Rye Lane
"Rye Lane" is a playful and visually unique rom-com for the current age, following Dom (David Jonsson) and Yas (Vivian Oparah) who have a chance encounter, and spend the day getting to know each other by having a series of adventures around South London. They are both going through recent breakups and have considerably different attitudes about them. Dom is introduced to us sobbing on a toilet, having been left by his long-term girlfriend after she cheated on him with his best friend Eric. Dom is seemingly gentle, more prone to emotion, and kind of a loveable puppy dog type, whereas Yas appears to be his complete opposite, tough, confident, impulsive, and constantly telling it like it is. Obviously, they have an almost instant opposites-attract spark.
Dom and Yas walk and talk throughout colorful stores and beautiful local streetscapes, gradually revealing more about themselves. Their banter is very funny, as are their interactions with a delightful supporting cast of wacky neighborhood characters. Yas joins Dom as he confronts his ex and former BFF Eric (played as a comically over-the-top braindead jock by Benjamin Sarpong-Broni), and helps Dom start to realize that he deserves much better than his cheating ex. Dom helps Yas execute a multi-step plan to steal back a cherished record from the house of her super snobby hipster artist ex Jules, which requires Dom meeting Yas' family, who do not take well to Dom's bumbling ways. Each scene has Dom and Yas reveal more of their true selves to each other, as the attraction gradually grows before our eyes. It feels real and very sweet, reminding the viewer of the excitement of getting to know someone you're interested in and eventually fall in love with. Even the overly saccharine moments make you smile because the earnestness is effortlessly charming and the two leads are easy to root for.
While the story may check most of the boxes of your typical rom-com, it's the visual style that really gives the movie an extra spice. Many scenes are shot with a fisheye lens, which can be off-putting to some, but I happen to really enjoy it. The wide angles are in service utilizing South London as the third main character of the movie, with it's rugged shops, beautiful fountains, and vibrant streets often front and center in the action. Cinematographer Olan Collardy deserves a lot of credit for his careful framing of each scene, assisted by extremely colorful and meticulously composed set designs that have garnered the movie comparisons to the work of Wes Anderson. The unique energy that the South London locale (and local soundtrack!) gives to the movie can't be understated, as everyone involved with the production lovingly gives the viewer a window into their local culture.
David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah are excellent as the two leads, comfortable with sharing goofy banter and lighthearted jabs while also being able to poignantly convey vulnerability in the movie's more serious moments. The characters themselves might come dangerously close to being genre tropes at times, but usually it's in service of effective comedy.
It's a quirky, slightly off-kilter rom-com that elevates a fairly simple plot by turning on the charm and style. It's a great example of how cinematic the genre can be when it's made with love and a distinct vision. If the romantic comedy is to make a serious comeback in the near future, here's hoping that more filmmakers use "Rye Lane" as an example of how to breathe new life into the simple but universal concept of two people falling in love.
