Spoilers for People We Meet On Vacation are ahead! If you haven’t seen it, you can stream it with a Netflix subscription.
Let’s not beat around the bush here, the book-to-screen adaptation of People We Meet On Vacation features some major changes. However, to me, it’s also a lovely and faithful adaptation of Emily Henry’s book. I can say that because while there are quite a few differences, Alex and Poppy are the same, and there are multiple scenes from the novel that are recreated in the film. So, with all that in mind, I asked Emily Henry which scenes she really wanted in this Netflix project from her book, and her answer surprised me.
One [list] was what the readers really, really desperately wanted to see, and [the other] one was what I really desperately wanted to see. And I will say that the reader list was much longer and more prescriptive. It was like, ‘I know that this beat means a lot to these people. I know that this line is like something people have tattooed on their bodies.’ That was how those decisions were made, is honoring the audience that got us here.
Now, that context is important, because Henry went on to reveal one scene she had on her list. It’s featured toward the start of the movie, right before Alex and Poppy take their trip to Squamish, which is really their first big trip together. It involves our leading lady’s parents, who are played by Molly Shannon and Alan Ruck in the film, and a massive box of condoms that Poppy’s mom tries to give to her. It’s truly a hilarious moment anchored by Emily Bader and Tom Blyth, and it shows Shannon and Ruck’s comedic genius on full blast.
Explaining why she really wanted the moment where Poppy’s mom gives her a massive box of condoms in the film, Henry said:
And then the other list was like, ‘What just kind of tickles my fancy?’ And I really wanted the condom scene to be in there. And I was like, ‘I understand if we can’t get it because it does not move the story forward.’ But it was my favorite scene to write, and I was so thrilled that Brett found a way to ensure that happened, and especially once we had Molly and Alan sign on, it was like, ‘We really need Poppy’s parents like to have some good scenes.’ So that was a big one for me.
When I spoke to the movie’s co-screenwriter, Yulin Kuang, she also confirmed the existence of the author’s two lists. During our conversation, she also noted that it was “so short” and that the one scene Henry mentioned in their meeting was the condom one. Kuang said:
Oh my god, Emily’s list was so short. In our very first meeting, I asked her, ‘Is there anything that – if you could save, like, one thing from the book and put it in the movie, what would it be?’ And she was like, ‘The condom scene.’
While I see what Henry was saying about how the scene isn’t super consequential to the plot, I also think it’s really valuable to our understanding of the characters. Seeing Poppy’s mom give her the box of condoms tells us a lot about their relationship. Alex’s reaction to it and his conversation with Poppy’s dad show us his awkwardness on full blast. Plus, overall, it’s a truly hilarious scene in both the book and the movie. So, while I was shocked that this was one scene Henry fought for (since there are bigger and more important ones to include), I love that she really went all-in for this moment.
So, I’m thrilled that Emily Henry fought to keep it in! Now, to go back and watch said scene, you can stream the critically adored People We Meet On Vacation on Netflix right now.
