People We Meet on Vacation, released January 9, 2026, is the book-to-film adaptation of the renowned author Emily Henry. Both the movie and book follow Poppy, played by Emily Bader, who is a free-spirited travel writer who never wants to be in one place for too long. Her best friend Alex, played by Tom Blyth, is the polar opposite: a practical, goal-oriented person.
Between long distances and busy schedules, Alex and Poppy decide they need something that can help them stay connected: a yearly vacation. They agree that no matter what is going on in each of their lives, once a year, they will come together and be the people they meet on vacation.
People We Meet on Vacation is similar to classic rom-coms in which Alex and Poppy’s story starts with a “meet-cute.” Contrary to the title, they do not meet on vacation, but rather at college before taking a road trip back to their hometown.
The title, People We Meet on Vacation, presents the idea that every vacation is a new chance, an opportunity to find a new version of oneself. Instead of being stuck in other people’s perceptions, the title represents the chance to become the person one wants to be, instead of the one they are forced to be.
Developing a book into a movie will inevitably lead to some differences. With restrictions on how long the movie can be and how much there is to spend on production, it is almost impossible to get the plot lines to match exactly. Due to the limited budget, there were many vacations from the book that had to be left out, condensing down to just the major locations: Squamish, Canada, New Orleans, Tuscany and Barcelona.
The minimal vacations left some fans believing that Alex and Poppy’s story felt unfinished. Despite the differences, the film still incorporates the core values from the book that complement the comedy and romance aspects to create an overall balanced watch.
Always going on vacations helps Poppy feel safe, like she can change the parts of her that other people think are too much. Throughout the course of the movie, Alex helps Poppy understand that the right people will not make her feel like she is too much. He helps her learn that staying in one place does not have to mean conforming to people’s perceptions, but rather being brave enough to be proud of exactly who she is.
People We Meet on Vacation is more than just the average rom-com, it is a rich film that teaches its viewers that being true to oneself is the biggest strength. The concept that, ‘on vacation you can be anyone you want,’ does not merely imply being who one wants to be on vacation, but being who one is all the time.
