Rye Lane
There's more than a hint of Before Sunrise in Raine Allen-Miller’s mellow and vibrant romance Rye Lane, which takes a charismatic couple on a stroll through the heart of Peckham
South London rom-com Rye Lane plays like a great Sunday morning tune: a smooth, energetic track that leaves you grinning for no apparent reason. Raine Allen-Miller’s feature debut paints Yas (Oparah) and Dom’s (Jonsson) Peckham meet-cute through colourful strokes and naturalistic dialogue, with the odd incursion into the protagonists’ imagination by way of neon-soaked visions. Both have been dealt more than their fair share of heartbreak: confident, extroverted introvert Yas conceals her wounds, while Dom wears his relationship failures on his sleeve in an endearing, challenging portrayal of masculinity.
When Yas crashes Dom’s lunch with his ex-girlfriend, you’d be forgiven for thinking that she is a stereotypical female love interest, sweeping in to save the male protagonist and advance his story. Luckily, Nathan Bryon and Tom Melia’s script quickly steers away from this tired narrative and allows Oparah’s character room to shine and be fragile in a relatable, magnetic combination.
Yas and Dom’s chance encounter morphs into an extended, seemingly aimless stroll which is about to become very eventful. With Before Sunrise in mind and a lengthy list of tropes to flip, Allen-Miller reclaims London as a rom-com territory to craft an effortlessly charming portrayal of Black love; one that features most of the Peckham staples, including a trip to the beloved Peckhamplex. Throw in an awkward chicken shop date that won’t end up on YouTube, a contagious karaoke session and a delightfully out-of-place A-list cameo, and you have a jazzy new entry into the UK’s romantic canon.
Released 17 March by Disney; certificate 15
Rye Lane screened at the 2023 Glasgow Film Festival; for more on the festival, listen to The Cineskinny podcast wherever you get your podcasts