The Wasteland Reviewer

Relationship Goals (2026) Written Review

Now that the calendar has turned to February, what does that mean for the movie scene? It is time to prepare our bodies and senses for the onslaught of romantic films just in time for Valentine’s Day. Whether they are iconic adaptations like Wuthering Heights or counter programing like Solo Mio for on location rom com fans, there is always a nice variety of different types of romances. With the advent of streaming services, there was a whole space to really expand into, and Amazon Prime Video did just that this year delivering their own rom com for the season in the form of Relationship Goals. 

Does director Burke Doeren bring enough of the goods to make this a worthwhile venture in such a saturated market? There are certainly things to enjoy about Relationship Goals and good elements to appreciate…but it is not the strongest rom com out there. Tonally, they keep things quite light despite attempting to throw in some big emotional beats (including having our protagonist’s mother being dead and her not wanting to confront that). The film does struggle to stand out from a filmmaking standpoint as there isn’t much to write home about. The visuals come up short as they look overly lit in the same unappealing way that so many newer films are shot for streaming. The film does more along quite well at least even when the film feels like it throws wrenches in there to just keep it going. Some of the vibes feel off and they stem from our main protagonist and the writing for that character. 

Where are those “off vibes” coming from? The screenplay (based on the book by Pastor Michael Todd) does our leading lady wrong. Leah has put the work in for a promotion. That job may be taken by her immature ex from years ago. Sure…she should be frustrated. But the way Leah is written makes her insufferable and extremely unlikeable. Her ex (Method Man’s Jarrett) has obviously grown since they saw each other last and this one-dimensional rage does not help in building empathy for her. Like mentioned before, the plot feels a bit stretched because unearned late second act falling outs don’t deliver the impact because they feel forced for the sake of artificial conflict. The faith-based elements of the film feel so shoehorned in and never quite get there (despite being focused on so much). Leah’s two best friends each have their own arcs in the film and honestly, they have a bit more nuance to them (with Robin Thede’s Brenda having a passionate long-term relationship that is not satisfying and Annie Gonzalez’ Treese not having a relationship). 

How much of the heavy-lifting falls on the cast here? Most of it for sure. Rowland is so charismatic and absolutely stunning which makes it a shape that her character is so frustrating. But that natural charisma shines through and gives her some great moments. Thede and Gonzalez are both having a lot of fun making this trio such a fun time to watch (including a club dancing sequence that will make millennials quite happy. Method Man is charming and funny as Jarrett, making him a rock-solid love interest for Rowland to bounce off. Luckily, their chemistry is quite effective. There are a pair of supporting veteran performers worth highlighting, Dennis Haysbert and Matt Walsh. Haysbert brings some weight and depth to the film as Leah’s father who pushes her to confront the loss of her mother. Walsh is just a lot of fun as Leah and Jarrett’s boss on the way out. 

Is Relationship Goals a worthwhile streaming romantic comedy for the season? You might not want to go that far with its praise. The goals of making a strong female character and delivering some good faith-based themes come up short. The story and its central character just are not effective enough. But the cast brings plenty of charisma to the table and will get you laughing a few times along the way.