A breezy, chemistry-first romance with enough charm to satisfy rom-com fans, but it also looks likely to lean on familiar will-they-won’t-they beats and some frustrating emotional evasiveness. The appeal is mostly in the leads, the banter, and the vacation-swept nostalgia rather than in any especially fresh take on… Read more
People We Meet on Vacation
Where to watch: Buy
Movie · Comedy · Romance
Tue · 1h 56m
Director: Brett Haley
Starring: Emily Bader, Tom Blyth, Sarah Catherine Hook
Overview
Poppy's a free spirit. Alex loves a plan. After years of summer vacations, these polar-opposite pals wonder if they could be a perfect romantic match.
Director
Brett Haley
Cast
Emily Bader, Tom Blyth, Sarah Catherine Hook
Curator Review
Verdict
A breezy, chemistry-first romance with enough charm to satisfy rom-com fans, but it also looks likely to lean on familiar will-they-won’t-they beats and some frustrating emotional evasiveness. The appeal is mostly in the leads, the banter, and the vacation-swept nostalgia rather than in any especially fresh take on the genre.
Best for
viewers who like contemporary romantic comedies with strong banter
fans of slow-burn best-friends-to-lovers stories
audiences looking for an easy, feel-good watch
people who enjoy travel-and-memory-driven romance
Skip if
you want a highly original or subversive rom-com
you dislike emotional miscommunication as a plot engine
you prefer romance with low cringe and minimal third-act angst
you’re tired of best-friends-to-lovers setups
Overview
This is a polished, modern rom-com built on contrast: one character is all impulse and sunshine, the other is control and routine. That setup gives the story a dependable push-pull energy, and the best versions of this kind of movie live or die on whether the leads can make the banter feel effortless and the longing feel earned.
Worth noting
The response suggests it mostly succeeds on chemistry and tone, with viewers responding to the central pairing and the genre comfort of it all. At the same time, there’s a clear undercurrent of frustration with the familiar emotional detours and the kind of romantic indecision that can make a movie like this feel more repetitive than revelatory.
Bottom line
If you want a glossy, contemporary romance with vacation nostalgia and a strong “maybe they should just kiss already” engine, it should do the job. If you’re hoping for something sharper, riskier, or less beholden to rom-com formula, this is probably a softer recommendation.
Top Letterboxd reviews
michellie (5★) · 29140 likes
at least he didn’t turn into a dictator this time
abbieclay2 (4★) · 28644 likes
Can I just say thank you to Emily Henry and, most importantly, to Netflix for not casting Sofia Carson in this one
theo (2★) · 22292 likes
bro was more in love with ohio than the girl
carley (4★) · 16978 likes
this speaks to me. big day for annoying people
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when harry met sally for taylor swift fans
Themes
friends to lovers, slow burn romance, vacation nostalgia, romantic miscommunication, opposites attract, modern rom-com, emotional longing, relationship tension