Rye Lane
Rye Lane
Starring David Jonsson, Vivian Oparah, Simon Manyonda, Karene Peter
Directed by Raine Allen-Miller
Dom (David Jonsson) isn't have a great life, as his girlfriend just broke up with him for his best friend, leading him to move back in with his parents, and feel that his life is a failure. While crying his sorrows in a unisex bathroom at his friend's art exhibit, Yas (Vivian Oparah) overhears and feels pity for him, and afterward she engages in conversation with him. They spend the day together exploring South London and sharing their stories - Dom about how the breakup has affected him, and Yas telling her story about how she just broke up with her stiff boyfriend. They connect as they sing karaoke, attempt to break into Yas's ex's place to get her album back, and attending a backyard barbecue where Dom showcases his lack of social skills, and all the while they grow closer together, bonding over shared heartbreak and a very cautious optimism for the future.
The Good:
First-time director Raine Allen-Miller proves that she has an effortless eye for the dramatic and comedic, flawlessly telling a story about two star-crossed lovers in today's world as they traverse their own multi-layered emotional feelings as well as attempting to open up to one another, each one cautious about the possibility of getting heartbroken again. It's a theme that's echoed throughout history, but she gives a very modern feel to the story that's timely and helps the story's progression.
The cinematography is top notch for a small independent film, thanks to the tireless work of Olan Collardy, who utilizes the fisheye lens to heighten the story. A fisheye lens is a particular camera lens that is an ultra wide-angle lens that produces a visual distortion that helps create a wide panoramic image that achieves extremely wide angles of view not supplied by traditional rectilinear lens. Essentially it's like looking through a peep-hole in your front door but widening the range, making the image front and center more pronounced while the events happening around it seem more background. "Rye Lane" utilizes this to the extreme, giving beautifully shot long-range shots that maintains the focus on Dom and Yas through their adventures. There's also numerous shots of each of them up close, witnessing both Yas's boldness and Dom's concern in deeply personal ways. Throw in bright, colorful set designs, brightly-colored lights, and the natural road that is Rye Lane, and you've got a visual wonder to behold for a low-budget film.
The story is something that feels organic to the characters on screen, giving each actor the chance to really shine outside the main concept of their inevitable relationship. Dom's been hurt beyond measure, still crying over his lost girlfriend weeks after it happened, being stuck in a rut where he finds himself back at home, playing video games, and seemingly having no purpose in life. He's like a damaged fawn, hesitant to try anything new, afraid to take the next step, and is highly cautious about everything (even when it comes to him ordering a burrito, worried that it'd be too spicy he eventually settles for a chicken burrito that Yas calls "the blandest burrito ever"). Yet there's still a charm to him thanks to the script that gives him an appeal that both Yas and the audience can't help but fall for. Yas, on the other hand, is a bit of a more free spirit, a woman who's always quick on the fly with a quip or a playful verbal jab, is always "on," and who seems to have a more enjoyable outlook on life. But this is just a front as she struggles with her own insecurities that bubble to the surface, afraid that Dom - and the audience - will see them and will know that she's not as amazing as she acts like she is.
David Jonsson plays Dom as a lovable loser, a man who does live with his parents, but not because he wants to be a loser - life just dealt him that hand. He's a deeply emotional person, wears his heart on his sleeve, and is constantly worried that his heart will break again. Jonsson exudes the character with an effortless charm that helps make him someone actually likable and not a completely wet blanket, offering truly humorous moments that shows how much of a fish out of water Dom is (especially at the backyard barbecue where they play his playlist in hopes of finding some exciting tunes, but all that plays are sad, melodramatic songs while he sits in uncomfortable silence).
Vivian Oparah plays Yas with a sense of strength that's only a mask to her own insecurities, a character who always have to feel like she's "on" in order to gain approval and acceptance of others around her. Still, even though it's mostly a facade, she brilliantly plays the part. She's quick-witted, excels on her feet, and is utterly charming and fun - someone you'd love to spend a few days with. That's due to Oparah's committed performance that shines through the screen every moment she's in it.
The Bad:
"Rye Lane" is at its core a romantic comedy, and as such it succumbs to the pitfalls of the generic forward momentum the genre provides: strangers meet, fall in love, their secrets bubble to the surface, they break up, they make up. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, if done poorly it could provide more cringe than coos, but thankfully that doesn't happen here - but still it follows the predictable pattern.
The Verdict:
"Rye Lane" is a quick, fun, funny romcom set in the modern era featuring two outstanding lead performances in roles that you'll feel closely associated to, giving you deep emotional connections to both of them as you sit back and enjoy their wild night of getting to know one another through wild antics and deep, quick-witted conversations.
The Score: A
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