I hate to break it to you, book readers, but here’s my controversial take: sometimes you have to watch the movie or show before you read the book—unless you want to be deeply disappointed. I learned this the hard way over winter break when I watched the new Netflix rom-com “People We Meet on Vacation,” adapted from Emily Henry’s novel. I had just finished the book days before the premiere, and I couldn’t help arguing that the movie didn’t do it justice. Was I exaggerating? Probably. But someone had to defend the book.
After refreshing Netflix far too many times, I finally saw “People We Meet on Vacation” climb to “#1 Movies.” Directed by Brett Haley and reviewed by Henry herself, the adaptation already looked poised for success. The casting was compelling: Tom Blyth as Alex and Emily Bader—new to me—as Poppy. Months earlier, the trailer set to Robyn’s “Hang With Me” had hooked me immediately and pushed me to read the novel in the first place.
If you’re reading this, you may have already watched the movie. If not, consider this less a spoiler and more a nudge to pick up the book. I’ll start bluntly: how dare they leave out the vasectomy scene? (I’ll just say that Alex’s insane fear of losing Poppy stemmed from something much deeper, which wasn’t clearly represented in the book… and what’s up with that ring?) Sure, the adaptation captured the gist of the story, but that’s not what fans wanted. We wanted to see Poppy and Alex in their full complexity, not just the broad strokes of their romance.
In the novel, we meet Poppy in the present—a modern “boss woman,” reminiscent of Carrie Bradshaw exploring the world, yet quietly unfulfilled without Alex. Alex appears in his unremarkable khakis and unmistakable UChicago crewneck, an oddly perfect blend of ordinary and magnetic. Their college dynamic, however, never fully materializes on screen. Instead of watching their friendship slowly take shape, the show drops us into a “When Harry Met Sally”-style interaction without the necessary backstory. That missing context matters.
Much of their connection in the book develops through texts, calls and even their shared obsession with Flannery O’Connor—details largely absent from the movie. Where were the late-night messages? The “Alex sad puppy face?” Moments like the water taxi and Nashville scenes captured their warmth, but too many interactions felt incomplete or rushed.
Some changes were minor and forgivable—like skipping the dating app subplot or giving them separate apartments. Other omissions felt more damaging. The adaptation flattened their individuality. We see Poppy mostly in relation to Alex and vice versa, but we lose their inner lives: Poppy’s insecurity, her fear of being stuck, her complicated relationship with her past. The subway encounter with her ex-boyfriend and the final confrontation at her least favorite place—pivotal moments in the novel—never fully resonated on screen.
As a standalone rom-com, the movie is charming and heartfelt. As an adaptation, it misses the core of Henry’s book: how Poppy and Alex grow as people before they grow together. I probably would have loved the movie had I watched it first.
So if you’re looking for a breezy, feel-good romance, add “People We Meet on Vacation” to your queue. But if you’ve already read the novel, prepare yourself—you may leave feeling like something essential got lost in translation.
Freshman Francesca Rayo is the Managing Editor. Her email is frayogue@fandm.edu.