Vague Visages’ People We Meet on Vacation review contains minor spoilers. Brett Haley’s 2026 Netflix movie features Emily Bader, Tom Blyth and Sarah Catherine Hook. Check out the VV home page for more film criticism, movie reviews and film essays.

The romantic weirdos of the world will love People We Meet on Vacation, an adaptation of Emily Henry’s 2021 novel. The 2026 Netflix Original, directed by Brett Haley, doesn’t necessarily evolve the sub-genre with its familiar gags and character cliches, but — to paraphrase the great Robert Bresson — it’s a film that one can feel. Breakout stars Emily Bader and Tom Blyth portray Poppy and Alex, respectively — two strangers from Linfield, Ohio with contrasting personalities who ultimately develop a tight bond during a college road trip and subsequently make plans to vacation together once per year. The core drama derives from the female protagonist’s wanderlust and inability to commit to relationships over the course of nine years, thus making her somewhat of a mystery to the adoring male protagonist and every one of his jealous girlfriends. People We Meet on Vacation might just mark the beginning of a new golden age for romantic comedies, at least if sub-genre filmmakers can finally move past stale screenwriting tropes.

People We Meet on Vacation’s writers — Yulin Kuang, Amos Vernon and Nunzio Randazzo — pepper their opening act with the same ol’ sub-genre cliches. (Full Disclosure: I haven’t read the source material). Bader’s Poppy works as a New York City journalist (the occupation of most female protagonists in rom-com flicks) and unsurprisingly experiences two whoopsies in the film’s first 10 minutes (a standard sub-genre element). But what the screenwriters perhaps didn’t realize during pre-production is that Bader, with her endearing charisma and natural comedic chops, didn’t need physical gags to make her character relatable to both female and male audiences. As for Blyth, he’s incredibly charming as Alex — a typical small town Midwestern boy who values structure and reliability, unlike his globe-trotting best friend. People We Meet on Vacation’s narrative structure — which consists of various segments like “This Summer,” “Nine Summers Ago,” “Eight Summers Ago,” etc. — doesn’t allow the audience to settle in one location for too long, and so viewers can theoretically better understand Poppy’s perspective, even if they don’t consciously realize it during a first watch. At its core, People We Meet on Vacation is fundamentally about life balance and the philosophical concept of the platonic half. Is Poppy too “weird” for Alex? Or do her personality quirks bring out the best in him as a man who mostly wants to love and be loved?

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In cinema, memorable music moments make average movies seem like modern classics. And in the romantic comedy sub-genre, a relatable tune can hook the most skeptical viewer via nostalgia and smiling faces. As previously mentioned, People We Meet on Vacation opens with a couple lame gags before transitioning to a road trip sequence that spotlights Bader’s comedic timing as she grooves to Paula Abdul’s 1988 hit “Forever My Girl” and jokes about “casual sax.” In the script, the brief bit functions as a fun set-up for a mid-movie dance sequence featuring the same tune, but it’s also a telling moment in terms of the female lead’s overall depth as a performer, specifically when contrasted with an emotional final act scene as Poppy processes a potential “last trip” with her beloved Alex. One of the film’s big perks is that Bader and Blyth appear (and shine in) essentially every sequence. The downside, however, is that audiences don’t learn too much about the most prominent supporting characters, nor do they learn a whole lot about the primary two leads as professionals. What is Poppy’s biggest talent as a writer? Why does she stand out from other travel journalists, and why are her bosses so willing to cover expenses for each and every vacation? Does Emily have a strong social media following? If so, why doesn’t she acknowledge that? Also, can audiences name Tom’s profession after a first watch? FYI, he’s a teacher. With that said, audience familiarity is indeed always a bonus for romantic comedies, and there’s plenty to be found in People We Meet on Vacation via minor supporting performances from Sarah Catherine Hook (The White Lotus), Lucien Laviscount (Emily in Paris), Jameela Jamil (The Good Place), Lukas Gage (Euphoria), Molly Shannon (Saturday Night Live) and Alan Ruck (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Succession).

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Five years from now, how will People We Meet on Vacation be remembered in pop culture? I think most moviegoers will recall the style of it all, such as Poppy’s vibrant outfits and Alex’s sweet dance moves. Beyond that though, I think People We Meet on Vacation will be remembered as the film that transformed the two leads’ careers. At 29 years old, Bader is perhaps best known for heading the franchise horror flick Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin (2021). And though the 30-year-old Blyth surely had a loyal following before appearing in People We Meet on Vacation via lead performances in Billy the Kid  (2022-25) and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023), he’s now a familiar Netflix name and can operate exclusively within the platform if he wants to — like Millie Bobbie Brown of Stranger Things (2016-25), for example. Will Bader and Blyth usher in a new golden age of romantic comedies? I don’t know. But they are indeed Netflix stars. And that’s something to applaud and/or appreciate as the streaming service evolves and continues to acquire its competition.

People We Meet on Vacation released January 9, 2026 on Netflix.

Q.V. Hough (@QVHough) is Vague Visages’ founding editor. Thank you for reading film criticism, movie reviews and film essays at Vague Visages.

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