Rye Lane (2023) User Reviews

The Wave...

[Xstal · 8/10 · 17 April 2023]

If you're looking for a film that's lots of fun, with great dialogue and some pictures of folks bums, where two people in despair, begin to form into a pair, then you'll find Rye Lane is probably the one; as Dom and Yas, kick-off their conversation, on London streets they wander round with animation, meeting exes who have hurt, plenty of teasing, taunt and flirt, Mooncups, strings, forgotten things, cause consternation.

What a wonderful piece of cinema, with two absolutely outstanding performances at its heart, a wave that effortlessly flows from start to end, genuinely laugh out loud funny, heartfelt and overwhelmingly gorgeous.

Love in London.

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 8/10 · 28 March 2023]

'Rye Lane (2023)' feels fresh because of its unique energy and flavour, offering a distinct spin on its well-worn genre by way of directorial flourish and writing prowess. It's this that allows the piece to rise above its familiar plotting and uncomfortably conventional finale. The believably sweet central relationship is strong enough to carry the narrative, primarily due to the witty screenplay and sturdy performances, but it's the extra bits of seasoning sprinkled throughout that really mark it as something special. There's a larger world at play here, one built on background detail and vignette-like side stories, and this grounds the core story in a satisfyingly quirky way. The bright cinematography renders the urban setting with genuine love and the visualised stories with Giallo-like vibrancy. The bouncy editing elevates the quick-witted, ever-so-slightly absurdist humour and is a joy to watch throughout. That's true of the entire affair, really: it's a joy to watch. It's always fun, often funny and rarely misses a bit. It's a sweet romantic comedy that does everything it needs to and more.

A genuinely funny romcom!

[ethanbresnett · 8/10 · 6 April 2023]

There seems to be a bit of a renaissance in the romcom genre of late and I'm all for it. Rye Lane joins this wave of impressive films as it is genuinely funny and sweet romcom.

Like any good romcom you need a couple of strong leads who have effortless chemistry and Rye Lane provides this. David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah are a great leading duo, providing plenty of laughs and drama. A strong supporting cast backs them up well too.

The script is very tight and well put together. It feels real and edgy and is actually funny! The 'com' in 'romcom' is often executed so poorly so it's nice to see that this film bucks that trend.

To top it all off, Rye Lane has a pretty good plot too. It's very easy to get swept up in the vibes of the whole thing and it makes for an enjoyable ride. From a broad strokes perspective the plot isn't ground breaking, the romcom formula is very much followed, but the different ways it navigates around the traditional formula feel fresh and exciting.

Overall I can't remember having a better time watching a romcom in the cinema. A great laugh and a lovely story.

A Humorous South London RomCom

[ta-98251 · 6/10 · 2 April 2023]

Rye Lane is a fun RomCom set in the heart of South London, notably in Peckham and Brixton. We pick up with Dom and Yas who coincidentally bump into each other at an exhibition and realise that they have both come out of long term relationships.

We then enter a day in the life (mostly) story where Dom and Yas discuss how they have dealt with their recent breakups whilst going through several interesting situations.

It was cool to watch a RomCom unapologetically set in South London, with several fun cameos and many genuine laughs.

The runtime is an hour and twenty two minutes but it felt a lot longer than that, mainly due to long conversations and the short period to time that most of film took place over.

I did feel that it started to run out of steam at the end but overall Rye Lane was a nice London RomCom that explored break ups, healing and power of sharing honest stories with others.

Should be called "Wry Lines"

[A_Different_Drummer · 9/10 · 7 April 2023]

An unexpected treat. Director Raine Allen-Miller and the writing team of Bryon/Melia essentially de-construct the tired and shop-worn rom-com; then cleverly reassemble it in a form which seems fresh, new, and -- something quite rare for films this year - ENTERTAINING. The dialog is so sharp you could use it to cut open an Amazon package. Check out the line about the pitfalls of trying to impress your true love by letting chocolate melt in bed. And just when you think this can't get any better, you realize you are seeing a true breakout performance from Vivian Oparah, who immediately comes across as someone you want to know and spend time with. Highly recommended. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Fun but a bit naff

[DanLawson146 · 6/10 · 3 August 2023]

POSITIVES:

1) The two leads are both incredibly charming and likeable. I wanted everything to work out for both of them and I really believed in their chemistry 2) The film is a really great depiction of life as a young single person in London. London feels like its own character in the film, with really great production design and cinematography 3) The film uses art and music in really fun and interesting ways

NEGATIVES:

1) The film becomes a bit too quirky for me at several points, it was quite cringe at times 2) A lot of the humour just didn't work for me and felt quite forced sometimes 3) Despite having a short runtime, the film still often felt like it was coasting without much of a dramatic engine actually driving the plot forward.

aesthetics, vibe and music

[gangeshgnair · 8/10 · 7 April 2023]

"Rye Lane" aesthetics, vibe and music

if you are looking for something visually pleasing, then just go watch this movie. Amazing cinematography, so colorful and beautiful. The director definitely has an amazing visual sense. I just read a review in which someone wrote, "the movie is like before sunrise and Wes Anderson had a baby", i couldn't agree more. Vivian Oprah and David Jonsson were amazing together. The jokes were amazing. The editing and the story telling style especially when the characters narrates their breakup story were amazing. The music was really good. Aesthetically pleasing. Looking forward to Raine Allen millers future projects.

Good enough

[PennyReviews · 6/10 · 14 April 2023]

Contemporary romantic comedy "Rye Lane" is an up to date romance taking place in London.

Two strangers come together and have a walk through London, while comparing stories and healing each other, as they are both suffering from bad breakups.

The two main characters were quite interesting, even though their chemistry needed a bit more strength to be believable. Still, the actors did a good job and their performances were enjoyable. The male lead was adorable, and the female lead, though her actions were questionable, she was a quite strong young woman.

The ending, however, was too cheesy for what the movie was trying to pull off.

Amazing and Beautiful!

[cgmovie85 · 10/10 · 31 March 2023]

Just finished watching this. A classic story on losing love and finding new romance, but in so many ways elevated.

The visuals in this movie are really amazing. Vibrant colors, great fashion, and beautiful scenery add onto the uniqueness and artistry of this film and really sets it apart from similar themed films.

The chemistry and dialogue between characters feels natural, fun, and inviting. I love the storytelling dynamics and the variious methods used by the director to give us a front row seat to the thoughts and feelings of the characters when they're sharing stories about their past.

The family cookout scene was one of my favorite scenes.

Hope to see more from this cast and crew!

A strange rom com that magically happens to work. 7.5/10

[shl-53673 · 7/10 · 6 August 2023]

Rye Lane is about a young man that is still hung up on his past relationship that ended 3 months ago after he learned that she was cheating on him with one of his friends. He is still processing this breakup as he accidently runs into Yas at an art gallery. She feels bad for his sadness, so she gives him a day they won't ever forget.

This was an unexpected movie. I quite liked it. The colours were so vibrant and I really enjoyed the stylistic approach of the fish eye lens. A lot of people didn't like the look of this film, but I think the lens worked with the themes of the film. Their crazy day makes sense when we are following the characters. They go on a bunch of adventures that seem so unlikely, but they just work. Sometimes life is like that. We have these strange days that seem to be normal when we live them but when we try to explain them, it sounds crazy. Following Dom and Yas, it just makes sense. But when they explain their day to Yas's ex boyfriend, he thinks that they are crazy and that what leads them to these events make no sense. I think the lens work is a reflection of the uncanny moments of life that seem unlikely and strange, but somehow still happen. The fish eye lens for me represents the outsider perspective on a otherwise normal situation.

I loved the bold colours. It brightened up the gray themes of the film. The lack of confidence, the helplessness of being at the bottom of the ladder when you have big dreams, and the fear of failure are themes that are so well done. The conversations in this film are outstanding. There's some great dialogue that was performed exquisitely by David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah. I loved to follow along this romance and to have that (literal) full circle moment at the end. It was refreshing to see so much style represented in a rom com. There's also such a lack of black representation in romance films, so it was nice to see this for once. I hope to see more of that in the future.

Rye Lane

[CinemaSerf · 6/10 · 28 March 2023]

"Dom" (a charmingly friendly effort from David Jonsson) is having a bad day. He's been dumped by his long-term girlfriend and is having a bit of a cry in the unisex toilets at the art exhibition of his extrovert friend "Nathan" (Simon Mayonda). Meantime, "Yas" (Vivian Oparah) overhears his distress and noticing his pink converse trainers (yes, she looks under the door) bumps into him later and they strike up a conversation. This leads to a day together in which they find out about each other, meet their exes (a perfectly played luncheon with "Tinder" as the star); their exes families and they even indulge in a bit of benign breaking and entering. This shows cosmopolitan London at it's best. It's inclusive, inter-racial and makes no fuss about being so. As someone who lived in that city for thirty years, I rather liked the low key manner in which a diverse and vibrant London was presented here by Raine Allen-Miller. The rest of the story is, though, about as lightweight as it's possible to get. I found the "Yas" character irritating from the get-go, and though there are one or two fun cameo performances - an unique rendition of Terence Trent D'Arby's "Sign My Name" at a barbecue and Omari Douglas is quite good fun as the karaoke controlling "Mona". It all comes across as fine but unremarkable. It's good that it got a cinema release, but it didn't need it. On the telly is fine for this eighty minuter that you cannot dislike, but I very much doubt you will remember for long either.

Utter yawn fest

[chris_rowe-881-168820 · 1/10 · 28 March 2023]

I can't lie I love these kinda movies but this film was mind numbingly boring. The girl was somewhat amusing but the rest of the cast were characters we'd seen in the early 2000s, this felt like anuvahood meeting love actually, it was just bland, forgettable and frankly a bit pointless.

The plot was really non existent, it felt like it didn't know what it wanted to be or what it wanted to say but it was just nowhere near the level of what a cinema release should be. All set over one unrealistic and eventful and highlighting emotional immaturity and a lack of general maturity between people who should be far more than how they acted.

Hard pass. Boring. Soulless.

A Promising Start Hindered by Conventional Tropes

[AxelAzzopardi · 6/10 · 19 May 2023]

Rye Lane presents itself with a burst of energy, promising a unique cinematic experience. With its quirky humor, vibrant style, and captivating chemistry between the characters, the film manages to draw viewers in from the beginning. However, despite these strengths, Rye Lane ultimately succumbs to the limitations of a conventional and somewhat corny love story, hindering its overall potential.

The film's premise initially holds great promise, showcasing a distinct and engaging theme. It explores the dynamics of love in a refreshing manner, sparking curiosity and anticipation in the audience. The quirkiness and charm of the characters contribute to the film's appeal, adding depth to their relationships. Unfortunately, as the story progresses, it follows a predictable trajectory, adhering to the well-worn path of a typical romcom. This reliance on conventional beats limits the film's ability to break new ground and explore its potential to the fullest.

The actors in Rye Lane deliver commendable performances, establishing a strong on-screen chemistry that enhances the viewing experience. Their portrayal of the characters contributes significantly to the film's initial allure. However, as the story falls into predictable patterns, the characters' development becomes somewhat stagnant, preventing the actors from fully exploring the depth of their roles. Despite this limitation, the performances are enjoyable and add charm to the overall narrative.

Visually, Rye Lane shines with its stylish and colorful cinematography. The film utilizes the setting to its advantage, creating a visually appealing backdrop that adds to the overall atmosphere. The camera work effectively captures the energy and vibrancy of the film, enhancing the viewing experience. However, the film's reliance on conventional storytelling limits the cinematography's potential for truly innovative visual storytelling.

While Rye Lane can be considered a fun and entertaining watch, it falls short of delivering a truly exceptional plot. It holds promise with its unique starting point but ultimately succumbs to the constraints of a conventional love story. The film's amusing and colorful nature, combined with well-executed visuals, contributes to its overall appeal. However, it fails to transcend the boundaries of its genre, resulting in a slightly above-average romantic-comedy experience.

In conclusion, Rye Lane offers a promising start with its quirky humor, vibrant style, and engaging chemistry between the characters. However, it becomes hindered by its reliance on conventional tropes, following a predictable narrative path. While the performances and cinematography are noteworthy, the film fails to break new ground or offer anything truly exceptional in terms of plot. With a rating of 3/5 stars, Rye Lane remains an enjoyable but ultimately limited romantic-comedy experience.

Best rom com since Crazy Rich Asians

[masonsaul · 8/10 · 7 October 2023]

Rye Lane is an all time great rom com, efficient in moving through all the tropes with bottomless charm and a level of visual craft rarely seen within this genre. Obviously it's also really funny with several memorable moments rife with effective cringe.

David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah are just phenomenal. They bring out the best in each other with chemistry that's so natural resulting in the initial awkwardness evolving into a real connection. Vivian Oparah is the standout though with an instant and boundless energy which hides a sadness.

Raine Allen-Miller's direction is so good that even something as off putting as a fish eye lens works seamlessly. From the very first scene it's so inventive and that thankfully never lets up. There's so much detail in it as well, background extras make themselves known in subtle ways which just make everything even more fully realised.

Rye Lane

[henry8-3 · 6/10 · 7 May 2023]

Two strangers played by David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah meet up when Oparah overhears Johnson crying in a unisex toilet over the loss of his ex. They wander around Brixton / Peckham in London, slowly getting fonder of each other whilst getting involved in a series of adventures largely related their ex partners.

Extremely sweet and often very funny comedy romance that is wholly believable thanks to the witty script, good use of location and two on the nose performances. The supporting characters are also good value and often the source of the comedy - note the BBQ they go to! The music is pleasant and the use of anamorphic lenses is a fun idea. If you don't like this there's something wrong with you.

Effortlessly enjoyable

[Not-Will-But-Still · 8/10 · 14 August 2023]

This is the kind of film you put on when you're tired and want something lighthearted to enjoy. Dom - quiet, timid, and heartbroken - and Yas - effervescent and forthright - have brilliant chemistry as the two are brought together on a sunny day in south London.

The film is a vibrant picture full of bold bright colour and drives a sense of nostalgia as you watch the pair journey through an eventful day growing a bond between two strangers. Rye Lane feels authentic and you can't help but relate to the highly affable characters and their troubles.

The score behind the picture is very well curated. The story feels like it is beating along rhythmically to a beat that paces well to keep you invested without overwhelming. It's fun and it's finger is on the pulse to the challenges of modern dating and finding deep meaningful connections.

It's impossible to watch this film without letting out a smile.

8/10.

Quirky angstyness

[HankCoT · 6/10 · 28 March 2024]

This film is filled with Wacky characters who act out with cartoonish flair, and at times seem like they're about to break the fourth wall, barely containing their composure during some scenes, keeping the whole thing light and fun.

Ultra-wide lenses warp everything on screen and colourful cinematography hyper-stimulates nicely this odd world presented, as well as reflecting on the two leads headspace ; recounting stories that clearly showcase their insecurities and inferiority complex.

I just wish the style (colours, shot composition) was more tightly focused, as it feels way too much all over the place, but at least always motivated. Also, The characters were fun to follow, tho a bit one-note. Overall, an enjoyable flick with a few hiccups that don't deter the narrative too much. Oh, and the film gets extra cred for being the director's first full length feature, not bad at all! Definitely gonna check out their next project.

Delightful

[parksiet · 8/10 · 2 April 2023]

As I obviously was not in attendance at Sundance Film Festival... I am just now getting to see some of the films as they are being slowly released to the public. Rye Lane is one I've heard an awful lot of praise about, so I knew I had to check it out right away.

Let me tell you, all that praise is justified! This movie is WONDERFUL! It's a smart, funny and heartwarming rom-com, truly such a gem of cinema. It's a stunning directorial debut from Raine Allen-Miller, filled with energy, style, colour, romance, laughs, charm and emotion. The movie just loves life! It hits like a bolt of energy, and is a pure feel good film from start to finish. The film does such a good job at showing off how hard it is to make meaningful connections between people in this day and age, while also showing an unexpected blossoming romance between two people who share an unlikely but pure connection. I just loved following them as we see them genuinely connect with one another! There's this really easy energy between Jonsson and Oparah which makes the movie feel like a walk in the park. The writing was also exceptional, and the direction creative. The film just has so much heart and depth, it's so loveable and shows how love can come into our lives at the most unexpected of times. One of the great rom-coms, you gotta see it! It'll warm your heart, I loved it! I really need more films from this director pronto!

And I couldn't help but love the quick Colin Firth cameo!

Love in the South London atmospera

[birosamu · 6/10 · 1 May 2023]

We all know this story, a woman and a man meet at the low point of their life, like a breakup, and what is meant to happen is happening on the screens.

The movie takes place in South London, which gives a special atmosphere to the whole film. The sound just adds up to this with the different cultures music styles. This atmospera, which makes this film stand out from the most romantic stories, but for me it was not enough to enjoy as a new, different and not overplayed creation.

However in some points the film feels like a YouTube video, with the b-roll shots that's meant to give you the environment for me to just feel off, it made it look like amature. In other aspects in the cinematography the creators used wide lenses to show the surroundings.

Overall a would give it a 6/10 point.

The Best Romantic Comedy I've Seen!

[ScorpioDog · 9/10 · 6 January 2024]

'Rye Lane' was a fantastic directorial debut from Raine India Allen-Miller. I will absolutely keep an eye out for her future projects!

There was some fantastic misé-en-scene in this film! It is one of the most visually interesting ones I have seen in seen in a while that does not rely heavily on green screen and CGI. Furthermore, there are so beautiful and uniquely presented camera shots. One of my favourites was within the cinema location.

The two leads- played by David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah- had some fantastic chemistry with each other. You really believe that these two characters get whisked away into this one-night date. Personally, I really loved the representation of gender in this film. It is refreshing to see a male character express some emotion and desire for love.

Please check this independent film out if you get a chance! It really deserves some more attention.

Solid Modern Rom-Com in a time where that's rare

[mohnomachado · 7/10 · 20 June 2023]

Great chemistry between the two leads coupled with a wonderful fish eye lens aesthetic. The colors just pop of the screen 📺 . The predictability is strong with this one though. Also it slowed down towards the middle for me. Still think this is worth catching if you want to watch something breezy and light. And the short length strengthened the pace of the film. If you like rom-coms I definitely recommend watching this film, because at least it attempts to infuse some originality with these characters. However, if you are looking for a rom-com that subverts plot expectations, I would skip this one.

Big mess of an artsie-cutsie

[vostf · 2/10 · 23 April 2023]

The first thing on my mind is just a single message to the director: go back to film school. But well, film schools should not exist in the first place since they are the very reason behind those pretentious attempts at showing off camera-writing without displaying any basic understanding of cinematic grammar.

That people can find something creative in the way Rye Lane is shot is beyond me, it is just the perfect example of what not to do, not toying with field-depth and setups. Want to show you're a good, promising director? Do it simple with a couple of powerful sequence shot (not with extra-wide lenses please) and more heavily edited scenes. David Fincher summarized the lesson: there are only two ways to shoot a scene, and one is the bad one.

The leads are very good though, charming and funny but they are just left gently trailing behind a big mess of a gas-guzzling dilapidated RV.

Colourful & Just Lovely

[jazowen-47448 · 10/10 · 17 March 2023]

This movie is an absolute love letter to South London. If it's right for you, you'll love it.

The two main characters are likeable and sweet - the supporting cast are dynamic and interesting (all characters that you want to see more of but are grateful that you got the chance to meet).

Colourful characters and beautiful cinematography - this movie will have you grinning ear to ear as it takes you on a journey south of the river (Peckham Rye, The Horniman Gardens, Windrush Square - Brixton); an adorable love story that takes place in mostly one day with exaggerated hilarious characters (that we've definitely all met) It's a must watch.

Charming movie

[ranikaith · 9/10 · 9 April 2023]

I dont like romantic movies at all, but this one was so charming and different, i have to change my opinion about it. The chemistry between both actors was amazing, although the plot wasnt spectular, the director managed to keep the watcher interested. The setting is simple: two characters encountering each other per chance after an ugly break up and reflecting about their love life, while strolling through south london. During this time they encounter a lot of hilarious situations, bonding and developing feelings for each other. The camera technique and use of bright colours was refreshing and somehow different. I can only recommend this movie!

A modern romcom classic

[andres-b-bravo · 10/10 · 22 August 2023]

It's wild this is a directorial debut. The cinematography is stunning, the vibrancy pops off the screen, the pace and tone are effortless, and I cannot remember watching a more likeable leading pair. And what a tribute to London!! Narratively it may be akin to a Before Sunrise-esque "formula", but creatively it still blows the genre wide open. There are also many laugh out loud moments, and a script where two humans actually TALK and share things with each other (as opposed to the frequent wordless exchanges and long looks we as an audience are frequently forced to endure, as if anyone interacts this way). If you like movies, you will like this movie.