No matter what naysayers want to say, there are very few genres in this world that can provide the type of nostalgia, escapism, and hope that romantic comedies do. No matter how awful my mood is, I know that any time I turn on While You Were Sleeping (1995), everything will be okay for a while. And as writers, we carry pieces of the media we consume with us, allowing them to morph their way into our creations because a large part of inspiration comes from the things we love most.
Even if you haven't read Emily Henry's novel, by watching People We Meet on Vacation (2026), you can see pieces of Sally Albright and Harry Burns from When Harry Met Sally (1989) in Poppy Wright and Alex Nilsen. You can feel the profound longing that passes through two people who continuously orbit around each other. And the heart of When Harry Met Sally sparkling throughout People We Meet on Vacation is precisely what makes the movie an absolute must-watch that's now streaming on Netflix.
'People We Meet On Vacation' Has Similar Vibes To 'When Harry Met Sally'
In her acknowledgements, Emily Henry states, "When I started People We Meet on Vacation, I didn't set out to write a homage to one of my favorite romantic comedies. But perhaps it was Ephron who left this indelible mark on me, planted a seed of ardent appreciation for characters who grate and irritate and infuriate, until the moment they suddenly don't." The most exciting part of writing sometimes is ultimately what happens with the characters as they start dictating to us how they want the story to unfold. We might start in one direction, but their choice to veer left or right gives us all the clues necessary to take them where they need to go.
Henry might not have set out to deliver an homage to When Harry Met Sally, but as two of her most complex characters, Poppy and Alex clearly had other plans, driving her toward providing the kind of love letter that makes the story even more poignant and relatable. Because really, a large part of the appeal in Ephron's writing is the natural progression of how the characters develop, allowing their growth to become an inspiration to those of us watching. It's all so inherently human. And in truth, we all know a Harry, a Sally, a Poppy, and an Alex, even if they go by different names, because real, complex characters are at the center of both movies.
At the same time, the similar vibes make both movies fun and deeply compelling. While Harry and Sally continue going in and out of each other's lives in a quieter manner, Poppy and Alex go on one vacation after another, keeping their promise to stay in each other's lives no matter how complicated things get. (Until they get too complicated, but that's what delivers the delicious angst that makes Barcelona—Palm Springs in the book—so engrossing.)
Nora Ephron's legacy in how romantic comedies are structured and paced is something that's engraved deep in us all. The mark she's left in this world is similar to legends like Jane Austen in how their writing masterfully explores humanity and our relationships through humor, honest conversations, and immeasurable vulnerability.
Why The Friends-To-Lovers Trope Makes Both Movies Instant Classics
I will perpetually be a friends-to-lovers apologist because it's the most realistic means of two people falling in love in the real world. As much as the concept of fake dating is exciting on our screens, very few people can say that they met the love of their life while they were simultaneously their pretend wedding date. Or as much as we all love an enemies-to-lovers relationship, let's be honest with ourselves, would we really be giving someone we can't stand a chance outside of a whimsical fantasy world? Chances are slim. But friends-to-lovers is organic and real, paving the way for connections that go beyond what we can explain.
Harry and Sally work as a pairing because of the quiet moments they share while being fully transparent with one another, even as it irritates them both. The essence of their love is best unveiled in the phone call scene where they both watch Casablanca (1943) together, walls down, hearts bared. It's in that moment where we, as the audience, realize that they aren't as comfortable with anyone else.
In People We Meet on Vacation, it's the detail that they're both their truest selves while on vacation together, doing things they want without any exceptions or fears. Poppy and Alex might be opposites, but best friends don't have to be the same person in order for them to click fully. Sometimes, they can just be the person who fulfills all that you need while you do the same for them. This realism allows both movies to be easily relatable as stories that'll hold up and feel grounded years after their release. And the chemistry in both of them is a bonus that makes everything extra delicious. It's not every rom-com that gets this stamp of approval, but People We Meet on Vacation and When Harry Met Sally do.
