“This story hit so hard I Amazoned a copy of ‘Relationship Goals’ right away.”
A movie based on Mike Todd’s New York Times bestselling book Relationship Goals, which originated from a sermon series of the same name that catapulted him to a wider audience years ago, has been panned by critics as little more than a vehicle to sell more copies of his book, with some unfavorably comparing it to the ‘War of the Worlds’ remake.
The film, which was released on February 4th on Amazon Prime, stars Kelly Rowland and ‘Method Man’ as the leads. According to the movie synopsis:
When brilliant TV producer Leah Caldwell is about to make history as the first woman to run New York’s top morning show, her ex Jarrett Roy swoops in to compete for the same position. He claims he’s a changed man, transformed by the wisdom of the New York Times bestselling book ‘Relationship Goals.’
As her tight-knit circle of friends dive into the same life-changing book, they all begin to rediscover their aim in love. Yet Leah, laser-focused on breaking through the glass ceiling, isn’t ready to believe in finding love—even as her undeniable chemistry with her ex threatens to reignite old flames.
With Michael Todd being both a writer and a producer of the film, he and his wife, Natalie, play an important part in the film, which goes out of its way to paint them as glamorous gurus.
There are extended scenes of the Todds (playing themselves) being interviewed and describing the book and how it changes lives, others describing the book and how it transformed their whole perspective, characters reading quotes from the book while gushing over it, scenes in Mike Todd’s church showing off the service and production, etc.
Brian Orndorf writes in his review:
What’s especially odd about “Relationship Goals”,..is the very genesis of the feature, which aims to transform a standard tale of warring lovebirds into a celebration of pastor Michael Todd and his self-help books.
The endeavor tries to have heart and soul, but the only feeling viewers might feel is ickiness as the offering is nothing more than a grotesque commercial for a megachurch mogul.
Film critic William Bibbiani of The Wrap adds in his own review:
We live in one where this conventional, boring, forgettable romantic comedy isn’t even a romantic comedy. It’s a shameless promotion for a book about relationship advice, released on a streaming service that also happens to sell the book. It even features lines like, “This story hit so hard I Amazoned a copy of ‘Relationship Goals’ right away.”
and
Relationship Goals” isn’t as insulting as Prime Video’s “War of the Worlds,” in which the planet was literally saved by two Amazon purchases and the wonder of flying Amazon drones, but then very few films are, so that’s not a useful comparison. It’s enough that this film is insulting, unconvincing, unfunny, unromantic, and, worst of all, at least to the Amazon executives, it doesn’t even make you want to buy the damn book.
The film presently has five critic review on Rotten Tomatoes, with 4 out 5 giving it a ‘rotten’ score, and the film has a 4.4/10 rating on IMDB
Transformation Church is led by pastor Michael Todd, known for crowd surfing during his church’s worship service, preaching some good old-fashioned Modalism, and giving the world perhaps the grossest illustration in church after he (twice) snorted and then hocked a loogie full of spit and snot into his hand and rubbed it in another man’s face.
Two months ago, Transformation Church in Tulsa, OK, hosted a celebration of life for the late pro-choice, pro-LGBTQ, hell-denying, Trinity-denying, Universalist, Unitarian Bishop Carlton Pearson, with lead pastor Michael Todd praising him as a “man of God” who faithfully lived out the gospel message.
One month ago, he reiterated his contempt for the scriptures by trashing the stage and pouring syrup and whipped cream all over a bible.
He recently had a service where ballet dancers with bare butts danced around the stage, and, in a recent sermon, offered a muddled, confused, contradictory, and seeming apology for what God’s word says about homosexuality. Further, one of their pastors justifies his continual cussing by confessing : ‘I have never felt a conviction of the Holy Spirit’, argued on his podcast that belief in the Trinity is a non-essential issue, and that it should NOT be considered cheating if a married man is caught dancing and twerking with another woman.
movie based on Mike Todd’s New York Times bestselling book Relationship Goals, based on a sermon series he did by the same name that catapulted him to a wider audience.
