“This is a nightmare.”

Predictable yet less shallow than it might appear on the surface, Resort to Love is a passable yet ultimately forgettable Netflix original romantic comedy, a film tailor-made for audiences who watch movies for the content the same way some readers devour cheap adult novels. There’s little to no substance here, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to actively say that it’s a bad movie either. It looks good, has a few honest laughs, and the emotions aren’t too contrived. I don’t think you’ll hate it, but I know you won’t remember it a few weeks later either. Take that as a warning or a pleasant diversion.

Nothing seems to go right for Erica (Christina Milian). She’s a singer who expects to finally get her big break until the album she’s featured on is shelved. And it doesn’t help that she’s already down and out after being dumped by her ex-fiancé Jason (Jay Pharoah). Like most movies, we find Erica stowed away in her apartment, drinking wine round the clock and shoveling in junk food. Her friend Amber (Tymberlee Hill) isn’t having it anymore, and uses her connections to get Erica her next escape and work gig at a destination resort. She just happens to conveniently leave out that wedding singing is part of the job description.

On a day off she meets Caleb (Sinqua Walls) under extreme circumstances, the two lock eyes, an island fling is born. Things get complicated fast, and for how deeply clichéd the movie is at every turn, I have to admit that it still manages to give its leading lady a full character arc. I’m not sure where they shot the film either, but it actually looks like a full on luxury resort, helping to bring some authenticity to all of the corny scenes that play out on screen. The performances serve their purpose (besides a terribly cast Jay Pharoah…I’m not sure he can pull off the dramatic scenes) and the movie capably moves from one beat to the next without major hiccups. It’s not bad but it’s never better than average at best.

The concept of watching a character get cold feet in a tropical locale is a good idea, but Resort to Love never really follows through on the romantic or comedic angles of its story. Think of it as Forgetting Sarah Marshall made for the Hallmark channel and you’ll understand what I mean. And that seems to be exactly what the film sets out to achieve in the first place. So while it’s nothing special, is routine and derivative, Resort to Love still accomplishes its main goal, and that’s more than too many movies that are way more expensive can lay claim to.

“I guess this could definitely be worse.”

Rating: 2.5 out of 5