why PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION fell flat | the sanitization of rom-coms

Starting off 2026 with the latest "rom-com that's going to bring back rom-coms" movie, People We Meet on Vacation, and adaptation of Emily Henry's book of the same name starring Emily Bader and Tom Blyth. I actually read the book and really enjoyed it, so I was a little disappointed when the movie fell flat for me, making significant changes to the characters and plot from the book, and it got me thinking about why so many movies recently that are marketed as "rom-coms" struggle to capture the magic of the 90s and 2000s. As a fan of the genre, I have to seek out the rom-com spirit in other places, rather than in big budget movies that are marketed as rom-coms inspired by predecessors like When Harry Met Sally. I unpack all my feelings in this video, and shout-out to my book club for their insights that helped me sort them all out enough to make a video! #peoplewemeetonvacation #pwmov #emilyhenry Don't forget to like and subscribe for more miscellaneous content :) 00:00 Intro 02:24 Why are Modern Rom-Coms Falling Flat 03:24 The Sanitization of People We Meet on Vacation 13:19 How the Characters were Watered Down in the Movie vs. Book 20:18 The Rom-Com Landscape of the 2020s 28:06 Finding the Rom-Com Spirit in Unexpected Places 36:37 Parts I Enjoyed from People We Meet on Vacation 39:29 Outro Find me all throughout the internet: Instagram:   / mizelennyus   Twitch:   / mizelennyus   Soundcloud:   / zelenny   Twitter:   / mizelennyus