People We Meet on Vacation

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People We Meet on Vacation

PG-13

2026

1h 57m

Romance

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

76%

Tomatometer

66 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Free-spirited Poppy (Emily Bader) and routine-loving Alex (Tom Blyth) have been unlikely best friends for a decade, living in different cities but spending every summer vacation together. The careful balance of their friendship is put to the test when they begin to question what has been obvious to everyone else -- could they actually be the perfect romantic match?

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Critics Consensus

People We Meet on Vacation is a breezy adaptation that boasts charming leads in Tom Blyth and Emily Bader, delivering a romantic endeavor worth staying for.

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Caroline Siede

AV Club

Jan 15

C-

While recent winners like All Of You have proven there’s still juice in the classic friends-to-lovers template, watching People We Meet On Vacation feels more like ordering a sparkling tropical cocktail and getting served tap water.

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Randy Myers

San Jose Mercury News

Jan 14

3/4

A strong supporting cast — Lukas Gage, Molly Shannon, Sarah Catherine Hook, Jameela Jamil and Lucien Laviscount – ups the entertainment value. Since rom-coms have been a bit blah of late, this one will satisfy that itch even if it’s no gamechanger.

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Linda Holmes

Pop Culture Happy Hour (NPR Podcast)

Jan 12

If you put this on, on a weekend afternoon, you will be fine. It is pleasant to watch. But the things that made the book special, I think, are almost impossible to preserve in a two-hour movie.

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Nuha Hassan

Nuha Hassan (Medium)

6d

People We Meet on Vacation portrays the feeling of exploring the world with people we love and dealing with the painful part of falling in love. It’s scary, but it’s all worth it in the end.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Jan 26

2.5/4

...a mostly affable romcom that receives plenty of mileage out of Bader and Blyth’s terrific, charismatic efforts...

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Q.V. Hough

Vague Visages

Jan 22

"‘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."

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Bill T.

@btreakle 3h

“People We Meet On Vacation “ This was a new movie from 2026 and I really enjoyed it it was a great love story and the story about what's important in life and making commitment. Two unlikely souls that meet on vacation just by pure luck and decide to make that a yearly tradition throughout their lives keeping it so platonic. But as in any good love story it all comes together in the end but not the way you might think so without giving too much away I highly recommend this new movie from 2026. There is some nudity and some language so this is not recommended for children under the ages of 16.

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Aishah B.

@twinpeakked 1d

It felt really good to watch, but felt like they cut pretty much every important detail out of the script to fit it into an hour plus movie. Actors were fantastic.

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Sandy S

@Sandsp 1d

Read the book and didn’t enjoy, watched most of the movie and also didn’t enjoy. Not a fan of time jumps

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Mariana T

@M.Tezeta 2d

It's been a long time since I've seen a rom-com this fresh and with such an appealing premise. The way it's told (with lots of flashbacks) and the great chemistry between the leads (and the excellent cast in general) make it very entertaining. However, 1 hour and 50 minutes was too long for a script full of forced jokes. I wouldn't have minded if they'd cut half an hour... because I got bored halfway through. Yes, the character development was good, but being full of embarrassing and awkward situations makes it feel cliché. I wanted to watch it at 1.5x speed so I wouldn't get tired waiting for the end. Something definitely made me stay until the end, though: maybe it was the summer vibes I so desperately needed.

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Violet M

@vimay22 2d

FUN FUN FUN! This felt like a classic romcom and I had a great time watching it. Was it a perfect adaptation? No...BUT it was still enjoyable and the leads had great chemistry.

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Ben M

@Benm2026 3d

Cute, fun and hilarious - the recipe for a great romcom! I love Em Hen books and I’m so happy to see such a fun adaptation of her novel.

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Brett Haley

Director

Emily Bader

Poppy

Tom Blyth

Alex

Sarah Catherine Hook

Sarah

Lucien Laviscount

Trey

Miles Heizer

David

Meg Ryan is THE Rom-Com Leading Lady

0:44

Recreating the Cover of People We Meet on Vacation

1:03

The Stars of ‘People We Meet on Vacation’ on Filming on a Nude Beach

15:25

People We Meet on Vacation: Trailer 1

2:24

People We Meet on Vacation: Teaser Trailer

1:11

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Synopsis

Free-spirited Poppy (Emily Bader) and routine-loving Alex (Tom Blyth) have been unlikely best friends for a decade, living in different cities but spending every summer vacation together. The careful balance of their friendship is put to the test when they begin to question what has been obvious to everyone else -- could they actually be the perfect romantic match?

Director: Brett Haley
Producer: Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Isaac Klausner
Screenwriter: Yulin Kuang, Amos Vernon, Nunzio Randazzo
Distributor: Netflix
Production Co: Sony Pictures Releasing, Temple Hill Entertainment, 3000 Pictures, Netflix Studios
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 9, 2026
Runtime: 1h 57m

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