Netflix’s adaptation of People We Meet on Vacation might be the cure to this January weather, condensing years of summers into just under two hours. The film is the first of Emily Henry’s novels to be adapted onto screen, and it certainly did not disappoint.
Whilst Tom Blythe may not have been the Alex many people expected, he was certainly the Alex we deserved. Somehow, he perfectly brought Alex’s serious-yet-still-hilarious energy right off the page, and rocked a plain shirt and trousers combo in a way that not many men could. He has the potential to be some serious rom-com royalty if his performance inspires any other directors to let him play the heart-throb.
However Emily Bader was definitely (and deservedly) the star of the film, with her talent being given the perfefcct opportunity to shine in a story as fun as this one. Poppy’s character could so easily have fallen victim to the care-free, ‘cool girl’ archetype (since we don’t have access to her thoughts like in the novel), but she is so beautifully brought to life in all her complex glory by Bader.
Aside from the performances, one of the absolute stand-out aspects of the adaptation was its costume design. Whilst I always had faith that Colin Wilkes would do the justice the film deserved, I was still impressed by how he brought Poppy’s fun style to life without feeling like she was in a set of fancy dress costumes. And I’m sure many people, like myself, now have the New Orleans blue wig outfit at the top of their 2026 halloween costume ideas list.
However, the film just misses the five star mark, and this is purely down to the alterations from the original novel. Now I’m no adaptation purist, my issue doesn’t come purely from ommitted scenes, but instead from how the pacing of the film added interesting ethical concerns to the relationship. Because, obviously, the film medium does not have the same ability to flesh out a narrative as a 361 page book, it is understandable that parts of the story had to be shuffled around and condensed. However, Alex and Poppy’s ‘almost kiss’ occurring when they are both in relationships (unlike when they’re both single in the book) floats a dark cloud over an otherwise sunny story.
Friends-to-lovers plotlines can be so difficult to execute without an overwhelming feeling of emotional cheating, and I worry the line is just slightly crossed in the film adaptation. But if you too are sick of this plotline, another of Emily Henry’s novels Funny Story, comes from the perspective of the two victims of this scenario, and is a great palette (and conscience) cleanser after the moral implications of rooting for someone pining after their best friend whilst they are in a relationship.
But overall, this is not a fundamental issue with the film, and it’s still a wonderful companion to the book. People We Meet on Vacation is definitely a must-watch to get through the winter months, and even more of a definite rewatch once the sun comes out. And with Emily Henry’s other novels all having film adaptations in the works (or at least, all having had their rights picked up by studios) it’s only a matter of time until our next fix.