People We Meet on Vacation (2026) Review: Emily Bader & Tom Blyth Shine in This Netflix Adaptation

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source: tv.lk21

Published: January 10, 2026 | Edited: August 21, 2026

Synopsis:

People We Meet on Vacation (2026) is a romantic comedy film released on January 9, 2026 on Netflix with a runtime of 2 hours. The film is adapted from Emily Henry's bestselling novel of the same name and directed by Brett Haley. The film received a score of 7.1/10 on IMDb and 78% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film tells the story of Poppy Wright, a free and spontaneous travel writer, and Alex Nilsen, a literature professor who prefers to stay at home.

They met in college and became friends, then spent one week together every summer for vacation. However, after one incident in Italy, they decided to stop talking to each other. Two years later, Poppy attends Alex's brother's wedding in Barcelona, and they have to confront their true feelings. The film uses a non-linear structure, jumping back and forth between "Now" in Barcelona and "Summers Past". From being awkward at first, to becoming friends, to the question: can they risk losing their friendship for love?

The film received positive reviews from critics, with praise for the chemistry between Emily Bader and Tom Blyth. They successfully brought the characters of Poppy and Alex to life and made the audience feel connected to them. They have "easy, playful chemistry". Bader makes Poppy, the "quirky girl" trope, warm and endearing, not annoying. Blyth as the stiff Alex becomes the perfect foil and remains sincere. Many critics called them an "irresistibly charming duo". The structure is like a puzzle. The time jumps between past and present keep the film from feeling linear and boring. It makes us curious "why did they stop talking?".

However, some critics also mentioned that the film has several weaknesses, such as a predictable plot and a premise that feels familiar. Some called it a "cookie-cutter rom-com" and "occasionally cute and almost instantly forgettable". Some supporting characters are underdeveloped, like Sarah, Alex's girlfriend, who was given little space. Even though there are Molly Shannon and Alan Ruck as Poppy's funny parents. But overall, this is a romantic comedy film that is fun and comforting to the heart.

This film stars: Emily Bader, Tom Blyth, Sarah Catherine Hook, Jameela Jamil and more.

In my opinion:

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I enjoyed the comedy. While watching this film, I smiled and laughed lightly several times seeing the character of Poppy Wright who is funny and spontaneous. The film uses a flashback structure, which helps us understand what happened between Poppy and Alex. It's true what the critics said that the plot is easy to predict. Even so, the meaning of this film is very good. The film has classic rom-com vibes. There are beautiful sceneries, flirty banter, and the message "home can be found in a person, not a place". For many people this is a "feel-good escape" and "wildly entertaining and heartwarming".

This film teaches that one of love's greatest enemies is ego. No matter how strong the love we feel and maintain. If ego takes the lead, then love will not work. My message is, if you are sure, express what you feel so that love doesn't have to wait. People We Meet on Vacation is a "breezy" and "charming" adaptation. If you are looking for an adult rom-com that is serious about "emotional tension" and want to see two people who are "perfectly aligned and perpetually out of step", this is for you. It's not a film that reinvents the wheel, but Bader-Blyth's chemistry makes the journey from friends to lovers feel earned. Perfect for date night.

For my this one is 8/10.

Knowledge Corner:

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Do you know Emily Henry? She is a novelist born in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States - May 17, 1991. Emily is a young novelist who writes in the genres: Contemporary Romance, Rom-Com, and Women's Fiction. Emily's works have distinctive characteristics: the tropes "enemies to lovers," "grumpy x sunshine," summer/small town settings, and funny + emotional dialogue.

Emily Henry was raised in Cincinnati and has lived in Chicago, Cincinnati, and Kentucky. She attended Hope College in Michigan and majored in Creative Writing. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked as a copywriter and barista. She started writing while she was still in college. The turning point in her career came during the 2020 pandemic. She "crossed over" into adult romance and immediately blew up. Her books went viral on TikTok #BookTok and now readers call her "The Queen of Summer Romance."

Emily Henry's career is divided into 2 phases. Phase One: When she wrote YA Fantasy from 2016-2019. This was the phase before she became famous. In these works, Emily used a poetic writing style. Examples include The Love That Split the World (2016), A Million Junes (2017), and When the Sky Fell on Splendor (2019).

Phase Two, Emily shifted gears to become a writer of adult contemporary romance, and this has been ongoing from 2021 to now. Amazingly, it was this theme that made her a consecutive NYT Bestseller. Examples include:

• Beach Read (2020) - Her adult debut. About 2 writers who make a bet to write in each other's genre. Here Emily explores themes of grief + writer's block.
• People We Meet on Vacation (2021) - Trope "friends to lovers." 2 best friends who go on vacation together every year, and it has been adapted into a movie version.
• Book Lovers (2022) - Trope "grumpy x sunshine" + "enemies to lovers." A book editor vs. a literary editor in a small town.
• Happy Place (2023) - Exes who pretend they are still dating in front of their friends during a group vacation.
• Funny Story (2024) - 2 people whose exes cheated on them with each other, and they end up living together.
• Great Big Beautiful Life (2025) - About 2 writers competing to write the biography of a mysterious woman.

Emily Henry is now widely known as a skilled novelist with her writing style. Sharp and funny dialogue - it feels like watching a rom-com. Adult and realistic characters - discussing trauma, career, and family, not just romance. Warm settings - beach, small town, summer house. And emotional plot twists - there is always 1 chapter that makes you cry.

Emily's achievements are no joke. 5 of her books have made the NYT Bestseller list, she has won the Goodreads Choice Award for Romance several times, and her books have already been translated into 30+ languages. Latest news, her novels: Beach Read and Book Lovers are set to be adapted into movies, like People We Meet on Vacation.

So for romance novel fans, is Emily Henry your favorite novelist?