The recently released film adaptation of People We Meet on Vacation has taken the internet by storm. Many fans of the book and first-time watchers have mixed opinions on the newest romantic comedy of 2026. After watching the film with friends (who were all painfully disappointed), my brain started to think about the genre as a whole.
I could watch classic rom-coms like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days or Notting Hill over and over again. The latest rom coms, however, tend to get worse with every watch. So, what happened to romantic comedies? Why aren’t they as captivating as they once were, and what exactly shifted?
For the sake of not making this deep dive into an essay, I’m going to primarily be focusing on comparing People We Meet on Vacation with the 1989 film When Harry Met Sally. Both films produced opinions and uproar in their own individual ways, which allows them to serve as a good reference point for comparison.
The first notable difference between most romantic comedies today and those of the early 1990s and 2000s is their release on streaming platforms, rather than solely in theaters. Platforms like Netflix have consumed viewers and even overtaken cable. Many hit movie releases moved to these streaming services to create exclusivity, attracting customer attention.
However, in the 1990s, anticipation was built around theater releases. Seeing the trailer, waiting for the release date, going to the theater with friends, and buying your favorite snack. There was a draw to the movie screen, no matter how overpriced the tickets seemed to be. This was a different form of exclusivity. This exclusivity provided an experience you could never get at home.
During its release, When Harry Met Sally generated $92.8 million. Now, with hundreds of shows and movies being released over many different streaming services, new releases get lost in the depths, and the anticipation dissipates. Viewers think, I can watch this whenever, rather than, I need to see this now.
So, when streaming platforms are trying to constantly release something new and only have so much money, some genres get less care than others. Romantic comedies have faced an epidemic of becoming low-budget churn-out films, rather than works of art. This turns the once exclusive aspect of services into quick cash projects.
Besides the obvious budget cuts to the genre, the actual plots of the movies have thinned out and become bland. Viewers are searching for a sweet, whirlwind romance that makes them both laugh and cry at the same time. Instead, new films like People We Meet on Vacation have cringy lines and rushed storytelling.
Even though the movie is an adaptation of an award-winning book, the film failed to add important plot details or change key factors to the story. It tried too hard to make the main protagonist, Poppy, quirky and different rather than relatable to the viewer. On the other hand, in When Harry Met Sally, witty banter is seen, the characters’ energy bounces off of one another, and they complement each other seamlessly.
The plot isn’t rushed, and the ending feels satisfying. There’s clear conflict and resolution, but it isn’t overly predictable. Although People We Meet On Vacation scored a 74% on Rotten Tomatoes, that doesn’t compare to the 90% that When Harry Met Sally generated.
When Harry Met Sally orbits around love and comedy; it doesn’t try to be anything else, allowing for a full engulfing romance story to unfold, rather than getting stuck in side-plots or backstories.
The last thing I believe is adding to the cringe phenomenon of rom coms is inauthenticity. The stories being produced aren’t necessarily from a place of passion for the genre or a desire to curate a unique storytelling experience. Rather, the main goal is money. People We Meet on Vacation was a popular book, even a New York Times bestseller, so it already had an audience.
Making this book into a movie didn’t take the in-depth effort needed for starting a story from scratch. Even with that, however, the movie still showed a lack of passion for the characters and key book details. Rob Reiner, the director, and Norah Ephron, writer of the screenplay, created the film When Harry Met Sally based on their own experience and perspective.
They’d each gone through individual experiences in their life, felt inspired by that, and wanted to portray it on the big screen. It came from authentic human experience, not some cliche trope, but the simple experience of what it’s like to date as an adult. This is why the film was such a great success; it was real and vulnerable, which is what people crave more than the perfect romance story.
Overall, People We Meet on Vacation wasn’t a terrible film, but in relation to the romantic comedy classics, there’s something missing. This film didn’t have that big-screen anticipation, lacked depth, and didn’t feel like it came from an authentic human experience. Rom coms need to stop trying to be perfect and need to start trying to be human again.
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