Club Benefits
In the world of quirky contemporary romance, author Emily Henry is second to none. She’s had some of the biggest hits in romantic fiction over the past several years, including "Book Lovers," "Funny Story" and "Beach Read."
So it makes sense that Hollywood would come a-knocking, adapting her stories for the big screen, beginning with "People We Meet on Vacation." This fluffy rom-com stars Tom Blyth and Emily Bader as a pair of mismatched friends who meet in college and make a commitment to spend a week together every summer vacation.
But is their friendship strictly platonic, or are there more feelings lingering underneath the surface? If this sounds up your alley, here are a few other movies like "People We Meet on Vacation" that you shouldn’t miss.
'When Harry Met Sally'
All modern rom-coms owe a debt of gratitude to "When Harry Met Sally," and "People We Meet on Vacation" especially so. In fact, it’s easy to see the characters in the new movie as a gender-swapped Harry and Sally, with one uptight, Type A character and another who’s … well, much less so.
The opening of "People We Meet on Vacation" is even an homage to "When Harry Met Sally," with the two friends initially meeting as they share a cross-country road trip. And the slow burn of their transition from friends to lovers is a perfect complement to what we see in "When Harry Met Sally," where the two dance around their sexual tension over the course of several years.
Watch on HBO Max
'Plus One'
We just can’t get enough of these long-term friendships that grow into something more. In "Plus One," Ben (Jack Quaid) and Alice (Maya Erskine) are a pair of twenty-somethings overwhelmed by the sheer number of weddings they’re expected to attend.
Rather than worry about finding actual dates for all these formal affairs, they make a pact that they’ll be each other’s plus one to every wedding, giving one another a stress-free date with no strings attached. (Spoiler alert: Strings will definitely be attached.) With sparkling chemistry between the two leads and a great sense of humor, "Plus One" is a surprisingly underrated romantic comedy of the past 10 years.
Watch on Hulu
'The Holiday'
![THE HOLIDAY [2006] - Official Trailer (HD) - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/wk9caHO3pW0/maxresdefault.jpg)
A vacation is an opportunity to let go of some of the strictures that govern your day-to-day life, and open yourself up to new possibilities — including love. That’s what we get in this charming Christmas romance starring Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, and Jack Black.
When Iris (Winslet) and Amanda (Diaz) are fed up with their routines, they make an impulsive decision to swap houses for the holidays, with Iris heading to sunny California and Amanda making her way to a picturesque English cottage. While there, they each find exactly what they’re looking for in the form of two men who suit them perfectly. "The Holiday" has become a Christmas staple since its 2006 release, and it’s easy to see why.
Rent/buy on Apple TV or Prime Video
'Red, White & Royal Blue'
Based on another contemporary rom-com that lit up the bestseller lists, "Red, White and Royal Blue" features the unlikely love between the son of the president of the United States (Taylor Zakhar Perez) and a British prince (Nicholas Galitzine).
Although they initially proclaim that they can’t stand one another, this is clearly just a way of hiding their simmering sexual tension. But their path forward isn’t necessarily easy — any potential romance has an impact on their respective families’ positions in global politics and plays out on the world stage. Despite this, love finds a way.
Watch on Prime Video
'Anyone But You'
Granted, "Anyone But You" has a bit more of an enemies-to-lovers trope, but it still features the vacation element that structures "People We Meet on Vacation." Bea and Ben (Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, respectively) share a passionate one-night stand that goes awry due to some poor communication skills on both their parts.
Feelings hurt and egos bruised, they have a hostile relationship whenever they cross paths, which grows increasingly often when Ben’s friend begins dating Bea’s sister. And things come to a sexy head when they’re forced to attend their wedding in Australia, where they pretend to be together to get everyone off their back. Of course, real feelings are inevitable.
Watch on Hulu
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