THE STORY – When TV producer Leah Caldwell aims to become the first woman running New York’s top morning show, her ex Jarrett Roy competes for the same role. Leah stays focused on her career until chemistry with her ex challenges her priorities.
THE CAST – Kelly Rowland, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Robin Thede, Annie Gonzalez, Dennis Haysbert & Matt Walsh
THE TEAM – Linda Mendoza (Director), Michael Elliot, Cory Tynan & Laura Lekkos (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 93 Minutes
The beginning of the year is often a lopsided stretch for new film releases. The notorious “January dump” is followed by a wave of straight-to-streaming rom-coms in February, timed to cash in on the love in the air around Valentine’s Day. Sometimes these films have all the ingredients of a genre classic but never quite coalesce. Such is the case with “Relationship Goals,” the new rom-com from film and television director Linda Mendoza. Starring Kelly Rowland and Method Man, the film attempts to replicate the familiar formula, comfort, witty banter, conflict, and chemistry, but falls flat across the board. Based on Pastor Michael Todd’s real-life book of the same name, it paints an unrealistic picture of love shaped by a viral sermon series about dating, marriage, and sex.
The story centers on Leah Caldwell, an often too-over-the-top Kelly Rowland, a driven producer preparing to accept what she believes is a long-awaited promotion to executive producer of a top morning news program. Instead, her boss, Matt Walsh, who you cannot convince me is old enough to play a retirement-age grandfather, announces a trial run between Leah and an outside hire. Beyond the questionable morality of forcing employees into open competition, that hire turns out to be Leah’s ex, Jarrett Roy, played with excessive smugness by Method Man. And so begins the enemies-to-lovers setup, a tired trope that offers little here that feels fresh or inventive.
A rom-com lives or dies by the chemistry of its leads, and unfortunately, “Relationship Goals” has none to speak of. Rowland leans into a caricatured version of her character, often bordering on Disney Channel-style acting. Method Man fails to counterbalance the hamminess, instead competing with her for broad attention. A late heel turn for Roy feels unearned, and the awkward dynamic of coworkers vying for the same job never recovers. There is no spark, no meaningful tension beyond professional rivalry, and nothing that makes you root for their romance.
The side characters and B-plots fare even worse. Leah’s best friends, Brenda, Robin Thede, and Treese, Annie Gonzalez, immediately sense her romantic turmoil, because of course they do. Brenda has been stuck in a long-term relationship with a professional athlete that has gone nowhere, while Treese remains perpetually single despite earnest attempts at dating. After skimming a few chapters of “Relationship Goals,” Brenda is suddenly ready to leave her partner, and Treese commits to “dating with intention.”
The least believable element is the central message shared by both the real and fictional books, just believe in God, and you will find your one true love. Shoe-horning religion into the plot as a catch-all solution is off-putting, especially for this atheist, and offering little beyond “just trust me, bro” feels shallow and alienating. The lessons learned range from trivial, “being too honest on a first date can scare men away,” to reckless, threatening to leave a partner without any real conversation. Ladies, listen up, if he wanted to, he would. While the film occasionally suggests that growth and letting go of the past can open doors to new possibilities, most conflicts resolve through unhealthy, ultimatum-driven confrontations.
There are a handful of comedic beats that land, but the humor is largely underwhelming. Modern rom-coms tend to be heavy on the “rom” and light on the “com,” so it is at least refreshing to see performers like Matt Walsh in the mix, even if he is underused. The soundtrack, curated by music supervisor Dara Taylor, is a clear highlight, packed with millennial-era hits. A mid-film dance sequence set to a Ciara track is especially fun, recalling the better rom-coms of the early 2000s. Mendoza’s direction is competent, if ultimately forgettable, reflecting the limitations of a straight-to-streaming release that never rises above its circumstances.
“Relationship Goals” is anything but, succumbing to the genre’s worst clichés and shackled by a trite, undercooked script. If you are searching for romance this February, you are better off revisiting a classic or taking your chances in the real world. Hopefully, there is a nostalgic soundtrack waiting for you when you get home.
