Released on January 9th, 2026, Netflix’s adaptation of Emily Henry’s bestselling novel, The People We Meet On Vacation, became available for streaming on the platform. Originally published on May 11, 2021, Henry’s book has been recognized as a #1 New York Times bestseller and was named the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance in 2021. The story centers around two best friends, Poppy Wright and Alex Nilsen. Poppy, who is an extroverted, quirky, fun-loving character, contrasts with Alex, who is serious, reserved, and introverted. Their friendship initially begins in college, much to Alex’s dismay, and leads to the two going on numerous adventures. The two agree to meet every summer for a new exotic vacation, from vineyards in Tuscany to the vibrant, chaotic city of New Orleans.
The two grow closer over their trips; however, one trip results in their friendship ending. Two years later, Poppy can not get Alex out of her mind and misses the friendship they once had. Determined to change things back to the way they were, Poppy convinces Alex to take one more vacation, hoping that one last trip will fix everything. The novel changes from past to present, showing how Alex and Poppy’s tension in the present rolls over, and the past reveals previous trips, building up to the trip that ruined it all.
The film centers around the same two protagonists, Alex and Poppy. Played by Tom Blyth and Emily Bader, the two work together to bring Henry’s characters to life on the screen. The script follows the same relative plot line as the novel. Neither character has been in contact with the other in two years since their falling out in Tuscany, and are forced to face each other at Alex’s brother, David’s, wedding.
The Netflix adaptation of the novel follows the same formula as the book, with a few key differences. In the original story, Poppy reaches out to Alex to reconcile their friendship, leading her to be invited to David’s wedding as his plus one. In the film, Poppy is invited to the wedding, leading her to unintentionally run into Alex. The book lists many different trips the two characters have gone on together, while the movie shortens the number of trips they traveled. Although it can be expected that a book-to-movie adaptation will not always be strictly the same, “The People We Meet On Vacation” is still a noteworthy rom-com and can be entertaining for anyone who decides to watch it.
Many people have loved the new Netflix film, Maya Itzakhi ‘28 stated that “it was a really good movie,” going on to say that, “I have not watched any good rom-coms lately, and this [movie] was actually a good rom-com.” She continues by claiming that the “dynamic between the characters is good, and [she] was rooting for [the characters] the whole time.”
Itzakhi ‘28 underlined her feelings about the movie by saying that the film has “very good vibes and the characters were very likable.”
Sophie Gabriele ‘28 also enjoyed the movie and stated that “it was a really good movie, and it was really cool to see the flashbacks from the [previous trips],” continuing with, “the build up between the characters was really interesting and it made me want to keep watching.”
“The People We Meet On Vacation” is filled with a multitude of themes, from heartbreak to friendship and vulnerability. Those who enjoy rom-coms with an easy to follow plot-line should tune in to Netflix’s latest adaptation.
