Moderate spoilers for \u201cPeople We Meet On Vacation\u201d ahead.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Released on Netflix on Jan. 9, \u201cPeople We Meet On Vacation\u201d is the perfect combination of alluring, sentimental and outright funny. Being the namesake film adaptation of <\/span>bestseller author Emily Henry\u2019s<\/span><\/a> 2021 <\/span>book<\/span><\/a>, the movie has been <\/span>highly anticipated<\/span><\/a> by her fans since the film\u2019s first announcement in October of 2022. Additionally, with the expertise of fellow romance author Yulin Kuang as one of the screenplay adaptors, \u201cPeople We Meet On Vacation\u201d captures every single element required for the perfect rom-com.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The movie is centered around the love story of Poppy Wright (Emily Bader) and Alex Nilsen (Tom Blyth), best friends who have been taking weeklong vacations together each summer since they met in college. However, this changes when they have a falling out one vacation that leads to a two-year silence from both ends. The film\u2019s structure is similar to the book: scenes alternate between Poppy and Alex\u2019s previous summers together and present-day, where the two reunite at Alex\u2019s brother\u2019s destination wedding. In addition, the true cause behind Poppy and Alex\u2019s falling out is not revealed until later in both the movie and the book, an impeccable choice that allows anticipation and curiosity to build throughout the course of the story.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The film is visually enchanting, credited to a combination of costuming and set choices that are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also notably relevant to the plot and character development. This is first apparent through Poppy\u2019s exciting \u2014 and <\/span>highly coveted<\/span><\/a> \u2014 wardrobe. Each of her looks are playful and bold with a combination of textures, colors and styles \u2014 reflecting her exuberant personality. Poppy\u2019s style also frequently evolves through each summer, reflecting her itch to jet-set around the globe and her tendency to absorb the styles around her easily. In comparison, Alex sticks to functional and unpatterned looks that are representative of his withdrawn, often passive disposition. His choices stay consistent throughout the film, only growing adventurous when accompanying Poppy. This ties into his desire to keep everything in his life stable, but also Poppy\u2019s ability to pull him out of his shell. Their costumes\u2019 colors are consistently complimenting each other \u2014 a subtle way of keeping the attention on the two leads and emphasizing how they fit together.<\/span><\/p>\n Set lighting is also significant to the emotions and storyline of the film, as it exemplifies how the function of color emphasizes each scene\u2019s emotions. Notably, the hazy pink light feels dreamy and romantic during the couple\u2019s improvised dance routine at a bar in New Orleans \u2014 a scene that <\/span>Bader later pinpointed<\/span><\/a> as the moment Poppy falls in love with Alex. This is also noted by the presence of yellow lighting during several sentimental scenes between the two, including several conversations filled with vulnerability and emotion from both Poppy and Alex. In contrast to the cloudy pink used during a lighthearted exchange, the sharper yellow indicates the intensity of the scenes it is used in. When the two finally kiss, they are shrouded by a more prominent yellow glow that completely envelops them: a perfect usage of lighting to convey emotion.<\/span><\/p>\n Additionally, Bader and Blyth\u2019s chemistry is off the charts, as the two are incredible at communicating emotions like yearning, anger and hurt solely through their eyes and body language. When Poppy nearly kisses Alex and is unable to confess how she really feels, the tension is radiating off of the two; Poppy\u2019s desperate, teary gaze matches Alex\u2019s equally heartbroken stare. She apologizes and tells him he\u2019s her best friend \u2014 a boundary both want to cross but are too scared to admit. Seeing as Poppy and Alex are unable to communicate their emotions verbally, the actors do not need to rely on dialogue to convey their feelings, instead delivering a strong performance that speaks much louder than words.<\/span><\/p>\n Poppy and Alex\u2019s feelings may be unspoken, but they are luckily not left unsung. Several scenes are centered around songs in order to emphasize their relevance to the moment, including the bar dance scene to Paula Abdul\u2019s \u201cForever Your Girl.\u201d While the upbeat tune compliments the duo\u2019s ridiculous dance moves, the title also hints at how despite the decades worth of slow-burn and conflict between Poppy and Alex, ultimately they are forever tied to each other. <\/span>Henry also credits<\/span><\/a> the \u201cmelancholy and longing\u201d of Taylor Swift\u2019s \u201caugust\u201d in the film as a perfect descriptor of Poppy\u2019s emotions, describing the song as \u201cexactly what she\u2019s feeling and thinking as she\u2019s looking at this person who she loves more than anyone else in the world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Unfortunately, like most book-to-film adaptations, the book is once again better than the movie. The changes the movie implemented to stick to its brief two-hour runtime are disappointing, as the book has several scenes exploring more emotional nuance and backstory for both characters that the movie left out. Poppy\u2019s struggle with feeling \u201ctoo much\u201d is barely touched on until her grand gesture to Alex at the end of the film, and Alex\u2019s deeply explored abandonment issues in the book are never translated to the screen. Furthermore, the movie lacks a strong performance from the rest of the cast, as the personalities of Poppy\u2019s friend Rachel and Alex\u2019s brothers and their importance to the storyline is completely erased. This results in a weak understanding of the two leads and a slow-burn that only simmers on low heat for those unfamiliar with the book, and a definite downgrade in depth for its fans.<\/span><\/p>\n Despite this incongruity, \u201cPeople We Meet On Vacation\u201d manages to flourish through its intricate visual symbolism and stellar lead performances. The film is a stunning collaborative effort between both cast and crew, and each moment is perfectly crafted to create an overall masterpiece. The story between Alex and Poppy is just as beautiful as it was when Henry first shared it with the world in 2021; its film adaptation still feels tender, sweet and laugh-out-loud funny \u2014 the epitome of what a rom-com should be.<\/span><\/p>\n RATING: 4.5 \/ 5<\/b><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elestoque.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/diff-people-pt-2-600x400.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elestoque.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AAAAQRLiZ-I0o6H2PE1kV9N2R4eZ4vJ_gQh1ZCoRT5HNebEWgl0Q_hPbwk4J9lwENLf993RkaEaQvPQt5AK-H5yv_9Rw_l7pXmImGzpolQZsrlm7XUYFq19GjzV4jgS_tICfp_07fdL1V3h413LTNWWCUzFFqPE-600x338.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elestoque.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/STARING-600x400.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elestoque.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DANG-600x400.jpg\")