People We Meet on Vacation review (2026)

January 21, 2026 Jeffrey Lyles Alan Ruck, Brett Haley, Emily Bader, Jameela Jamil, Molly Shannon, People We Meet on Vacation, Tom Blyth

People We Meet on Vacation is a unexpectedly thoroughly enjoyable rom com that proves the genre might not thrive in theaters but can still produce must-see films that will make viewers laugh, cry, smile and cheer on a couple having that dramatic final kiss as the credits roll.

Poppy (Emily Bader, Charmed) is a free spirit who’s always in search of the next great adventure. That works out pretty well for her job as a travel vacation columnist even if her editor Swapna (Jameela Jamil, Merry Ex-Mas) is worried she’s in a slump.

Poppy neglected to respond to a wedding invitation that’s more than a little complicated since one of the grooms is the brother of her estranged best friend, Alex (Tom Blyth, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes).

Things ended badly two years ago for Poppy and Alex and they haven’t spoken since.

People We Meet on Vacation has a fun gimmick as the story is told through various summers alternating between the present and reverse chronology starting with Poppy and Alex’s first encounter nine years ago.

That initial encounter went so chaotic that it seemed unlikely they would associate with each other again. During a college summer break, Poppy hitches a ride with Alex after a mutual friend mentions they’re from the same small hometown.

Poppy’s vivacious personality is a stark contrast to Alex’s far more reserved nature. While the trip home starts with numerous mishaps, they eventually realize they’re ideal travel companions. Poppy helps unlock “Vacation Alex,” while Alex provides a no-strings attached travel buddy.

Even when they’re in relationships, they stick true to their promise to get together every summer for a weeklong vacation. That does tend to cause for some issues with Alex’s on and off girlfriend Sarah (Sarah Catherine Hook, Cruel Intentions) and tension with Poppy’s boyfriends (Lucien Laviscount and Spencer Neville), who aren’t quite sure what to make of their close friendship.

Screenwriters Yulin Kuang, Amos Vernon and Nunzio Randazzo adapt Emily Henry’s 2021 book (get it on Amazon) in an easy-to-follow manner.

People We Meet on Vacation could be narratively confusing, but the script sets up the flashbacks almost like a mystery. It’s just as challenging to look for clues as to what ruined their friendship as it is the obvious cues that Alex and Poppy belong together.

People We Meet on Vacation could probably work out alright with another pairing, but Bader and Blyth make for an incredibly likable couple. Some rom coms can get by with a great premise (and quirky supporting characters) and a chemistry-challenged couple, but that not a problem for People We Meet on Vacation.

It’s fully the Bader and Blyth show as they’re the focus of the film. The dynamic with Alex and Poppy is so engaging People We Meet on Vacation doesn’t need any scene-stealers to prop the film up although Molly Shannon and Alan Ruck have a strong cameo as Poppy’s refreshingly open parents.

Alice Lee also has a fun scene as Poppy’s friend, Rachel. Including them throughout the film wasn’t necessary, but a few more scenes with them wouldn’t have been a bad idea either.

Director Brett Haley (All Together Now) understands how to make real life entertaining without resorting to outrageous scenarios that range from silly or ridiculous. There’s nothing that happens that feels like a moment that could only happen in a movie. That gives People We Meet on Vacation a certain level of authenticity that isn’t always the norm with rom coms.