Any time there is a book-to-movie adaptation of a reader’s top romance novels, there will likely be a lot of anticipation. Audience members start to resonate deeply with the characters, the pacing, and the emotional moments that make the book so special. After reaching viral success due to its heartfelt storytelling and slow-burning romance, Emily Henry’s People We Meet On Vacation has officially hit the screen, leaving fans wondering if this movie will capture the charm and depth of the original novel.
People We Meet On Vacation follows Poppy and Alex, two people who are both struggling in their own ways. Poppy is a travel writer with a loud and friendly personality, while Alex is quiet and academic, shouldering the burdens of being a parent to his younger brother after his mother’s death. They couldn’t be anymore different, yet one fateful car ride cements a friendship between them that can never be broken. Though they live apart, they take one trip together every summer. But one summer it all went downhill, and they ceased to talk entirely. With Poppy’s best friend and Alex’s brother getting married, their abandoned friendship finds itself slowly resolving itself as the story moves back and forth in time, slowly revealing how their relationship both began and what caused their rift. Through the two protagonists, the movie captures the friends-to-lovers romance in a more simple manner, allowing viewers to piece together their history alongside the characters.
According to Cavalier Daily, the cast had large shoes to fill in embodying Emily Henry’s beloved characters. Emily Bader, who plays Poppy, encapsulates the character in all her quirks, from her endless enthusiasm to her confidence. On the other hand, Tom Blyth, who plays Alex, tackles the opposite, having to be both an introverted and reserved character. As the slow-building tension between the pair grows, the on-screen chemistry between Bader and Blyth brings to life the vibrant yet complex narrative of Poppy and Alex’s friendship and their journey to lovers as well.
Continuing on what they explain, Cavalier Daily says that despite this, readers of the original novel notice some missing swoon-worthy scenes and years of longing woven into the book’s narrative. With a runtime of just under two hours, including all of Poppy and Alex’s development, proves impossible, but the exclusion of important details leaves a noticeable mark on the pacing and progression of the film. One of the most transformed details lies in the cinematic reunion of the two characters. The book version features a rekindling that immediately causes the two to return to their old ways. In the film, on the other hand, the characters show their unwillingness to expose their true feelings when they reunite.
In my opinion, the People We Meet on Vacation movie falls short of the emotional impact that the book exhibits, largely due to its poor pacing and the lack of time to have any development between characters. While watching this movie, I felt that the story moved too quickly between summery timelines, not giving viewers enough time to fully connect with Poppy and Alex or to understand their emotional growth. Important moments that were fully explained and meaningful in the novel felt rushed and underdeveloped on film. As a result, I felt that the film struggled to capture the depth and chemistry that readers expected from the adaptation.
Although I was personally unsatisfied with Netflix’s People We Meet on Vacation, and several people I’ve spoken to about this film said they like watching a story told through film, even if it’s just for its own unique take on a book. Either way, whether it resonates or not with you, the film offers its own interpretation that audiences are free to judge for themselves.
