--- title: "People We Meet on Vacation: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/people-we-meet-on-vacation/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/people-we-meet-on-vacation" critics_score: 58 critics_reviews: 10 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # People We Meet on Vacation (2026): what the critics said Critics' score 58 from 10 reviews: 2 positive, 6 mixed, 2 negative. The reviews lean mixed on People We Meet on Vacation, with most critics finding a pleasant, predictable romance carried by its leads. Praise centres on Tom Blyth and Emily Bader, whose charm and rapport give the familiar friends-to-lovers story some appeal. The glossy holiday settings also earn approval as undemanding escapism. Even the warmer notices tend to value its comforting familiarity rather than find much surprise in the storytelling. The sharpest disagreement concerns whether the central relationship is convincing enough to overcome the clichés. Collider finds the pairing winning and the romance emotionally persuasive; The Guardian finds little chemistry, humour or reason to care. Between those poles, reservations cluster around thin characterisation, limited emotional depth and supporting players who mainly serve the leads. The spread is wide, but the consensus is more restrained: an amiable diversion for some, a forgettable exercise in the formula for others. ## The Hollywood Reporter — Angie Han Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 8 January 2026. The critic finds the film a pleasant but not transformative romantic fantasy that works best thanks to the leads' easy chemistry, while noting its limited interest in the characters' everyday lives or the appeal of travel itself. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/people-we-meet-on-vacation-review-netflix-emily-henry-1236466497/) ## Variety — Guy Lodge Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 8 January 2026. The critic calls the film a slight, sunny, undemanding Netflix romcom that coasts on the charms of its stars without surprises or subversions, offering comforting predictability. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2026/film/reviews/people-we-meet-on-vacation-review-1236626469/) ## Radio Times — Dave Golder Rating 3/5. A predictable globe-trotting romcom about best friends on platonic vacations that ultimately resolves as expected. It is glossy, well-crafted and witty, with charm from the lead performances. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-4n6dwb/people-we-meet-on-vacation/) ## The Telegraph — Robbie Collin Rating 3/5. 9 January 2026. This is a glossy, globe-trotting will-they-won’t-they romance that is perfect for winter escapism, a winningly corny adaptation with enough spark between the leads to feel fun and engaging. It lacks the emotional candour of similar stories like One Day but delivers as a low-stress package tour of romcom highlights. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2026/01/09/people-we-meet-on-vacation-review/) ## The New York Times — Jeannette Catsoulis Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 8 January 2026. The critic finds the romantic comedy occasionally cute but instantly forgettable, with a predictable ending and a mountain of clichés to overcome despite appealing leads. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/movies/people-we-meet-on-vacation-review.html) ## The AV Club — Caroline Siede Rating C-. 8 January 2026. The critic calls the film thin and forgettable, criticizing its lack of wit, genuine chemistry, or emotional depth despite the stars' efforts and globe-trotting premise, leaving it feeling more like a generic travelogue than a real romance. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/people-we-meet-on-vacation-review) ## Financial Times — Jonathan Romney Rating 1. 9 January 2026. The film is When Harry Met Sally without the zingers or chemistry; it abandons comedy for lachrymose philosophising and serves mainly as a vehicle for its lead with limited real chalk-and-cheese dynamic between the stars. [Read the review](https://www.ft.com/content/dc37fc48-0bef-4218-91a3-29b900e4aae4) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 8 January 2026. The adaptation is a glossily made yet charmless attempt to resurrect the friends-to-lovers formula, with nothing to root for or care about. The script fails to justify the central relationship or deliver genuine humour or insight, disappointing given director Brett Haley's earlier work. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/08/people-we-meet-on-vacation-netflix-review) ## Collider — Carly Lane Rating 9/10. 8 January 2026. The critic praises the effervescent, charming adaptation with winning performances from Tom Blyth and Emily Bader as the perfect leading pair in this opposites-attract friends-to-lovers story. They single out the strong central duo and the emotional rain-soaked climax for praise, while noting underdeveloped supporting characters as a minor complaint. [Read the review](https://collider.com/people-we-meet-on-vacation-review-netflix-tom-blyth-emily-bader/) ## Digital Spy — Gabriella Geisinger Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 9 January 2026. The critic recommends the film as a comforting alternative to tearjerkers like One Day for fans of the source novel. She praises the charming leads and escapist summer vacation settings while noting the supporting cast serves mainly as foils. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a69923445/people-we-meet-on-vacation-review-netflix/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/people-we-meet-on-vacation.md