Currently streaming on Disney+ is the British romantic comedy-drama, Rye Lane. The movie – directed by Raine Allen-Miller – stars David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah and follows the story of two 20-somethings in South London who develop a relationship.
In the movie, Dom is a young guy who recently split up from his girlfriend. He is still upset over the break-up, and bursts into tears whilst sat on the toilet in the unisex bathroom of an art exhibition.
Online buyer, and future fashion designer, Yas, is also in the bathroom and overhears Dom crying. A few moments later, they meet in the exhibition room and get into a conversation, which continues long after the event and through into their walk home.
As they talk, Dom explains what caused the split with his girlfriend. He also tells Yas that he is shortly off to meet with his ex, and her new boyfriend (Dom’s former best friend), to talk through the break-up.
Sensing things won’t go well for Dom, Yas gatecrashes the meeting, and pretends to be his new girlfriend. This works well for Dom, and it changes his outlook moving forward.
After the meeting, Dom and Yas get to know each other better over the next few hours. What follows is a first date between the two, with the audience learning more about the pair as their day progresses.
Quirky, comical, and unique in its approach to storytelling, Rye Lane is a superb romantic picture which follows two lead characters as they embark on the first flushes of love. The movie begins with their initial meeting and runs through a few hours in their lives, with events playing out more-or-less in real time.
The focus of the film is squarely on Dom and Yas, and how they interact as relative strangers who begin to fall for each other. Additional characters are brought into the mix, but this is a story about the connection between two people, and how a whole day can change after meeting someone new.
Rye Lane is essentially a film representation of a mad night out. You know those nights where you go out, meet total strangers, learn more about them in a couple of hours than you might otherwise learn in a lifetime, and have THE BEST TIME EVER? Yeah, well, Rye Lane is kind of like this.
It is a film in which two people hang out, talk a lot, and have fun doing it. And we the audience get to see it all unfold.
In terms of its presentation, Rye Lane is a very conversational piece, relying heavily on dialogue, and it also makes use of some unusual camera work. The whole film utilises wide shots, mostly with the camera remaining in a fixed position, although it is occasionally placed at high or low angles.
The position of the camera may seem a little off-putting to begin with, but it proves to be a useful technique for conveying this story. There is a voyeuristic feel to this tale, as though the audience is encroaching on a private meeting between two people, and the camera helps to sell this concept.
The wide shots also ensure that various parts of South London can be seen throughout the film, but never at the expense of Dom and Yas. We, the audience, are seeing their interactions within their local surroundings, but effectively the outside world is not where our eyes are drawn.
Driving the movie forward are the two leads played by David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah. Both actors are well cast in the picture, and bring a sense of reality to the film.
These two actors play their parts very much like regular, day-to-day people, and it’s not too difficult to believe in their story. They make Dom and Yas relatable and down-to-Earth, and they share good chemistry.
Outside of these two, the film boasts a fun, playful tone, as well as a good sense of humour. The movie also ticks along at a decent pace, and coming in at just over the 80-minute mark, it doesn’t outstay its welcome.
Rye Lane is something a little different and really quite refreshing. It takes the well-worn story of boy meets girl, adds a new spin, and delivers a contemporary twist.
If you are put off by the camera work to begin with, stick with it, and allow the story to take over. Rye Lane is enjoyable stuff, and a breeze to watch.
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