Soon after the Netflix release of People We Meet on Vacation, entertainment news (like Time Magazine and Variety) began covering the major differences between the book and the new adaptation. These pieces pointed out glaring stuff, but did not get deep into the nitty gritty details. My analysis of the movie’s canonical changes below covers a lot of topics, includes book quotes, and is organized into two categories of severity: big changes and small ones.
Big Canonical Changes
The Road Trip
MOVIE OVERVIEW
In the adaptation, the college-to-home road trip is hugely expanded and complicated. For example:
- All new scenes are created for the movie that don’t exist in the book, specifically the burrito explosion in gridlock traffic, the wishing well moment, the gas station lockout, the motel night, and breakfast at the diner.
- Some road trip dialogue is inspired by later parts in the book. For example, the Porny Poppy story. Poppy actually tells Alex this story during a dorm room sleepover two years after their road trip. See Chapter 9, p 83.
- The “tiny fighter” moment in the diner is an Easter egg for the endearing nickname Alex has for Poppy throughout the book. (See the orange box below).
“Tiny Fighter” is a nickname for Poppy that comes from a text exchange she and Alex have about Alex’s cat Flannery O’Connor. See Ch 25, p 238. “Tiny fighter” is repeated in key emotional moments in the book several times. In Ch 25 p 239, Alex says, “I love her,” referring to “tiny fighter,” but it’s up in the air whether he’s talking about Poppy or his cat or both. In Ch 32 p 310, he whispers “tiny fighter” against the skin of Poppy’s naked stomach. In Ch 36 p 355, he says “tiny fighter” after a declaration of love in the final scene of the book.
THE ROAD TRIP IN THE BOOK
In the book, the college-to-home road trip is short and sweet. After some initial tension, Alex loosens up on the ride. He even sings in the car. They get to Linfield with no major issues.
My favorite part: Poppy and Alex have a pivotal talk about travel, which neither of them has ever done. The chapter’s dialogue ends on a very sweet note, full of possibility and foreshadowing for their relationship. Alex says, “Love […] I’m guessing love,” to respond to Poppy’s question about whether he might hate or love traveling. His answer can, of course, be interpreted as a prediction for how he’ll feel about Poppy one day—not just travel.
The Movie Altered Trey’s and Sarah’s Careers
I found it SO curious that the movie drastically altered both Trey’s and Sarah’s career identities. I’ve thought a lot about what they were trying to convey with the changes and in both cases, the change seems to be an attempt to make Movie-Trey and Movie-Sarah (1) more adventurous than their book-versions and (2) more in conflict with Alex.
SARAH: In the book, Sarah and Alex are solidly career compatible. Both are proud high school teachers. Yet, in the movie, their career choices are at odds. Alex doesn’t want to teach at his local high school forever, but since Sarah is poised to take over her family’s “boring” undisclosed business, he’s willing to stay put and settle. The kicker is: Sarah becomes a flight attendant in the movie. She doesn’t want to stay in Linfield either. (This doesn’t happen in the book.)
BOOK FRIEND SHOUT OUT @ASREAD_BYMERISHA: Discussing the movie (and especially Sarah’s and Alex’s career identities) with Merisha (@asread_bymerisha) was eyeopening and fun. It really inspired me to get my thoughts down in a blog post like this! If you’re not already following Merisha on Instagram and Threads, you should! You’ll get posts like this, honest reviews, analysis, and insights from the personal curriculum journey she’s taking this year. She also offers author services!
TREY: Trey’s changes are super interesting too. In the book, Alex can pretty much write Trey off as unserious competition for Poppy. He’s a college dropout, former metal band member, and a lifetime skater-bro (see Ch 29, p 269). In the movie, Trey is sexy, well put together, British, and Black. He’s a former pro-surfer and enthusiastic about his nomadic lifestyle. Trey comes off as way cooler, more aloof, and in a league above Alex.
The reason the adaptation’s career changes are important and interesting is that millennial career confusion is such a big part of the book’s atmosphere. Job-related identities preoccupy the development of characters. The opening line of the book and movie says it clearly: “On vacation, you can be anyone you want.” Plus, every step of the book’s plot is driven by career path choices, work trips, and, of course, precious time off from work (yay, vacation!).
Who Initiates the First Kiss and Who Apologizes
In the book, Alex has pattern of apologizing. “I’m sorry” is part of his character’s carefulness and care. Look how Poppy describes and speaks to him in Ch 26:
“I knew Alex was a black-and-white thinker. I knew he was ultracautious, and I knew he was the most thoughtful, courteous person on the planet. But somehow I’m still surprised all of that added up to this big decision. It makes my heart feel like a sore muscle, all heat and achy tenderness, because it is just so him. (…) “Above and beyond caution and consideration. You’re a prince, Alex Nilsen.”
When the movie altered one of Alex’s most important “I’m sorry” moments, in the talk after the unsure first kiss, I was so saddened and confused by this detour from his canon. In the book, Alex (not Poppy) initiated the kiss. In the book, Alex apologizes the next day as soon as he gets the right moment. See Ch 33, p 325. In the movie, the kiss-mistake is pinned entirely on Poppy, and she profusely apologizes for initiating.
Alex’s Reaction to Poppy’s Tuscany Pregnancy Scare
In the book, Alex doesn’t ever propose to Sarah (see Ch 30, p 296), let alone on the Tuscany trip right after Poppy’s pregnancy scare. In fact, the movie completely ignores the canonical reason the pregnancy scare has such a big impact on Alex. In the book, his mom died in childbirth. So, that pregnancy test experience with Poppy is deeply triggering. In the book, he responds to his trauma much differently. When he returns home, he gets a vasectomy without telling Sarah and eventually breaks up with her. In the movie, Alex immediately proposes to Sarah and calls off any future summer trips with Poppy.
An important quote from the book:
“To someone like Alex, who lost his mother how he did, pregnancy isn’t just a life-changing possibility. It’s a potential death sentence.“ —Ch 29 p 283
Hug or No Hug in the Airport
In the book, Alex and Poppy intentionally meet up in the Palm Springs Airport. Alex surprises Poppy by immediately hugging her. It’s a really good hug, too. Poppy describes the embrace as “bone-crunching […] more like sculpting.” In fact, this first hug is so important to the book that the final line — “Down to the bones”— is a callback to it.
Here’s the full quote of Poppy experiencing the hug:
“As he closes the gap between us, he drops his carry-on bag behind him and pulls me into a hug.
And it’s normal, so natural to push up on my tiptoes and wrap my arms around his waist, burrow my face into his chest, and breathe him in. Cedar, musk, lime. There is no greater creature of habit than Alex Nilsen.
Same inscrutable haircut, same cleanly warm scent, same basic wardrobe (though enhanced a little over time with better tailoring and shoes), same way of squeezing me around the upper back and drawing me in and up against him when we hug, almost pulling me off the ground but never tightening so much that the embrace could be considered bone-crunching.
It’s more like sculpting. Gentle pressure on all sides that briefly compresses us into one living, breathing thing with twice as many hearts as we should have.”
– Ch 7 p 66
IN THE ADAPTATION, Poppy and Alex do not expect to run into each other in the Barcelona airport. When they do, they awkwardly talk about embracing, but in the end they don’t even touch.
Small Canonical Changes
Free Stuff for Newlyweds!?
IN THE BOOK, (Ch 15, p 144) Poppy and Alex pose as newlyweds in Sonoma to try to get free wine and discounts. Their ploy is not very effective. It’s a pretty funny guffaw in the book, especially when Poppy tries to come clean about the newlywed shenanigans with an innkeeper.
IN THE ADAPTATION, Poppy and Alex pose as newlyweds in New Orleans to try to get free stuff. A rosy montage sequence of their “we’re newlyweds” gimmick around New Orleans indicates that they are so charming, it really works….
The Ankle Injury
IN THE BOOK, Poppy’s ankle injury and Alex’s cute Seabiscuit line happens on a hike in Vail on a trip where they reconnect with Buck. The ankle injury precipitates the beloved “you invented me” moment when Alex says:
“Sometimes it feels like I didn’t even exist before that. Like you invented me.” – Ch 21, p 219
IN THE ADAPTATION, Alex does not deliver the “you invented me line,” and Poppy’s ankle injury happens in New Orleans. The Seabiscuit line does happen though! Another big change: Julian’s surprise arrival. (Alex and Julian meet in the book, but he never shows up on one of their summer trips like that.)
Poppy’s Nickname for Weird Alex
Book: “Naked Alex”
Adaptation: “Vacation Alex”
To annotate in the book: Ch 5 p 53 – Ch 6 p 67 – Ch 11 p 113 – Ch 11 p 115 – Ch 14 p 138 – Ch 18 p 185 – Ch 27 p 260 – Ch 31 p 300
Poppy Loves Dogs, But Doesn’t Get One in the Book
IN THE BOOK, Poppy really wants a rescue dog. However, her traveling lifestyle doesn’t allow for it. IN THE ADAPTATION, they give Poppy her wish as part of her HEA! She and Alex have a dog in their apartment in the penultimate scene, which feels like a direct response to this moment in the book:
“Yeah, right, he says. You’d never get a dog. / Something like hurt pinches low in my stomach. Despite being the cleanest, most particular, most organized man I know, Alex loves animals, and I’m fairly sure he sees my inability to commit to one as a personal defect.” – Ch 2 p 31
Alex Doesn’t Really Hate Reality TV in the Book
The adaptation got Alex’s list of “hates” mostly right. Everything below is straight from the book.
- his saxophone hate comes up in Ch 5, p 44 when Poppy puts on “Young Americans” by David Bowie (in the movie it’s “Forever Your Girl” by Paula Abdul.
- his flip-flops hate comes from Ch 5, p 49
- his holding hands hate comes from Ch 29, p 277 (when Sarah tells everyone he hates this in Tuscany)
- his Christmas music hate comes up in Ch 5, p 44 when Poppy puts Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” on in the car
Alex hating reality TV does not come up in the book. In fact, it’s Sarah and Trey who hate reality TV, and they kind of shame Poppy for it when they’re all hanging out in Tuscany. Alex doesn’t join the dogpile. Instead, he quietly comforts Poppy for loving reality TV. See Ch 29, p 280.
THAT’S IT FOR NOW! ✌🏻
Annotate With Sara 