'People We Meet on Vacation' Review: Meet Poppy and Alex, and Their Ten Summers of Yearning
- Shauna Bushe
- 9 minutes ago
- 3 min read
By Shauna Bushe - January 10, 2026
The wait is over for fans of Emily Henry: her best-selling tale of travel and heartbreak has landed on Netflix, following polar opposites Poppy & Alex, best friends since college who take annual summer trips until a disastrous Croatia vacation ends their friendship; now, two years later, Poppy initiates one final trip to fix things, revealing a decade of suppressed romantic tension, their contrasting personalities and unresolved feelings that threaten their bond but also hold the key to their happiness, ultimately exploring if their deep friendship can evolve into love.
People We Meet on Vacation is a romance built from pauses as much as from dialogue. It understands that love stories are often less about what is said and more about what lingers in the space between two people who keep missing each other by inches. Adapted with a patient, observational eye, the film leans into the quiet electricity of connection and allows longing to do much of the heavy lifting.
Opposites in Orbit
At the heart of the film are two characters whose differences feel elemental rather than patterned. Poppy moves through life with a carefree, messy manner. Impulsively driven by experience and curiosity. Whereas Alex is cautious, and specific. Assembling a life that is by design rather than chance. Their dynamic thrives on contrast. Each sees in the other a missing piece, something both alluring and unsettling. The film resists turning these differences into easy resolutions, instead using them to create meaningful tension that deepens their connection.
The relationship unfolds across multiple vacations, each serving as a snapshot of a particular moment in their lives. Time passes, circumstances shift, and emotional baggage accumulates. Their journey is marked by missed chances, emotional recalibrations and frequently pays homage to When Harry Met Sally: from the road trip meet cute, to the ten year slow-burn, the film honours the complexity of this progression, allowing the characters to stumble, retreat, and grow in ways that feel earned. Love here is not portrayed as inevitable, but as something that requires self-understanding before it can fully take shape.
Romantic Tropes and Places of Reflect
Familiar romantic elements are present but handled with subtlety. The shared one bed scenario, extended silences, and lingering looks all appear, yet the film avoids exaggeration. Yearning becomes the central emotional language, expressed through body language and proximity rather than overt confession. These tropes succeed because they are woven into character driven moments, Poppy and Alex allow tension to simmer instead of boil over due to their believable connection, easy conversations and genuine laughter. The films locations, coastal towns, bustling cities and even quiet spaces become reflections of the characters too. The cinematography lingers, highlighting shared spaces, visualizes romance in the atmosphere and emphasizes being far from home can amplify unresolved feelings rather than erase them.
A Conclusion That Rings True
In a nutshell, People We Meet on Vacation is your standard rom com, but what sets it apart from others is its remarkable, emotional maturity. It succeeds where other rom-coms falter by leaning into the "messy middle" – the years of awkwardness, the fear of losing a friendship, and the quiet pain of watching someone you love, live a life without you. Ultimately, People We Meet on Vacation concludes with a beautiful, lingering truth: some people are worth the decade of detours. It’s a thorough reminder that the best connections aren't the ones that are easy, but the ones that survive the seasons of our lives, waiting for the moment we are finally ready to meet them – and ourselves – fully.
'People We Meet on Vacation' is streaming now on Netflix.
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