Rye Lane

Rye Lane is a 2023 British romantic comedy-drama film directed by Raine Allen-Miller in her feature directorial debut from a screenplay by Nathan Bryon and Tom Melia. Set in the South London areas of Peckham and Brixton, the film is titled after the real-life Rye Lane.[3] It stars David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah as two strangers who have a chance encounter, after having both been through recent breakups, and spend the day getting to know each other.

Rye Lane
British release poster
Directed byRaine Allen-Miller
Written by
Produced by
  • Yvonne Isimeme Ibazebo
  • Damian Jones
Starring
CinematographyOlan Collardy
Edited byVictoria Boydell
Music byKwes
Production
companies
Distributed bySearchlight Pictures (through Buena Vista International)[1]
Release dates
  • 23 January 2023 (2023-01-23) (Sundance)
  • 17 March 2023 (2023-03-17) (United Kingdom)
  • 31 March 2023 (2023-03-31) (United States)
Running time
82 minutes[2]
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Rye Lane had its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on 23 January 2023,[4] was released in the United Kingdom on 17 March 2023, by Searchlight Pictures.[5] The film received critical acclaim, with praise for Jonsson and Oparah's performances, the film's direction, style, and originality.

Plot

In South London, Yas encounters Dom crying in a gender-neutral toilet at an art exhibition about mouths organised by their mutual friend Nathan. They meet again in the exhibition, and walk through the Rye Lane Market together, bonding immediately over their shared connection. Dom was recently cheated on by Gia, his partner of six years, with his best friend Eric and has moved back in with his parents. Dom walks to a restaurant to meet with Gia for the first time since the breakup, but Yas joins them, pretending to be Dom's new partner. They pretend they had met while singing karaoke, and leave Gia bewildered.

Dom and Yas get lunch at a tortilla shop. Yas reveals she had recently broken up with her boyfriend Jules, with his propensity to not wave at tourists on boats being a red flag for her. Yas broke up with Jules, but had forgotten her record of The Low End Theory at his apartment. Dom and Yas decide to steal the record back, but must first get a key from Jules's family. Dom connects with Peter at the house and informs him where the key may be. However, Dom is caught by Yas and Jules's moms while looking in a panty drawer, and he is subsequently kicked out. Outside, Yas admits she started hanging out with Dom at first because she felt sorry for him, but came to enjoy their time together and even turned down a job interview that afternoon.

Yas and Dom take a moped to Mona's karaoke bar to get Jules's keys. In exchange for the keys, they must sing karaoke. They sing "Shoop" and Yas kisses Dom afterwards. Arriving at Jules's apartment, Yas is mad that Jules's new girlfriend can leave her menstrual cup out when she wasn't allowed. They get caught, and break Jules's art on their way out. Jules reveals that he had actually broken up with Yas, and Dom is upset that she lied to him. The two fight and Yas throws away her record.

Months go by, with the two going on dates with other people and struggling to forget each other. Yas finally gets a job as a costume designer on a movie set while Dom moves out of his parents' house. At Nathan's next art exhibition about anuses, Yas plans a grand romantic gesture. Yas stands on a boat on River Thames and waves to Dom, who waves back through the window. After waiting for the boat to land, the two embrace and passionately kiss.

Cast

Colin Firth makes a cameo appearance in the film as a tortilla chef.[6]

Production

Principal photography was underway in London as of April 2021, when it was revealed Nathan Bryon had written his first feature film script with Tom Melia, then under the working title Vibes & Stuff.[7] Yvonne Isimeme Ibazebo of DJ Films and Damian Jones of Turnover Films produced the film, with assistance and funding from BBC Film, the British Film Institute (BFI), and Searchlight Pictures.[8] It was also revealed in April 2021 that Vivian Oparah and David Jonsson would star in the film.[7]

Jones sent Raine Allen-Miller an invitation to direct the film as suggested by Eva Yates, a BBC Films executive producer who knew Allen-Miller through her 2018 short film Jerk. After boarding the project, Allen-Miller helped to develop the script with Bryon, Melia, and script editor and executive producer Sophie Meyer.[9] Other executive producers include Rose Garnett, Paul Grindey, Kristin Irving, and Charles Moore.

The film was originally going to be set in Camden, North London, before Allen-Miller changed the locations to Brixton and Peckham.[10] Filming locations included the restaurant Coal Rooms, Rye Lane Market, the grocery store Nour Cash & Carry in Brixton Village, the chicken shop Morley's, the Italian restaurant Il Giardino, Brockwell Park, and Peckhamplex.[11]

Release

Searchlight handled distribution.[12] A trailer was released in January 2023.[13] Rye Lane premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, followed by a red carpet UK premiere on 8 March 2023 at Peckhamplex and a theatrical release on 17 March. It was released on the Disney+ Star platform in the United Kingdom as well as internationally and on Hulu in the United States on 31 March 2023.[14]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 97% of 119 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.1/10. The website's consensus reads: "Good news, rom-com fans: Anyone looking for a smart, funny, and heartwarming new addition to the canon can find it waiting on Rye Lane".[15] "Not since Spike Lee introduced the world to Bed-Stuy, has a Black director so seamlessly embedded viewers into the verve and flavor of their neighborhood," wrote Robert Daniels for The Playlist.[16] The Observer critic Mark Kermode described the film as a "hugely enjoyable romp that effortlessly combines the 'limited time' romcom format of Richard Linklater's Before trilogy with the in-your-face visual cheekiness of Peep Show".[17]

References
  1. "Synopsis - Rye Lane | EMPIRE CINEMAS MOBILE".
  2. "Rye Lane (15)". BBFC. Archived from the original on 15 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  3. Ramirez, Isabel (15 January 2023). "Trailer released for film set in Peckham 'Rye Lane'". Southwark News. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  4. "Rye Lane". 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  5. "Searchlight Pictures & Television Preview 2022-2023" (PDF). Searchlight Slate Preview 12.12.22. 12 December 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 December 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  6. Goyal, Darshita (18 March 2023). "The Story Behind Rye Lane's A-List Cameo Is Everything". Bustle. Archived from the original on 18 March 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  7. Richardson, Jay (12 April 2021). "Benidorm star Nathan Bryon co-writes first film". British Comedy Guide. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  8. "BBC Film celebrates three films at Sundance 2023". BBC Media Centre. 7 December 2022. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  9. Gant, Charles (4 October 2021). "Stars of Tomorrow 2021: Raine Allen-Miller (writer/director)". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2023.(subscription required)
  10. Erbland, Kate (30 March 2023). "'Rye Lane' Director Raine Allen-Miller Never Thought She'd Make a Rom-Com — Then She Made a Great One". Indiewire. Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  11. Balmont, James (7 March 2023). "All the South London filming locations you can visit from 'Rye Lane'". Time Out London. Archived from the original on 10 March 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  12. Radia, Anuj (5 November 2021). "First Look At Searchlight Pictures Rye Lane". Deadline. Archived from the original on 12 December 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  13. Lewis, George (15 January 2023). "First trailer for Industry and Class stars' new rom-com Rye Lane". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  14. Ellwood, Gregory (7 December 2022). "Sundance Film Festival 2023: New Works From Nicole Holofcener, Ira Sachs, Brandon Cronenberg & More [Full Lineup]". The Playlist. Archived from the original on 11 January 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  15. "Rye Lane". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 25 January 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  16. Daniels, Robert (24 January 2023). "'Rye Lane' Review: Raine Allen-Miller's Rom-Com Is Already Infinitely Rewatchable [Sundance]". The Playlist. Archived from the original on 11 March 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  17. Kermode, Mark; Critic, Observer Film (19 March 2023). "Rye Lane review – sunny south London romcom hits the sweet spot". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
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