“People We Meet on Vacation” is a new movie based on the bestselling novel of the same title by author Emily Henry. Actors Tom Blyth and Emily Bader portray Alex Nilsen and Poppy Wright, two former best friends who are forced to reconcile a rift in their friendship when Alex’s brother invites Poppy to his brother’s wedding in Barcelona. Alex and Poppy’s friendship spans nearly a decade, as they first met in college on a road trip from Boston to their hometown of Linfield, Ohio. Since then, they have made an effort to travel together every summer, no matter where they are in their lives. This remains true until a trip to Tuscany leads to a conflict that forces them apart for two years.

The movie travels back and forth between the past and present, allowing viewers to learn the history of Alex and Poppy’s friendship. Blyth and Bader both do a great job of conveying their characters’ contrasting personalities. Alex is reserved, serious and pragmatic, while Poppy is carefree, open-minded and often ridiculous. While on the surface these personas might seem archetypal, both actors lend nuance to their characters that allow for an exciting buildup toward their ensuing romance. Blyth, for example, could have easily portrayed Alex as stiff and unemotional, but underlying his shyness is someone who cares deeply about those around him and wants to feel equally loved. Bader, on the other hand, could have given viewers a Poppy who was too quirky to the extent that any feelings she may have had for Alex would have seemed fake, but she lends Poppy an authenticity that makes her personality seem lovable and desiring of love.

Travel also plays an important role in this film — as one might expect from its title — that both serves as a fun backdrop for this lighthearted story as well as a powerful symbol for both characters’ journeys. Poppy is a travel writer, a job that puts her on the road more often than not, so much so that her “home” in New York is nothing more than a tiny apartment containing bleak furniture and an empty fridge. Poppy and Alex meet on a trip, even though they are technically going home from college, that leads them to vow to travel together every summer. For Alex, travel represents an opportunity to open himself up to the world through a persona that Poppy dubs “Vacation Alex” — a man who pushes himself outside of his comfort zone and takes risks. For Poppy, travel is a search for belonging and the freedom to unleash her personality since she has never felt fully comfortable being herself in Linfield. Through travel, both characters eventually find themselves, and each other, while also staying true to who they are.

There has long been talk of the romantic comedy being a dormant genre, but this first adaptation of one of Henry’s novels (four of her other books are being optioned for film and television) might suggest otherwise. “People We Meet on Vacation” brings a freshness to the romcom, revitalizing it through unique characters and storylines, and it will be exciting to see how the rest of Henry’s adaptations fall in line.