Folks We Meet on Trip could also be a lighthearted rom-com, but it surely’s proving to be polarizing amongst critics and followers alike.
The film, which serves as the primary book-to-film adaptation for bestselling creator Emily Henry, follows Poppy (Emily Bader) and Alex (Tom Blyth) as they kind an unlikely friendship whereas driving house from school one yr. Realizing they make glorious journey friends, the pair promise to take one trip every year collectively regardless of the circumstances. However with every journey, their emotions develop extra complicated, ultimately threatening to throw their complete relationship off-kilter.
“It’s surreal,” Henry solely advised Us Weekly on the movie’s Los Angeles premiere in January 2026 of seeing her work come to life on display. “It’s actually cool and magical, but additionally, I’m simply so happy with all people who labored on [it]. As a result of that is actually their child. I’ve the ebook. I really like the ebook. I’ll all the time be happy with the ebook, however they made one thing actually particular that I really feel like takes the ebook after which does some new stuff with it too.”
Whereas Henry couldn’t be happier with director Brett Haley’s imaginative and prescient for the film, followers and critics’ opinions are way more diverse. Some thought the variation nailed it from begin to end, however others noticed the story as underdeveloped, claiming it will have functioned higher as a restricted sequence.
Preserve scrolling for the perfect and worst opinions of Folks We Meet on Trip:
What Is ‘Folks We Meet on Trip’ Rated on Rotten Tomatoes?
The rom-com at present has a 74 p.c critic score on the time of publication, whereas viewers opinions are at 76 p.c, making the movie “Licensed Recent.”
What Are Critics Saying About ‘Folks We Meet on Trip’?
Tom Blyth, Emily Bader Michele Okay. Quick/Netflix © 2026
Regardless of Folks We Meet on Trip having a “Recent” score on Rotten Tomatoes, many critics have given it lower than stellar opinions. The A.V. Membership famous that whereas director Brett Haley and stars Tom Blyth and Emily Bader have a “palpable sense of ardour” about making the film the “subsequent breakout romantic hit,” the movie finally “feels extra like ordering a glowing tropical cocktail and getting served faucet water” as a substitute. The outlet added that “sadly, all that globe- and time-hopping” Alex and Poppy do on trip “can’t bulk up a film so skinny it will barely even depend as a carry-on.”
Roger Ebert’s Marya E. Gates was much more scathing, calling PWMOV the “newest vapid try” at reviving the romantic comedy style that feels just like the filmmakers put When Harry Met Sally, My Greatest Buddy’s Wedding ceremony and One Day “in a blender, combined it with a number of scenes from The Pocket book however eliminated any type of character or world constructing within the course of.”
Whereas the outlet, which rated the movie 1.5/5 stars, does word that Haley is usually a powerful director within the style, the overview claims he’s on “autopilot” right here, as are the writers. “On prime of the movie’s boring visible language, the script, with three writers — Yulin Kuang, Amos Vernon and Nunzio Randazzo — provides the characters little or no improvement,” Gates’ overview learn.
NPR’s “Pop Tradition Glad Hour” podcast had kinder phrases, claiming that it’s a “high-quality” and “nice” look ahead to a “weekend afternoon” however finally loses the issues that “made the ebook particular.”
Some shops did rave concerning the film. Display screen Rant known as it a “wildly entertaining and heartwarming romantic comedy that’s excellent for followers of the style, those that’ve learn Henry’s authentic novel and anybody in search of a date evening film.”
What Are Followers Saying About ‘Folks We Meet on Trip’?
Rotten Tomatoes viewers range throughout the board of their opinions of Folks We Meet on Trip, with some calling it “cringy” and “boring” whereas others in contrast it to “a heat cup of tea or espresso in winter morning.”
“Folks We Meet on Trip was an ideal fast romcom,” one RT consumer wrote. “Each characters had lovely improvement each inside themselves, but additionally as they develop from associates to lovers. Although the film severely differs from the ebook, it’s a nice standalone adaptation of the plot. In all, this can be a nice film to look at for a very good snicker and a candy love story, but it surely does differ from the ebook to which authentic readers could also be upset by.”
One other identified the unimaginable chemistry between leads Tom Blyth and Emily Bader, utilizing a fireplace emoji to explain their dynamic. “I loooooved the film,” they exclaimed. “Really feel good vibes, tremendous tacky, I cherished it.”
Reward for the movie carried over to X, the place one consumer mentioned the movie “soars & delights.”
“Regardless of a number of pacing points, I used to be giddy, kicking my toes, falling head over heels in love with Emily Bader & Tom Blyth as Poppy and Alex,” the fan added. “Cheers to the tiny fighters who need to really feel like they’re not an excessive amount of & worthy of affection.”
Others, nonetheless, felt the variation would have been stronger if made in longer kind. The criticism wasn’t a lot about what was on display however what was disregarded from the novel.
Emily Henry’s first book-to-film adaptation, Folks We Meet on Trip, has formally arrived — and it doesn’t disappoint. The film, which premiered on Netflix Friday, January 9, relies on Henry’s 2021 novel and follows free-spirited, spontaneous Poppy (Emily Bader) and tight-laced, reserved Alex (Tom Blyth) after they join on a visit house to […]
“Couldn’t shake the sensation that Folks We Meet on Trip would have labored higher as a sequence(an episode for each trip) permitting us extra time to fall for Poppy and Alex so the emotional weight felt heavier when wanted however nonetheless a enjoyable watch!” one individual defined.
One other famous, “I watched Folks We Meet on Trip and I agree, it wanted to be a sequence. You end the film wanting extra. There are such a lot of questions unanswered. I want extra Poppy and Alex.”
Others discovered it an ideal watch. “Folks we meet on trip was so good like the stress and emotional vulnerability between poppy and alex,” a 3rd individual wrote through X. “The film truly held a candle to the ebook.”
Folks We Meet on Trip is streaming on Netflix now.
