People We Meet on Vacation (Netflix)
At Girls Gone Hallmark, we usually live in a world of cozy towns, predictable meet-cutes, and romances that wrap up neatly before the final commercial break. That’s our lane – and we love it. But every so often, we step just outside the Hallmark bubble to check out a movie that feels adjacent enough to spark conversation on both sides. That’s exactly why we’re reviewing People We Meet on Vacation, Netflix’s latest romantic film that’s been catching the attention of both rom-com fans and book lovers alike.
So today, we’re talking about People We Meet on Vacation from a very specific point of view: longtime Hallmark reviewers who know what works in cozy romance, but are also curious about how bigger-budget streaming rom-coms handle similar emotional beats.
At its core, this is a watchable, emotionally driven romance with strong performances and a structure that mostly works, even if it doesn’t always live up to the promise of its premise. It’s not reinventing the genre, but gives enough to invest in, react to, and occasionally side-eye — making it a great candidate for a Girls Gone Hallmark-style breakdown.
People We Meet on Vacation was released on Netflix on Friday, January 9, 2026.
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Listen to Girls Gone Hallmark’s Review of People We Meet on Vacation
Who Stars in People We Meet On Vacation
- Brett Haley directed People We Meet on Vacation. He has 19 previous directing credits, including The Hero, Hearts Beat Loud, and All the Bright Places, and is known for warm, character-driven storytelling.
- The movie is adapted from the best-selling novel by Emily Henry.
- The screenplay comes from Yulin Kuang, Amos Vernon, and Nunzio Randazzo.
- Fun Hallmark crossover: Yulin Kuang also wrote the teleplay for the 2020 Love on Iceland.
- Amos Vernon and Nunzio Randazzo previously wrote together on Hotel Transylvania: Transformania.
- Emily Bader stars as Poppy, and with 17 acting credits – including the lead role in the Amazon Prime series My Lady Jane – she’s already being called by some as the next big thing.
- Tom Blyth plays Alex. He has 16 acting credits, most notably starring as the lead in Billy the Kid and as Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. He too is recognized as one to watch in Hollywood.
- Sarah Catherine Hook plays fiancé Sarah. Her previous work includes The White Lotus and the short-lived reboot of Cruel Intentions.
- Miles Heizer plays David. You likely recognize Miles for his role as Drew on Parenthood or his roles as Alex on 13 Reasons Why. He recently starred in the canceled-too-soon series Boots.
- Jamella Jamil plays boss Swapna. She is widely recognized for her role as Tahani on The Good Place.
- Lucien Laviscount plays Trey and needs no introduction for Emily in Paris fans, where he’s best known as Alfie.
- Lukas Gage plays Buck and is best known for his appearances in Euphoria and The White Lotus.
- Alan Ruck, Molly Shannon, and Ian Porter also appear.
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