When done right, a romantic comedy can not only be an excellent film for those who already appreciate the genre in all its glory, but it can leave a mark on even the most jaded critics. Raine Allen Miller’s Rye Lane is both, in more ways than one, reaching straight for the heart with clever storytelling that ensures it stands as the best romantic comedy of the year. (And I mean the best, let’s put that in writing.)
Miller’s use of the fisheye lens, coupled with her directorial choices and the sharp screenplay from Nathan Bryon and Tom Melia, give leading stars David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah plenty of opportunities to shine in a deeply memorable romance. In the literary world, the strangers-to-lovers trope isn’t always straightforward to master, and it’s even more challenging on screen when we don’t have inner outlooks to show us why and how the characters are drawn to each other. Still, with a talented duo of actors and thoughtful writing that shows as much as it needs to tell, the romance in Rye Lane is not only easy to believe, but it’s a masterful achievement with the short runtime.
Rye Lane Thoroughly Shines on All Fronts
The story’s poetic beats come from both Dom (Jonsson) and Yas (Oparah) working through their heartbreaks together and allowing themselves to be vulnerable to heal. Without the crucial displays of said vulnerability, the film would fall into petty territory far too quickly and become something lackluster about vengeance. Instead, Rye Lane makes it an undertaking to showcase what it should look like to have a partner who sees you and everything you do for them. Dom and Yas fighting for each other and inadvertently themselves, thus allows the audience to understand why their serendipitous relationship is built to last.
The interactions all feel incredibly organic, partly because of the compelling chemistry and because the writing doesn’t try too hard to be anything but natural. Set in the backdrop of actual places in London, the setting naturally guides both the characters and the audience to a place that feels familiar and, thereby, comforting. While the plot on paper in pitch form could seem too farcical or overly saccharine, it never once comes across as so in the final cut. The film feels like a raw exhibition of a budding romance between two people perfectly fit to be together.
And that’s just it—between Miller’s directing, the writing, and the performances, the film feels like a documentary, something real and honest instead of something scripted for a film. Whether it’s the impact of the settings or how transparent the vulnerability between the characters is, they feel like real people many of us know all too well. We’re familiar with them right from the start, which is why it’s so effortless to invest and believe in their love story. It’s astounding to think this is Miller’s debut feature because not only is it truly exceptional, but the story nails a genre that’s tougher than most people think it is. And even for those who don’t generally find crude humor to be their cup of tea, it never feels blunt for the sake of shock value in Rye Lane—it’s merely honest, tender, and deeply relatable.
The natural progression from point A to B with the astute pacing is a genuine accomplishment that even veteran directors can’t master these days with the genre, so to see how it occurs so naturally in Rye Lane is deeply rewarding. It’s an intimate, warm, and comforting film bound to make viewers slightly happier than where they were before they pressed play. It also features one of the most romantic grand gestures in film to date.
Rye Lane is now streaming on Hulu.