Our Waterford Film For All autumn season kicks off with Rye Lane, the directorial debut from Raine Allen-Miller with her gritty, urban take on the rom-com genre.
Rye Lane is a modern-day romantic comedy based in South London about two young people falling in love while finding themselves in the process. Dom (David Jonsson) and Yas’ (Vivian Oparah) story begins when they meet in an unlikely spot, at an art exhibition in South London, and follows the two through what turns out to be a serendipitous day for them both. Fresh from break ups – complete with drama and betrayal – the next hours take them on a journey of self-discovery. They end up on a meandering stroll through the city, via Rye Lane Market. Over the course of a whirlwind evening, their mutual attraction grows as they get caught up in increasingly funny, outrageous and unexpected situations.
The more they learn about each other, the more they are drawn to one another as they go through encounters with their past loves and acquaintances. Dom and Yas start to see the place where they’ve always lived through new eyes, brought out especially by the work of director Allen-Miller who, with long-time collaborators, cinematographer Olan Collardy, production designer Anna Rhodes and costume designer Cynthia Lawrence-John, washes everything with extraordinary colour.
Raine Allen-Miller’s debut feature is a joyous, modern romantic comedy. Making full use of the sights, sounds and people of South London, this is one of the freshest and most stylish rom-coms in a generation. It’s all elevated further by two electrifying, charming performances from Vivian Oparah as Jas and David Jonsson as Dom.
“A cracking romance. A great London film. A sign that cinema is still alive.” – Donald Clarke, The Irish Times ★★★★★
“Will leave you with a smile on your face, a spring in your step and (hopefully) a renewed confidence in next-wave British film-making” – Mark Kermode, The Observer ★★★★
