Rye Lane

Rye Lane is a fun RomCom set in the heart of South London, notably in Peckham and Brixton. We pick up with Dom and Yas who coincidentally bump into each other at an exhibition and realise that they have both come out of long term relationships.

We then enter a day in the life (mostly) story where Dom and Yas discuss how they have dealt with their recent breakups whilst going through several interesting situations.

It was cool to watch a RomCom unapologetically set in South London, with several fun cameos and many genuine laughs.

The runtime is an hour and twenty two minutes but it felt a lot longer than that, mainly due to long conversations and the short period to time that most of film took place over.

I did feel that it started to run out of steam at the end but overall Rye Lane was a nice London RomCom that explored break ups, healing and power of sharing honest stories with others.

As I obviously was not in attendance at Sundance Film Festival... I am just now getting to see some of the films as they are being slowly released to the public. Rye Lane is one I've heard an awful lot of praise about, so I knew I had to check it out right away.

Let me tell you, all that praise is justified! This movie is WONDERFUL! It's a smart, funny and heartwarming rom-com, truly such a gem of cinema. It's a stunning directorial debut from Raine Allen-Miller, filled with energy, style, colour, romance, laughs, charm and emotion. The movie just loves life! It hits like a bolt of energy, and is a pure feel good film from start to finish. The film does such a good job at showing off how hard it is to make meaningful connections between people in this day and age, while also showing an unexpected blossoming romance between two people who share an unlikely but pure connection. I just loved following them as we see them genuinely connect with one another! There's this really easy energy between Jonsson and Oparah which makes the movie feel like a walk in the park. The writing was also exceptional, and the direction creative. The film just has so much heart and depth, it's so loveable and shows how love can come into our lives at the most unexpected of times. One of the great rom-coms, you gotta see it! It'll warm your heart, I loved it! I really need more films from this director pronto!

And I couldn't help but love the quick Colin Firth cameo!

This is the kind of film you put on when you're tired and want something lighthearted to enjoy. Dom - quiet, timid, and heartbroken - and Yas - effervescent and forthright - have brilliant chemistry as the two are brought together on a sunny day in south London.

The film is a vibrant picture full of bold bright colour and drives a sense of nostalgia as you watch the pair journey through an eventful day growing a bond between two strangers. Rye Lane feels authentic and you can't help but relate to the highly affable characters and their troubles.

The score behind the picture is very well curated. The story feels like it is beating along rhythmically to a beat that paces well to keep you invested without overwhelming. It's fun and it's finger is on the pulse to the challenges of modern dating and finding deep meaningful connections.

It's impossible to watch this film without letting out a smile.

8/10.

Rye Lane is an all time great rom com, efficient in moving through all the tropes with bottomless charm and a level of visual craft rarely seen within this genre. Obviously it's also really funny with several memorable moments rife with effective cringe.

David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah are just phenomenal. They bring out the best in each other with chemistry that's so natural resulting in the initial awkwardness evolving into a real connection. Vivian Oparah is the standout though with an instant and boundless energy which hides a sadness.

Raine Allen-Miller's direction is so good that even something as off putting as a fish eye lens works seamlessly. From the very first scene it's so inventive and that thankfully never lets up. There's so much detail in it as well, background extras make themselves known in subtle ways which just make everything even more fully realised.

'Rye Lane (2023)' feels fresh because of its unique energy and flavour, offering a distinct spin on its well-worn genre by way of directorial flourish and writing prowess. It's this that allows the piece to rise above its familiar plotting and uncomfortably conventional finale. The believably sweet central relationship is strong enough to carry the narrative, primarily due to the witty screenplay and sturdy performances, but it's the extra bits of seasoning sprinkled throughout that really mark it as something special. There's a larger world at play here, one built on background detail and vignette-like side stories, and this grounds the core story in a satisfyingly quirky way. The bright cinematography renders the urban setting with genuine love and the visualised stories with Giallo-like vibrancy. The bouncy editing elevates the quick-witted, ever-so-slightly absurdist humour and is a joy to watch throughout. That's true of the entire affair, really: it's a joy to watch. It's always fun, often funny and rarely misses a bit. It's a sweet romantic comedy that does everything it needs to and more.