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People We Meet on Vacation Hits No. 1 on Netflix as Adaptation Choices Spur Discussion

Test screenings prompted a toned‑down intimacy scene, which the author says fits the film’s tone.

Overview

  • The feature adaptation of Emily Henry’s 2021 novel premiered Jan. 9 on Netflix, starring Emily Bader and Tom Blyth.
  • The film climbed to No. 1 on the platform’s movie chart, with viewer reaction split and many calling for a miniseries format.
  • Director Brett Haley says he fought to retain the book’s flashback-driven structure and added Easter eggs, while changing select settings and sequence details.
  • Emily Henry endorses several screen changes, including added dimension for the character Sarah, noting the book still holds what the movie trims.
  • Haley and Henry say a sex scene was softened after test audiences cited a tonal mismatch, as Blyth frames his turn here as a shift toward lighter rom‑com work.