The contemporary romance book ‘The People We Meet on Vacation’, written by Emily Henry, has been adapted into a movie that has fans stirring.
The book is centered on Poppy and Alex. They met in college through a mutual friend who discovered they’re from the same hometown. They became fast friends, who soon began the tradition of taking an annual vacation each summer. They did so for a decade until one trip in particular caused a rift in their friendship, causing them to lose contact for two years.
That was until Poppy decided to reach out, determined to set things right.
Little did they know it would lead to them realizing their feelings for each other, once and for all.
This year, the movie adaptation was released, and while it was a great transformation, there were noticeable changes nonetheless.
First and foremost, in the book, they met at the University of Chicago through a mutual friend. They then got to know each other better on their ride home. In the adaptation, they meet before their shared ride home from Brown University, which was suggested by a mutual friend.
Another difference from when they first met was their current relationship statuses. While Poppy was single at the start of both, in the book, Alex was as well. However, in the movie, he and Sarah, his on-and-off girlfriend, were high school sweethearts. They were on and off in the movie as well, which was contingent upon the consistency of the plot.
One noticeable difference that is not talked about enough is Poppy’s fever. While it was mentioned in the movie, it was not shown as severe as it was in the book.
The book displayed the scene as intimate and intense care, showing the emotional bond between the two characters. It showed how they truly connected during her vulnerable state, especially when Poppy states, “I can feel your heartbeat,” to which Alex replies, “I can feel yours too.” This created a slow-burning romantic atmosphere, while adding a pivotal moment to the story that the movie brushed over too quickly.
Another critique regarding this scene in the movie was when Poppy expressed to Alex how much she appreciated him and honestly felt as though she did not deserve him. Fans were exceedingly unhappy with Alex responding to that confession with, “I know.” The book version of Alex would have reassured her and made her feel wanted, while movie Alex glossed over her feelings completely, missing the intense emotional connection displayed in the book during this scene.
The most noticeable difference appears in the turning point of their relationship. In the book, it was the Croatia trip, while in the movie, it was the Tuscany trip.
During the Croatia trip, Alex and Poppy’s tension slowly grew, leading to a drunken kiss. Alex pulled away to preserve their friendship, while Poppy took it as rejection. With both not being able to understand their feelings for one another, it led to their two-year separation.
On the Tuscany trip, Alex brought Sarah, while Poppy was with her boyfriend, Trey. While the trip seemed to have been going well, Poppy had a pregnancy scare, which Alex, of course, helped her with. With emotions high after finding out it was false, they shared an almost kiss. It coined the now-popular line, “What am I to you?” said by Alex. The next morning, Alex proposed to Sarah, leaving Poppy speechless.
One thing that stayed the same in the adaptation was how Poppy reached out to Alex after two years because of his brother’s wedding.
In the book, Poppy reaches out to make a trip out of the destination wedding set in Palm Springs. She is determined to fix their friendship and get back on track. She pays for the entire trip, causing the hotel to be in bad condition. Extreme heat, plus a broken AC and two years of tension, caused an extremely emotional trip. In need to cool down in the rain, they dramatically confessed their feelings for one another.
While in the movie, Poppy uses David’s wedding as an excuse to see Alex. They stay in the same hotel, but not room. Similarly in the book, they end up confessing their feelings for each other in a similar way.
Last, but certainly not least, the ending scenes. Both endings involve Poppy going to Alex’s hometown in Ohio to confess her vulnerability and need for Alex in her life. In the book, she may have just shown up at his school, but in the movie, she dramatically chases after him, confessing that he is her “home.”
As an avid reader, although there were many differences between the book and movie, I thought it played out perfectly. While some fans wished it were a series rather than a movie, I felt as though the way they also were able to flip-flop between past and present was clear and precise. I also found the casting to be a perfect match to the way they were portrayed in the book.
Ultimately, the film stays true to the heart of the story by capturing Alex and Poppy’s slow-burning connection and reinforcing the idea of home being a person, not a place.
