In early January, the movie adaptation of Emily Henry’s “People We Meet On Vacation” was released on Netflix. The film stars two main love interests, Emily Bader as Poppy and Tom Blyth as Alex. We see their story of friendship, and something more, unfold over the years and many trips they take together. And just wow! This movie gave me all the feels.
The pair’s friends-to-lovers plotline could not be any better. Without giving away spoilers, I will say you go on a beautiful, funny and emotional rollercoaster throughout the nearly two-hour-long film. As a romantic comedy lover, there is not a movie that I recommend more right now!
While it may seem silly, this movie healed me in a way. It brought me back to the period of peak romantic comedies — or my preferred term for the genre’s peak, the “rom-com-era” — of the early 2000s. At the time, there was an abundance of films in this category that simply hit the spot. Something about watching a relationship develop with purposeful, lighthearted moments brings me so much comfort.
Watching and experiencing movies like “A Cinderella Story,” “The Princess Diaries” or “How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days” for the first time made me feel so good inside. Unfortunately, the rom-coms in recent years have been lacking. I missed the emotional reaction I used to feel when watching a new flick. “People We Meet On Vacation” elicited the same positive feelings for me as these older films did. This was something I did not know I was craving until I experienced it. Now, I have watched the movie three times. While it has not lost its charm, I cannot get back the same feeling as when I watched it for the first time.
This brings me to my point: we need a rom-com renaissance. It is not that this genre disappeared after the early 2000s. Plenty of rom-coms are produced all the time. However, they are simply not that great. Take Netflix’s plethora of Christmas movies like “Our Little Secret,” for example. A revival is needed. I firmly believe that “People We Meet On Vacation” could be the start.
The film has the perfect mix of cringe, emotion and love as any good rom-com should. On top of this, the actors are clearly dedicated and the overall vibes are immaculate. In the best way, I felt like I was transported back to the early 2000s while watching, despite knowing it was a modern film. It is the kind of movie that anyone can enjoy and you will certainly feel good after watching.
Whether upcoming rom-coms are book adaptations or original stories, I would love to see more similarities to my early 2000s favorites, like the ones “People We Meet On Vacation” held. Poppy and Alex’s comedic mishaps and extreme yearning brought me right back to the Y2K classics.
Purposeful casting, relatable plot lines and dream-worthy romance are what we need for rom-coms to be officially back. No more of the forced chemistry, bad humor or overly manufactured stories that we see so much of today.
While I cannot tell you exactly what rom-com will come out next, or whether it will live up to the 2000s rom-com era, rest assured, I will be watching it, hoping for that same special feeling. We must continue to watch and review these older movies while also giving praise to quality new films like “People We Meet On Vacation.” This is the best chance we have at a much-needed rom-com renaissance.