FILM REVIEW
PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION
Rated PG-13
117 Minutes
Released January 9th, Streaming on Netflix
People We Meet on Vacation is a classic rom-com at a time when we need it most, when uncertainty, distrust, and fear surround us, and lives are literally and figuratively torn apart in our world. I predict that this movie is going to be the “sleeper hit” of 2026, as was Anyone but You in 2024, which catapulted Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell to Gen Z fandom. As of January 19th, People We Meet on Vacation was the #1 movie on Netflix with over 39 million views.
It stars Emily Bader and Tom Blyth as “Poppy” and “Alex” in this story based on the NY Times Best Seller romance novel published by author Emily Henry in May 2021. The success of this movie will not come from the box office clout of these actors because they are relatively unknown. It will arise from the skill of their performances and the joy, grace, and personality they bring to their roles. Credit is due also to casting directors Nicola Chisholm, Jessica Kelly, and Mary Vernieu, along with director Brett Haley, for putting together an appealing cast, including the minor characters, who make this story work as an engaging film romance.
The movie was shot on a low budget with Barcelona and the surrounding countryside of Catalonia standing in for several popular European locations, and New Orleans plays itself. Poppy and Alex become friends after sharing a rental car to make the trip from college in Boston to the small town in Ohio, which they find out is their mutual home. Even though much of the road trip is disastrous on the surface due to their conflicting personalities, they both realize how much fun they had together. They decide to connect every year as platonic travel companions.
The overall story is linear, but the narrative follows a non-linear series of flashbacks, which I usually find distracting. Here, because of the simplicity of the tale, the strong character identities, and solid establishment of time and place, it works. The romance is awkward, with totally screwed up timing between the two characters, who the audience already know complete one another even though they can’t see that themselves. It reminded me of When Harry Met Sally, and on doing research later, I found that author Henry was inspired by that movie to write her novel, to take legendary screenwriter Nora Ephron’s story and create a reverse gender version.
There is a lot left unsaid, which is a good thing. The movie does not venture into the backgrounds of Poppy and Alex. This is a rom-com to be enjoyed for the witty and poignant interplay between the characters. Even Shakespeare didn’t give a lot of backstory to most of his characters – their actions and contemplations define their personalities. The music and the songs chosen are so well placed that they become a part of the dialogue without taking you away from the environment or the story.
Author Henry is based in Cincinnati and Kentucky. She is a BookTok star whose works have sold more than 10 million copies, beginning with her novel Beach Read, which blew up on TikTok five years ago. She knew there was a hunger for rom coms, which had seemed to disappear starting in the 2010’s.
Director Haley and his stars, Bader and Blyth, are all at the beginning of what will probably prove to be stellar careers. Haley was raised in Pensacola and Key West and graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 2005. He has made three features since 2015.
Bader grew up in Temecula, CA, studied acting at Loyola Marymount and the Young Actors Space in LA, and did her first professional job on stage at the Geffen in 2018. She won the starring role in the TV series My Lady Jane, for which she had to train extensively to master horseback riding, sword fighting, and a British accent. Of her career so far, she notes, “I had no connections in the business or any clue what I was doing. I got small jobs, and then you just move your way up the ladder. I think you have to be stubborn enough not to give up.”
Blyth is from Birmingham, England, and trained at Juilliard in New York City as one of nine applicants out of 2000 to be accepted. He played the title role of “William H. Bonney” in the TV series Billy the Kid.
This seems to be a case where the book version and the movie each stand on their own. This film will be the starting line for starring careers for Bader and Blyth. You may find yourself wondering at the end of the story what will happen with Poppy and Alex, as if they are your friends. You hope that they continue to stay together and travel the world, always finding new adventures. That’s the sign of a strong story and skilled acting – the people who populate this movie become part of your life, friends in your daydreams.
Kathryn Whitney Boole has spent most of her life in the entertainment industry, which has been the backdrop for remarkable adventures with extraordinary people. She is a Talent Manager with Studio Talent Group in Santa Monica. kboole@gmail.com
