Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Book-based romance with sex, language, and drinking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
People We Meet on Vacation
What's the Story?
Poppy (Emily Bader) and Alex (Tom Blyth) meet as college students and form a long-lasting friendship in PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION. They start a tradition of taking a trip together every summer. Despite their differences in temperament and longer-term life plans, they share a deep bond that may or may not eventually lead them to romance, complicating other relationships and plans they embark on.
Is It Any Good?
This warm albeit predictable romance could have run shorter by at least half an hour, but viewers—especially fans of the book—will find plenty to like. Bader and Blyth make a fetching pair in People We Meet on Vacation, which starts on a decidedly When Harry Met Sally note with two college classmates riding home together for a school break. Following that film's central question, People concludes that men and women can't just be friends when there's potential for romance—but a friendship makes a great foundation for long-lasting love. The film flits back and forth between summers the pair have spent together in a way that doesn't offer many surprises but does provide satisfying explanations and setups for what comes next.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the structure of People We Meet on Vacation, moving back and forth between present and past summers. Were you ever confused by the time shifts? Was there a better way to structure this film, in your opinion?
What did you think of the film's ending? Did anything surprise you?
If you've read the book, how does the film compare? What can each medium do differently and/or better?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : January 9, 2026
- Cast : Emily Bader , Tom Blyth , Sarah Catherine Hook
- Director : Brett Haley
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : Book Characters , Friendship , Travel
- Run time : 117 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : sexual content, drug use, nudity and brief strong language
- Last updated : January 20, 2026
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