Rye Lane (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'Rye Lane' (directed by newcomer Raine Allen-Miller) is a heartwarming, refreshingly earnest British Gen-Z romantic comedy about finding love when you least expect it. The movie is set in South London's diverse Peckham & Brixton neighborhoods, and tells the story of 20-somethings Dom (David Jonsson, loveably dorky) & Yas (Vivian Oparah, magnetic), who meet-cute in the unisex bathroom of a mutual friend's chic art exhibition; Yas hears him despairingly sobbing in the stall next to hers. Initially bonding over having both recently broken-up from their long-term relationships, this seemingly star-crossed duo set-off on a fateful stroll around South London's vibrant district.
Dom is a quiet mama's boy who can't believe that his girlfriend of 6 yrs., Gia (Karene Peter), has been cheating on him with his best bud, Eric (Benjamin Saprong-Broni, bringing good puppy dog energy to his role). Yas is more outspoken, with ambitions to be a costume designer for films. But she, too, had her own rough break-up with her pretentious artist boyfriend (Malcolm Atobrah). While Yas is eager to move on, Dom can't quite get over his break-up. Both ambitious, hardworking young professionals trying to balance their budding careers & messy personal lives, they get to know each other more & more during the course of the eventful day and realizing that, perhaps, there just might be someone else out there, after all.
Allen-Miller's directorial debut breathes life into the rom-com genre and, this film is sure to go down as a modern classic; reminding me of Richard Linklater's iconic walk-&-talk "Before" trilogy. The story is simple, but effective. The visual style is rich. And the ending may give you goose bumps; as it did to me. Music factors largely in the film, too. Whether it is the intermixing of the flashy visuals with the hip music score, or the integration of more contemporary tunes, or some surprising 80s classics, or Bette Midler's "The Rose" humorously popping up, or a Karaoke version of Salt-N-Pepa's "Shoop", or a fun, impromptu rendition of "Sign Your Name" sung at an afternoon barbecue ... we joyfully bop along to the fun aural offerings throughout.
I am not familiar with South London, but it is so lovingly filmed that it made me want to explore it right along with the two main characters. Speaking of which, David Jonsson & Vivian Oparah are simply superb in these roles; with exuberant smiles that are simply infectious. The two perfectly balance the many comedic elements {I laughed out loud throughout} with the more poignant, sensitive moments. There is real heartbreak in these two characters. Dom's is overt, while Yas buries hers. And they way they both try to lift each other up amid their dreams & insecurities is just achingly human.
You know, most rom-coms fall flat, for me. They need cheeky wit, winsome leads, searing chemistry, a memorable setting ... and this movie has those in spades. I loved the trendy, rapid-fire banter that naturally flows from their mouths {my one complaint: their accents make it hard to catch everything}. They talk like young people talk in real life. I also appreciate that the film is 80 minutes long; it gets in, unfolds breezily, & gets out. The vibe is so zesty, the primary colors so ripe, the soundtrack so joyous, & the actors so appealing that it was hard for me not to fall pretty hard for it. 'Rye Lane' - love that title, too - is a real shot in the arm for the romantic comedy genre and, I think I'll be hard-pressed to find a better one this year.
Dom is a quiet mama's boy who can't believe that his girlfriend of 6 yrs., Gia (Karene Peter), has been cheating on him with his best bud, Eric (Benjamin Saprong-Broni, bringing good puppy dog energy to his role). Yas is more outspoken, with ambitions to be a costume designer for films. But she, too, had her own rough break-up with her pretentious artist boyfriend (Malcolm Atobrah). While Yas is eager to move on, Dom can't quite get over his break-up. Both ambitious, hardworking young professionals trying to balance their budding careers & messy personal lives, they get to know each other more & more during the course of the eventful day and realizing that, perhaps, there just might be someone else out there, after all.
Allen-Miller's directorial debut breathes life into the rom-com genre and, this film is sure to go down as a modern classic; reminding me of Richard Linklater's iconic walk-&-talk "Before" trilogy. The story is simple, but effective. The visual style is rich. And the ending may give you goose bumps; as it did to me. Music factors largely in the film, too. Whether it is the intermixing of the flashy visuals with the hip music score, or the integration of more contemporary tunes, or some surprising 80s classics, or Bette Midler's "The Rose" humorously popping up, or a Karaoke version of Salt-N-Pepa's "Shoop", or a fun, impromptu rendition of "Sign Your Name" sung at an afternoon barbecue ... we joyfully bop along to the fun aural offerings throughout.
I am not familiar with South London, but it is so lovingly filmed that it made me want to explore it right along with the two main characters. Speaking of which, David Jonsson & Vivian Oparah are simply superb in these roles; with exuberant smiles that are simply infectious. The two perfectly balance the many comedic elements {I laughed out loud throughout} with the more poignant, sensitive moments. There is real heartbreak in these two characters. Dom's is overt, while Yas buries hers. And they way they both try to lift each other up amid their dreams & insecurities is just achingly human.
You know, most rom-coms fall flat, for me. They need cheeky wit, winsome leads, searing chemistry, a memorable setting ... and this movie has those in spades. I loved the trendy, rapid-fire banter that naturally flows from their mouths {my one complaint: their accents make it hard to catch everything}. They talk like young people talk in real life. I also appreciate that the film is 80 minutes long; it gets in, unfolds breezily, & gets out. The vibe is so zesty, the primary colors so ripe, the soundtrack so joyous, & the actors so appealing that it was hard for me not to fall pretty hard for it. 'Rye Lane' - love that title, too - is a real shot in the arm for the romantic comedy genre and, I think I'll be hard-pressed to find a better one this year.