The romcom has seen a resurgence lately with an influx of new storytellers and new stories. And yet, a good romcom can still be hard to find. Raine Allen Miller’s Rye Lane is a fresh and charming new addition to the recent spate of tales of romantic woe.
Dom (David Jonsson) has recently suffered a breakup. At his artist friend’s exhibit, he hides in the stall of a unisex bathroom, crying over the Instagram photos of his ex and her new boyfriend — who just happens to have been Dom’s childhood best friend. Yas (Vivian Oparah) overhears him, attempts to say something comforting, and leaves when it’s clear he wants to be alone. Later recognizing Dom by his shoes, Yas invites herself to walk with him for a bit until they reach their respective destinations. Instead of parting ways, they end up spending the rest of the day wandering the streets of South London, sharing their stories and helping each other with situations relating to their respective exes.
At first glance, Rye Lane feels similar to films like Before Sunrise. Two young people wandering aimlessly, intrigued by each other but with no expectation of anything beyond a memorable few hours. Miller’s film quickly distinguishes itself through laugh-out-loud misadventures and observations. We also learn Dom’s and Yas’s backstories through clever spins on the traditional flashback. Through unexpected and playful production design, we find ourselves transported into whimsical rather than straightforward scenes.
Despite having mutual friends, Dom and Yas are two people who might never have met. Jonsson and Oparah craft them as unique individuals, very different from each other, but with a natural chemistry. Dom is a bit neurotic, but loves music and knows a lot of facts about a lot of subjects. Yas is a free spirit who likes art, but especially likes people. Her gift for reading others helps her know when to be fully honest and when to hold back. She takes interest in strangers and the everyday people with whom she crosses paths. They play off each other well, conversation flowing freely. Dom and Yas are easy to like and even easier to root for because of Jonsson and Oparah’s inherent charisma.
Rye Lane also works particularly because it is so very funny. The script by Nathan Byron and Tom Melia is full of unexpected jokes and stories, quips, insults, and generally hilarious observations about one another, about people they know, and about the places they visit. Whether they are meeting up with Dom’s ex or joining in a family barbecue at Yas’s ex’s mom’s house, the day gets progressively stranger and sillier and ever more fun. The audience doesn’t just want to watch them. We would love to spend the day with them.
With inventive production design, great costume work, and an unexpected but genius cameo, Rye Lane loves people and loves the place it explores. Raine Allen Miller is an insightful filmmaker who understands the weirdness and delight of meeting someone new. She explores characters in relation to each other and their places with a curious and confident hand. It is a fantastic and wonderful debut feature from a director with a clear vision and a fresh perspective.
Rye Lane is distributed by Searchlight Pictures and will be available on Hulu March 31.