Director: Raine Allen-Miller
Writers: Nathan Byron and Tom Melia
Stars: David Jonsson, Vivian Oparah, Poppy Allen-Quarmby
Synopsis: Two youngsters reeling from bad breakups who connect over an eventful day in South-London.
From the get-go, Rye Lane is almost too predictable. Dom (David Jonsson) can’t get over his breakup with Gia (Karene Peter) and sobs uncontrollably in a unisex bathroom stall. Hearing him drown his sorrows, Yas (Vivian Oparah) asks Dom if he’s alright, and the blossoming of a romance forms before us. Director Raine Allen-Miller knows that you know how the film will end: with the two characters madly in love with one another. It’s a story told repeatedly, and it’s part of why Rye Lane can only reach a certain high. However, Allen-Miller crafts such an intricately developed romance, with innovative filmmaking techniques and two incredible, star-making performances from its leads, that you can’t help but walk away from the movie with a huge smile.
It’s even more impressive that Allen-Miller can craft such a rich romance with such a short runtime. Without credits, Rye Lane clocks in at only 77 minutes. How can she construct such a richly-developed romance with a thin runtime? Easy. She doesn’t waste time in getting the characters together. Then she builds on their relationship as they meet-cute through short flashbacks, cuts in time, and several situations where they have to pretend to have a “deeper” relationship than they have with themselves. These elements help develop the characters and create a relationship that doesn’t feel as surface-level or unnatural as many rom-coms seem to these days. Your Place or Mine is almost two hours long, and there isn’t a single scene where the leads have a sense of chemistry together.
Rye Lane barely has a feature-length runtime, and each lead is properly developed and brilliantly acted. The movie wouldn’t have been as good without Jonsson and Oparah’s lead performances. Oparah, in particular, delivers a sharply-funny turn as Yas and develops her more ironic banter and outlook on a past relationship through Dom’s problems with his ex-girlfriend, who cheated on him with his best friend (brilliantly played by Benjamin Sarpong-Broni). The supporting cast is also excellent, with minor but effective performances that make its world feel more complete. Allen Miller doesn’t need to spend much time with the supporting cast, as this is a film about Dom and Yas, but they are also extremely important to how the film’s world feels quirky and lived in.
A particular highlight is one scene in which Dom and Yas visit Jules’ (Malcolm Atobrah, playing Yas’ ex-boyfriend) family. One member breaks into a song for no reason, and it’s the most genuinely heartfelt moment of any movie I’ve seen in 2023 thus far. There’s even an unexpected cameo from an A-list star of British cinema that perfectly describes the movie’s self-referential and witty tone. However, I won’t dare spoil who it is, though Twitter probably has, but if you haven’t been spoiled, and are planning to watch the film, don’t look it up! It’s genuinely one of the most surprising cameo appearances of the year so far and feels in line with the aesthetic and visual dynamism the movie brings.
Of course, with such a short runtime, one expects Rye Lane to move forward swiftly, which it does. Its editing is fast-paced, and the movie’s cinematography is incredibly lively, going from fish-eye lenses, split-diopters, and a visual palette filled with neon colors and expressive hues. It’s a great way to quickly immerse the audience into the film and hook them from beginning to end. Could it have used more meat around the bone? Sure. Its plot should’ve been less conventional, too. Still, Allen-Miller more than makes up for its storytelling inconsistencies by getting two incredible lead performances, an inventive visual style, and incredibly quirky humor. It never overstays its welcome, which is rare in romantic comedies. If you’re looking for something light to watch on streaming, don’t hesitate to watch Rye Lane immediately.
