If you have been anywhere near the romance section in a bookstore in the past five years, you have likely come across the name Emily Henry.
Since her hit Beach Read in 2020, Henry has undoubtedly become the face of contemporary romance. Propelled by passionate fans on #BookTok, the Queen of Hearts‘ success in the genre sees no sign of plateauing, and it was only a matter of time before Hollywood came knocking on her door.
Following the recent craze over book adaptations such as The Summer I Turned Pretty and To All the Boys franchises (I will never escape raspberry chocolate coulis for the rest of my life– if you know, you know), it is clear that studios have discovered a new goldmine of content: romance book adaptations. Thus, it is not shocking to see Netflix has jumped on the romcom resurgence to acquire three of Emily Henry’s novels as book-to-film adaptations. The first of which, ‘People We Meet on Vacation‘ (PWMOV), starring newcomers Tom Blyth and Emily Bader, debuted on the platform to a record-breaking 17.2 million views. But for long-time book fans, the question remains: Does the film live up to the hype? Does it do Alex and Poppy’s love story justice?
THE PLOT IN A NUTSHELL.
Before we move on to the book, to give a brief description of the plot, the story follows a decade-long relationship between two friends, Poppy Wright (Emily Bader) and Alex Nilsen (Tom Blyth), who are quite literally polar opposites. Poppy is restless like a shot of espresso, and Alex craves routine like a warm cup of tea. After a road trip together by chance, the two begin an annual tradition of spending summer vacations with each other in different countries before an unexpected fallout, which causing Poppy and Alex to no longer be on speaking terms in the beginning of the story. At present, we watch Poppy ask Alex to go on one last vacation, and the narrative flashes between their past vacations and present vacation to see if Poppy succeeds in mending the broken parts of their relationship.
Well, as someone who mostly prefers books over their adaptations, I was initially sceptical about the adaptation but I am delighted to say the movie adaptation of PWMOV not only does Alex and Poppy justice (huge kudos to Emily Bader and Tom Blyth), but also improves on the source material for the most part, with some compromises.
the CINEMATOGRAPHY (What A BREATH OF FRESH AIR.)
Let’s start with the visuals. While there might be disagreements about plot changes, I don’t think it’d be a stretch to say that the film was shot beautifully, all thanks to the film’s director Brett Haley.
I am not going to lie here. Whenever someone brings up vacations, I immediately picture sandy beaches, the glorious visuals like the warmth of the sun, a violet sky, and the glow of sunset. So, I questioned Netflix’s decision to release the movie in the depths of winter, where there is NO sun, black skies, and gloomy weather (if you live in England, you know the period between January and March is basically hell for productivity) – all traits that stand in stark contrast with the film’s core message of reinvention and possibility.
Boy, was I glad to be proven wrong.
In the film’s 109-minute runtime, you are whisked away from the bleak cruelty of winter and led on a stunning journey with these two characters who are travelling all around the world, one vacation at a time. From the succulent greenery in Canada to the sparkling nightlife of New Orleans, the film’s cinematography transforms the book’s vivid descriptions into a magnificent reality that goes beyond shooting lively locations.
It successfully captures the magical essence of vacation. Since we are often trapped our stressful lives of work and study, the colourful shots of the film are immersive, and serve as a warm anecdote that lessens your anxiety from your bustling life.
Take a deep breath. Look around in the environment you are in with the person you love.
It is okay.
By the end of it, the film replenishes you, as if you have returned from a whirlwind trip around the globe yourself.
The castING (THE SAVING GRACE.)
I simply cannot declare that the adaptation did the book justice without touching on the casting of Emily Bader and Tom Blyth, who do the heavy lifting for the film’s emotional beats through their alluring chemistry.
In the book, Poppy’s frantic monologue can be easily brushed off as ‘quirky‘. However, Bader’s vulnerable portrayal of Poppy grounds her realistically without dimming her sparkle. In the quiet moments, Bader’s delivery shows that Poppy’s fear of commitment and need for movement stem from her childhood trauma of not being accepted by her schoolmates. It is her vulnerable portrayal that allows Bader to absolutely shine in the final confession scene in the movie, which has her running towards Alex on his morning run, even though her character despises running. With her trembling voice and heartbreaking honesty when delivering the monologue, Poppy’s fears are clearly demonstrated to us, allowing her confession to be a satisfying payoff, unlike the book’s version, which felt a bit lacklustre to me personally as it was difficult to understand Poppy’s behaviour towards Alex at times.
Now, let’s move on to praising Tom Blyth. Make no mistake, Blyth has had experience weaponizing his charm before, as shown from his humane portrayal of young Coriolanus Snow in the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. In PWMOV, you can clearly see Blyth has put his charisma to good use. From his lingering stares to his hidden smiles at Poppy, there is no question that Tom Blyth is Alex Nilsen, a true yearner for his best friend. Like Bader, Blyth also brought his A-game in the vulnerable moments. This is especially shown in the dance scene between Poppy and Alex in New Orleans, where the two dance with each other in a bar. After doing ‘a funky worm‘ dance move on the floor, Alex slows down while dancing with Poppy, and it is then that you see the energy between them instantly shifts, with Blyth’s eyes widening as his chest nears Bader’s. In these subtle moments, the pair’s chemistry drives the film, successfully showcasing emotional depth of the story.
the pACING (YAY FOR POPPY AND NAY FOR Alex.)
Alex’s characterisation brings me to my biggest complaint with the movie, which holds the movie back from joining my Mount Rushmore of Romcom greats: How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, When Harry Met Sally, and more. The breakneck pacing, especially in the final act of the movie, tries to wrap up the story efficiently, at the cost of explanations for Alex’s complex background.
For adaptations, plot changes are inevitable. Nevertheless, what is disappointing here is that emotional justifications for behaviour of the leads are alarmingly unequal. While most of Poppy’s backstory remains intact here, Alex’s tragic backstory is merely glossed over in the film. Alex’s dedication to stability mainly stems from his role as the eldest brother in the family. After his mum died in childbirth which caused his dad to fall apart, Alex takes up a parental role in his family to look after his brothers. A major reason why he has a significant attachment to Poppy is that she allows him to break through his shell, allowing him to realise his wants are as important as his family’s. This is demonstrated in iconic book Alex Nilsen moments such as “Sometimes it feels like I didn’t even exist before that. Like you invented me.“, highlighting the deep emotional connection between the characters, illustrating Poppy’s significant impact on him after they met.
Unfortunately, many of these moments are either absent, or reduced here. Consequently, his shift from being one to stick to routine to one who is willing to risk his friendship with Poppy for love in the third act felt jarring, as the film relies heavily on Blyth’s charm to sell Movie Alex as a viable love interest. This also made the overall emotional substance of the film to be slightly underwhelming, as it relies on the audience’s connection to Poppy to get them to root for the couple, possibly causing the finale to be unsatisfying for audiences who aren’t connected to either character.
All in all, WHAT IS THE FINAL VERDICT?
Is Netflix’s People We Meet on Vacation a perfect adaptation?
No, as Alex’s nuanced journey in Emily Henry’s novel is not thoroughly captured in the movie.
But, with the film’s limited runtime, it does the essence of the book justice (we should have had a series adaptation to flesh out the plot but oh well), so I am a very satisfied consumer at the PoppyAlex buffet. Through its cinematography and perfect casting, the film depicts the dazzling love story between two individuals who find comfort in each other, despite the seasons of change in life.
So, to my dear readers who are combatting January blues and dreaming of golden sunshine: watching this movie just might be the short escape you need over the weekend. However, if you feel unsatisfied with the ending, don’t fret. There is always Emily Henry’s original novel on your nightstand for the full story.
In the meantime, we can enjoy watching Tom Blyth’s yearn for Emily Bader in 4k. And honestly, isn’t that a blessing in itself?