As winter drags on and summer feels far away, Netflix has released an adaptation of BookTok’s favorite “People We Meet on Vacation,” the contemporary romance novel by Emily Henry.
Poppy Wright is an optimistic, free-spirited journalist who takes vacations for a living. Alex Nilsen is her reserved, studious best friend who craves stability. After a decade of traveling together, the two have a falling out that threatens their relationship. The story unfolds through flashbacks as Poppy and Alex reconnect after two years apart.
The film remains largely reflective of its source material, with director Brett Haley working closely with author Emily Henry. The script is swoon-worthy at its best and occasionally cringeworthy, but leads Emily Bader and Tom Blyth carry it with convincing chemistry.
Romantic comedies often rely on shallow, trope-driven couples, making it difficult to root for characters who feel like stereotypes. While Alex and Poppy could easily be written as simple opposites who fall in love, the novel gives them depth through the relationships they have with their family, friends and each other.
The film struggles to capture that same complexity, a common issue with adaptations that attempt to condense a 300-page novel into a two-hour movie. Two major vacations from the book are merged into one in the film, altering the pacing of the second half and weakening the viewing experience. The film also spends little time exploring the characters’ lives outside their trips, leaving some scenes feeling underdeveloped.
Despite its shortcomings, it stands out as one of the more entertaining romantic comedies released in recent years. Many rom-coms depict toxic relationships, so it’s important to see a love story between two characters who care about each other outside of a romantic relationship, in a way where the viewer can easily see how they fell in love.
“People We Meet on Vacation” is an easy, enjoyable watch with friends and a reminder of summer romance, no matter the season.
