People We Meet on Vacation is directed by Brett Haley and was released on January 9, 2026. It is a romantic drama film based on Emily Henry’s bestselling novel. The movie was produced by Temple Hill Entertainment and Sony Pictures’ 3000 Pictures. The movie tells a story about friendship, love, and timing, making it an emotional and relatable film for younger audiences. It quickly reached the number one spot on Netflix when it was released, gaining 17.2 million views in the first two days.
The movie is about Poppy, played by Emily Bader, and Alex, played by Tom Blyth, who are two very different people who form a close friendship and take yearly vacations together. As the movie moves through past and present trips, we learn why their friendship begins to change and how they drift apart. The suspense throughout the movie makes the audience wonder what will happen at the end.
One of the movie’s strengths is its characters. Poppy is an outgoing, adventurous, energetic person, while Alex is quiet and prefers having a routine. Their differences were sometimes challenging for them, but that only made the story stronger and allowed them to balance each other out. Later in the movie, their interactions slowly show their friendship growing into something more.
However, while the movie is good, it does have weaknesses. Some scenes could have been shorter because parts of the movie felt slow or dragged out. However, the longer scenes also helped make the movie more emotional.
Overall, People We Meet on Vacation is a thoughtful and emotional movie that shows how relationships can grow into something deeper. It is a strong choice for those who enjoy romantic movies with some added drama.
