Review: Rye Lane

Directed by: Raine Allen-Miller

Written by: Nathan Bryon & Tom Melia

Starring: David Jonsson, Vivian Oparah, Simon Manyonda, Karene Peter, Benjamin Sarpong-Broni 

Rating: [4/5]

One never knows at what moment of their lives they will encounter someone who will forever change it. This occurrence could transpire while one is already at their apex or crying in a stall mourning a recent breakup, as seen in the wonderfully charming Rye Lane. A film completely unafraid to exhibit its vibrancy and style, through this story we get some wonderful characters and a way to examine blossoming love in such a refreshing manner. 

Crying in a bathroom stall following getting dumped by his girlfriend, Dom (David Jonsson) gets consoled by complete stranger Yas (Vivian Oprah). As they leave the establishment they realize they are walking in the same direction and happen to strike up a conversation where they begin to realize this spark that begins to flicker between them. 

One cannot easily forget the experience of watching Rye Lane, from its wonderful uses of colors, to the camera movements, and the wondrous characters we receive in this story. It carries a plot that has been seen before where two individuals find themselves in a pivotal moment in at least one of their lives to propel themselves towards each other. This film just takes the approach in such a fun and effective manner that it may take a bit for an audience member to adjust themselves to the tempo and style at first. The visual look presents itself in quite the showy manner, where it becomes hard to ignore how the editing and the cuts seek to further accentuate these moments of high emotion for these characters. These cuts bring us from the simple stage of Dom and Yas walking together to a very dramatic retelling of their past experiences, which certainly provides a dynamism in how we take in their story. 

Even with all of these cuts, just having Dom and Yas walk together creates the magic of the story and wonderful chemistry they quickly build together. I would be remiss to not acknowledge the similarity it has with one of my favorite films, Before Sunrise, where two strangers meet on a chance encounter and walk around a European city talking about various topics and growing feelings towards each other. Instead of Prague, we have London in the case of Rye Lane, but while having this narrative similarity, it certainly stands out simply from the bombastic and bright approach it takes in displaying these growing feelings but also how it makes this sect of London feel almost otherworldly. 

As these two traverse around London they encounter significant members of their lives, mainly a meeting that includes the very woman that broke Dom’s heart, which sets things up well to display the pain he is going through and just how Yas could serve as the antidote to it. This particular interaction along with others involving Yas’s life bring about some incredibly awkward moments that will truly test the resolve of this new relationship between these two. It mashed awkwardness and humor that matches the rest of what this film seeks to evoke through its storytelling. 

Director Raine Allen-Miller mightily impresses with what she crafts here in Rye Lane. With this being a directorial debut, she makes quite the impression in how she uniquely wants to tell this romantic comedy tale. It’s quite rare to see something with this level of personality in how it tells a fairly straightforward story, but the way she stylishly composes this all together is nothing short of outstanding. The initial whiplash one may feel at the beginning of it all gets buffed and smoothed over as Allen-Miller takes firm control of this narrative and puts it all together in such a wondrous and creative manner. She gets some great support by the leading actors of David Jonsson and Vivian Oprah who go on the charm offensive in the portrayal of their characters. 

Jonsson from the very start needs to portray the male lead, who in typical romantic comedies presents as the more stoic figure and our first look at him transpires in him crying over being dumped. Starting right off the bat with vulnerability ensures we see a different type of male lead in displaying this level of vulnerability and Jonsson brings everything necessary in this role to make him so endearing. We get a guy unafraid to cry and Vivian Oprah then enters the stage and serves as this catalyst and change agent, who does not have her own problems and brings much of the comedy. 

As charming as a romantic comedy can get, Rye Lane stands out amongst the bunch in the beautiful way it brings us into London to follow this blossoming relationship between these two individuals. Everything about it feels so natural even if it comes mixed with plenty of moments where reality begins to bend in the retelling of different stories. Everything about this film works and it all starts and begins with the two characters at the center of the story who make it quite easy to root for them in this journey.