In The People We Meet On Vacation Poppy Wright (Emily Bader) and Alex Nilson (Tom Blyth) are somehow best friends. Poppy is quirky and flighty, while Alex is cautious, sticking to the itinerary down to the bathroom breaks. Once a year during summer, Poppy and Alex travel to new places becoming the “vacation” version of themselves, getting out of their “normal” selves’ comfort zones. The movie is set after several years of no contact between the two due to an unknown conflict. Alex’s brother is hosting his wedding in Barcelona, and Poppy can’t bring herself not to go – and not see Alex. 

Emily Bader and Tom Blyth were absolutely amazing! Bader embodied Poppy seamlessly, offering a real representation of an extroverted, expressive woman. Her comedic timing and delivery had me laughing throughout the entire film. Bader hasn’t been in many popular films, which makes her a new face. It’s refreshing to see an uncommon actor bring their own style to the screen. On top of that, Bader is beautiful – she even pulled off a neon blue wig, which requires serious skill. Her counterpart, Tom Bylth, was also very fun to watch. Some have said Blyth was bland in the film, but I think that’s due to how his character was written. His Type A character is seen as boring because Poppy’s energy is constantly in the viewer’s face, bubbly and entertaining. 

The locations where Poppy and Alex choose to go on vacation are a huge part of the movie. Every flashback the audience sees, whether it’s in Canada, New Orleans, or Barcelona, pushes the characters’ relationship forward and builds the audience’s love for them. Sometimes, movies can be hard to follow when jumping between the past and present, but the transitions in The People We Meet On Vacation were smooth and straightforward.  

Now, let’s talk about the most important part of a rom-com: the chemistry. Not only did Alex and Poppy have great romantic chemistry, but also platonic chemistry. The two shift between relatable, authentic conversation and silly, child-like fun, reflecting a real-life friendship. They had palpable tension, whether it was over their unknown conflict or desire to be more than friends. 

The music for the film was amazing! It had hits like “Forever Your Girl” by Paula Abdul, “august” by Taylor Swift, “Stumblin’ In” by CYRIL and “Cool About It” by boygenius. The directors did a fabulous job elevating emotion with the soundtrack. Watching Poppy and Alex dance in a bar to “Forever Your Girl” couldn’t help but put a smile on your face, and “Stumblin’ In” made me join in on the dancing. 

The only minor issue I have with the film is how it left out some crucial plotlines from the book. While I can recognize that it’s a book adaptation and it won’t be the same line for line, there were several other vacations that were left out like Croatia and Sanibel Island.

The People We Meet On Vacation is a light, feel good movie. The characters’ laughter is contagious, their tears become your tears and it can’t help but become one of your favorites. It’s perfect for rom-com lovers, fans of friends-to-lovers, or even casual viewers!