Romance movies are usually second on my list after horror, and while the two genres couldn’t be more different, there’s a reason I gravitate toward them most: they’re able to evoke the strongest feelings. When I settle down to stream a rom-com, however, I’m expecting something charming enough to pull me out of reality, and Netflix’s “People We Meet on Vacation” looks like it might just do that.
We got our first look at the beginning of September, with Tom Blyth and Emily Bader starring as two best friends who reunite for one final trip that could turn their friendship into something more. Now we have our first teaser trailer, and while it only runs a minute long, it already gives us a solid taste of what to expect when it premiers on January 9, 2026.
Based on Emily Henry’s novel of the same name, this romantic comedy centers around Poppy (Bader) and Alex (Blyth), two polar-opposite best friends who spent a decade vacationing together until a rift pushed them apart. When they agree to take one final trip, it may just change everything they knew about their friendship.
The trailer does a solid job of introducing these characters for anyone unfamiliar with the source material, without spoiling too many scenes. Poppy comes across as free-spirited and happy to “wing it,” while Alex is more structured, sticking to an itinerary to “best enjoy” the trip.
And, as with so many stories about friends in denial, they’re quick to insist they’re nothing more than “platonic travel companions” when asked if they’re a couple. As a teaser, it does exactly what it should, and it’s definitely left me more intrigued to see the movie.
What else do we know about ‘People We Meet on Vacation’?
Netflix has released an official synopsis: “Free-spirited Poppy (Bader) and routine-loving Alex (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?”
“People We Meet on Vacation” is directed by Brett Haley, who is known for his heartfelt romantic dramas and comedies, including movies like “All the Bright Places” and “I’ll See You in My Dreams.” He spoke to Netflix Tudum about the upcoming adaptation: “This is a movie that doesn’t just tell a love story. It makes you feel like you’ve gone on vacation right alongside Poppy and Alex.”
Bader also shared with Tudum that what she loves most about the movie and Emily Henry’s book is how, at its core, it’s “quite a simple slice-of-life story about two people just being able to love themselves and therefore love each other.”
Released in 2021, the “People We Meet on Vacation” novel debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times bestseller list and has sold over two million copies in the U.S., making it Henry’s best-selling book to date. The upcoming movie actually marks her first book-to-screen adaptation: “It was essential to me, and to everyone involved, that we honor that arc. Their love story is the spine of the book, and it had to be the spine of the film.”
Rounding out the cast alongside Bader and Blyth are Sarah Catherine Hook, Jameela Jamil, Lucien Laviscount, and Lukas Gage.
I’m excited to see “People We Meet on Vacation” because even in just one minute of footage, Bader and Blyth seem to have serious chemistry. On top of that, the movie already gives off cozy summer getaway vibes, making it feel like the perfect warm escape (especially as it’s debuting in the middle of winter).
My only real concern is that book-to-movie adaptations don’t always feel complete, since books have more time to develop characters and storylines, while movies have to be selective about what to include. Still, judging by the first trailer, it looks like a charming watch with the right mix of ingredients to make you swoon, even if it has flaws.
Stream "People We Meet on Vacation" on Netflix starting January 9, 2026.
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