Entertainment Blog #372 | People We Meet on Vacation [2026] : Travel Partner to Life Partner..

When it comes to romantic comedies, especially ones adapted from bestselling novels, they can either be a heartfelt warm ride or just another predictable love story. People We Meet on Vacation definitely leans into that warm and breezy vibe, with travel, friendship, and unspoken feelings mixed together in a way that keeps you invested if you’re into slow-burn romances.

“People We Meet on Vacation” is an #romance #comedy #movie that was released on Netflix on January 9, 2026. It’s directed by Brett Haley and based on the 2021 novel by Emily Henry. The screenplay is by Yulin Kuang, Amos Vernon, and Nunzio Randazzo, and the film stars Emily Bader as Poppy Wright and Tom Blyth as Alex Nilsen.

Poppy is a free-spirited travel writer who has been taking one week of summer vacation each year with her best friend Alex for the past decade, even though they live in different cities. Poppy loves exploring the world while Alex prefers the comfort of home with a good book. Their friendship is this weird but beautiful blend of opposites attracting in a way that works for years.

The movie jumps back and forth in time, showing flashbacks of their previous trips and how their relationship has grown and changed over the years. There are upbeat and awkward moments, old relationships, and a tension that neither Poppy nor Alex wants to admit out loud. When they reunite for a friend’s wedding in Barcelona after a couple of years without speaking, they start to confront those deeper feelings that have been hiding beneath their yearly travel tradition.

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The cast also includes Sarah Catherine Hook, Jameela Jamil, Lucien Laviscount, Lukas Gage, Miles Heizer, Alan Ruck, and Molly Shannon in supporting roles, adding some fun and emotional depth to the story.

On review sites, People We Meet on Vacation has gotten generally positive responses, with many viewers enjoying the chemistry between the leads and its feel-good pacing, though some critics and audiences found it a bit predictable or slow at times.

So will Poppy and Alex finally admit what’s been in front of them all these years? Will their friendship turn into something more permanent? And can two people who are so different find a balance between adventure and comfort? It’s up to you to find out.