Book-to-screen adaptations are all the rage right now, and Netflix is riding the wave with its film adaptation of Emily Henry’s bestselling novel People We Meet on Vacation. This review will not attempt to compare the book and the film. Instead, the film is judged on its own merits.
Set against the backdrop of multiple countries, from Canada to Barcelona, the travel rom-com single-handedly revives the charm of early-2000s romantic comedies. With its stellar cast, picturesque scenery and light yet emotionally resonant themes, the film hits close to home while keeping things breezy.
People We Meet on Vacation follows Poppy, an energetic and free-spirited travel writer who unexpectedly befriends Alex, a serious yet kind-hearted man. Their relationship does not get off to the smoothest start, but a road-trip mishap turns them into fast friends. They soon make a pact: no matter where life takes them, they will spend one week every summer vacationing together. Over the years, this promise leads them to places like New Orleans, Canada and Tuscany, filled with shared adventures and growing emotional intimacy.
That friendship, however, hits a speed bump when romantic feelings enter the picture. In an attempt to avoid confronting those emotions, Alex ghosts Poppy for two years, leaving her to continue her globe-trotting lifestyle alone until she is invited to attend Alex’s brother’s wedding in Barcelona. It is there that the two finally confront their feelings, transforming their “just friends” dynamic into lovers and, ultimately, life partners.
What makes People We Meet on Vacation work is how comfortably it balances nostalgia with freshness. Rom-com devotees will easily spot similarities with the 1989 Rob-Reiner directed film When Harry Met Sally, but this time the baton is passed from Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal to Emily Bader and Tom Blyth. Their execution of the friends-to-lovers trope is so convincing that the film could very well earn cult-classic status in the years to come. The film smartly weaves between past and present, mapping out how Alex and Poppy met, how their shared trips shaped their bond, the fallout that fractured their friendship and the journey that ultimately led them back to each other.
Yes, People We Meet on Vacation is cliché. Yes, the friends-to-lovers and “fated mates” tropes have been explored countless times across books, television, and films. But the film is undeniably charming, so much so that it leaves a smile lingering long after the credits roll.
Much of the film’s charm is thanks to Bader, who may have quietly crowned herself the rom-com queen of January 2026. As Poppy, she is dazzling, energetic, slightly reckless and refreshingly honest. From her wardrobe to her hair to her spontaneous “no itineraries” philosophy, Bader wears the character like a glove, emoting effortlessly in every scene.
She makes Poppy feel real, flawed, self-aware and unafraid of the consequences of her actions. While Poppy often uses travel as an escape, she ultimately knows when to stop running and start living, beginning with confronting her feelings for Alex. Bader sells the love story wholeheartedly and emerges as the film’s undeniable scene-stealer.
Blyth is no slouch either, bringing warmth and sincerity to Alex. His easy smile, piercing gaze, grounded presence and quiet devotion make his character deeply likeable. While the supporting cast largely serves as narrative scaffolding, Blyth and Bader clearly carry the film from start to finish, and they do so convincingly.
Beyond the romance, the film also offers a thoughtful portrayal of healthy friendship. It highlights showing up for one another, offering support in moments of need and letting go of grudges even after fallouts. Many modern friendships could learn a thing or two from Poppy and Alex.
That said, the script, written by Yulin Kuang, Amos Vernon and Nunzio Randazzo, could have benefited from further fleshing out the central romance. While the comedy lands effectively, the romantic tension feels underdeveloped. Their eventual union lacks the depth of angst or build-up needed to fully justify it. An almost-kiss in Tuscany years earlier does not quite balance out the ferocious intimacy depicted in Barcelona.
Additionally, too much screen time is spent in the past at the expense of the present. Questions such as when and how Poppy and Alex moved in together, why Alex ended his engagement to Sarah, or what their future plans look like are left frustratingly unanswered in a film nearing two hours.
Still, if there is one takeaway from People We Meet on Vacation, it is this: home does not have to be a place, it can be a person. As Poppy puts it, “Home is where you can be entirely yourself… (it) doesn’t have to be a place at all.”
People We Meet on Vacation is currently streaming on Netflix.
Release Date: January 9, 2026
Runtime: 1 hour, 57 minutes, and 51 seconds
Streaming Service: Netflix
Director: Brett Haley
Cast: Emily Bader, Tom Blyth, Lukas Gage, Jameela Jamil, Alan Ruck, Molly Shannon