professionals to carve out space—if you haven’t recently—for media that spurs genuine reflection. Something that forces you to pause as you find yourself with a knot in your brain that’s a pleasure, but perhaps a bit challenging, to disentangle.
Most of our blogs here touch on the topic of burnout, and I’m not going to avoid it here either. A vital tool in our fight against burnout is not just rest, but nourishment—for your soul, spirit, essence, mind (whatever word feels right to you). We often think about recovery from burnout as unplugging and resting—and that’s valid! But I think there’s also room for engaging rest. The key is not to force yourself to consume something overly intellectual, but something that balances enjoyment with the gentle stretch you feel in your mind when you find yourself stuck on an idea or a feeling that puzzles you and you find yourself sitting staring into space considering it instead of dismissing it and reaching for your phone to play Wordle—anyone else still playing Wordle?
A study published in Brain Connectivity found that reading narrative fiction increases brain connectivity, especially in areas associated with language and sensory-motor function—and the effects lingered for days. Another study published in the Learning and Individual Differences found that encountering new ideas boosts intrinsic motivation and creativity—both essential for sustaining our work in this sector.
Nourishing Media Recommendations for Nonprofit Professionals – A growing list of books, films, and other media that have resonated with those working in the nonprofit sector. Reflections are shared by nonprofit professionals, in their own words.
Have you read, watched, or listened to something recently that resonated with you? Share it with us so we can pass it along to your nonprofit peers! Email me at eleanors@nonprofitadvancement.org with your recommendation—please include how it inspired you or sparked reflection (and tag your organization if you’d like!).
Here are a couple to get our list started:
From Ellie Shippey, Communications Associate, Center for Nonprofit Advancement
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (2022 novel by Gabrielle Zevin)
Will make you think about the arc of your life and how things make the most sense in hindsight. Also will make you think about the relationships that shape you and why. - The Materialists (2025 film by Celine Song)
If love requires sacrifice and compromise, are we brave enough to embrace that? And if we are, what does it look like to embrace the evolution of that commitment?
From Taylor Strange, Chief of Staff, Center for Nonprofit Advancement
- The Greatest Showman (2017 film by Michael Gracey)
Just the best feel-good movie of all time.
From Aziza Rush, Operations Coordinator, Center for Nonprofit Advancement
- The Four Agreements (1997 book by Miguel Ruiz)
I found the principles in this book to be refreshing, practical and straight forward creating the framework for living a more authentic and harmonious life. When applied readers can break free from self-limiting patterns, cultivating a more authentic loving and compassionate relationship with themselves and others, now that’s what I call personal freedom.