People We Meet on Vacation (2026) [Movie Review] — A Travel-Fueled Romantic Comedy

People We Meet on Vacation is a handsome, well-intentioned Netflix rom-com that offers warm moments and likable leads but struggles to make its central emotions feel earned. Brett Haley stages glossy travel vignettes and cast-friendly setups, yet the screenplay’s thin character work and awkward tonal choices keep this from becoming the modern classic it seems to aim for.

What the film is

A yearly love story told out of order

Adapted from Emily Henry’s beach-read sensibility, the film tracks travel writer Poppy (Emily Bader) and her longtime friend Alex (Tom Blyth), who have a ritual of taking one week of vacation together each year. Told nonlinearly, the movie hops between past trips and present anxieties as Poppy confronts a career lull and an unresolved attraction to Alex. The premise — friends-to-more tension stretched across years of holidays — has rom-com potential, but the adaptation opts for surface charm over depth.

Direction & screenplay

Visual panache, narrative autopilot

Haley brings his signature warmth to the frame, but here his direction often feels cautious. The film’s extra-wide compositions and reliance on mid-shots dilute emotional immediacy; close-ups that might have revealed messy, human details are almost always withheld. With three screenwriters on board, the script paradoxically leaves many corners unexplored: motivations, backstories, and connective tissue that would make the protagonists’ choices resonate. The nonlinear editing could have been an asset, but instead it fragments momentum and muffles key emotional beats.

Performances

Talented leads left wanting more

Emily Bader and Tom Blyth are appealing and capable: Bader gives Poppy a fizzy, restless energy, while Blyth supplies a quiet, reactive center that earns sympathy. Their chemistry flickers with promise, but inconsistent cinematography and underwritten scenes prevent it from fully combusting. Supporting players — including Jameela Jamil and Miles Heizer — add color, yet many secondary roles feel perfunctory, offering surfaces rather than substance.

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Visuals, setting & tone

Beautiful postcards, thin interiors

The film indulges in travelogue pleasures: sunlit cities, scenic beaches, and glossy production design that make the vacations feel aspirational. But the emphasis on destination shots sometimes comes at the expense of the small-town intimacy or emotional specificity that the story needs. Tonally, the movie oscillates between lightweight comedy and earnest romance without ever committing fully to either, which leaves certain scenes feeling like polished fragments rather than integral chapters.

Themes & criticism

Familiar ideas without fresh insight

At its core, the film explores regret, second chances, and the hazards of emotional avoidance. These are fertile themes for a rom-com, but here they’re handled with clichés and shorthand. Family dynamics, career struggles, and the characters’ deeper fears are hinted at and then abandoned, which lessens the impact of the film’s pivotal choices. If you love rom-com formulas and cozy destination shots, you’ll find pleasures here — if you want character-driven payoff, you may be disappointed.

Who should watch

For rom-com comforters, not seekers of depth

Fans of glossy Netflix romances, travel-centric love stories, and the lead actors’ previous indie work will find this an easy, watchable evening. Those seeking sharp character study, inventive plotting, or emotional urgency should look elsewhere.

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Final Thought

A pleasant miss with room to grow

People We Meet on Vacation looks and sounds like the kind of movie designed to be loved on sunny afternoons and social feeds — it’s pleasant company but not unforgettable. Brett Haley delivers style and competent performances, yet the film ultimately undercuts its own heart. It’s a gentle reminder that a rom-com needs both sparkle and emotional scaffolding to truly land.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)