People We Meet on Vacation (2026) is a new romantic-comedy based on the bestselling novel by Emily Henry. Tom Blyth and Emily Bader lead the movie, with Brett Haley directing.
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For many — myself included — this movie is a long awaited, highly anticipated adaptation. Book-to-film projects are always tricky, especially when the beloved source material has passionate fans; there’s always the worry that the final product will fail those who were there from day one. So how did this romance play out?Â
The story honours romcoms of old; Henry has said that a major inspiration for Alex and Poppy’s story was the classic When Harry Met Sally (1989). That influence shows in the familiar tropes and character dynamics of People We Meet on Vacation. These tropes could invite criticism for being clichĂ©, but the story earns them, making the moments feel more fun than cringe.Â
The casting and chemistry of the main couple felt nothing short of perfect. These two swept me off my feet; for book lovers, it was as if they’d been lifted straight from the text. Their back and forth had me laughing, swooning, and crying in all the right places. Poppy especially takes up space in the best way, and I adored her for it. I wanted to steal her amazing wardrobe and all of her stupid jokes.Â
The book spans multiple vacations over several years, so it was inevitable that some destinations would be cut, combined, or completely reimagined for a two-hour movie. I thank the writers that my favourite trip survived the transition — and that I still got to feel some British Columbia love on screen.Â
Unfortunately, the build-up of their relationship felt awkward. The stakes never reach the heights they do in the book, and I worry the dynamic might fall flat for viewers experiencing the story for the first time. While many changes were understandable for the sake of time and simplicity, quite a few deviations from the book felt unnecessary — and even detrimental to the characters’ depth. Alex, in particular, never gets to be the fully realized lead he is on the page. We only catch brief glimpses of his motivations, and the alterations to them strip away the nuance that would have made us sympathetic to his actions. These changes and lack of depth weaken the final conflict, and gives those not already attached to the characters less reason to root for them. The shallowness extended to the soundtrack as well; some song choices like august by Taylor Swift seemed aimed at creating viral moments rather than supporting the emotional beats of the story.
The format of this book is a tricky one to adapt and some internet discussion has suggested that a limited series like One Day (2024), Normal People (2020), or Heated Rivalry (2025-) would’ve had an easier time being a faithful and effective adaptation, which I am inclined to agree with. But I understand the desire to adapt this into a classic style romcom like the films it was inspired by.  Â
Overall? The release of this bright summer movie was just what I needed to chase away the winter blues. It had been a while since I’d felt so entangled in a film and the conversations around it, and it reminded me how fun it is to be fully invested in a story. I see myself in Poppy — in her insecurities, her backstory, her growth — and that connection didn’t fade. The climax made me weep both times I watched it.Â
Despite its shortcomings, it balances being sweet, sizzling, fun, and earnest like only a good romcom can do. A story that acknowledges pain but still chooses joy was just what my January 2026 called for, and I will certainly be pulling this movie out again for a slumber party with friends, to laugh, swoon, cry, and criticize it all over again.Â
