Dom (David Jonsson) and Yas (Vivian Oparah) meet at a mutual friends art expedition and begin a conversation that will take them through the streets of South London as they share their stories with each other. The result is an almost perfect romantic comedy that captures the thrill of falling in love and the pain of breaking up. 

Yas meets Dom as he sobs in the unisex toilets of the gallery. He is still coming to terms with a break up that is three months old and on his way to a “clear the air” meeting with his ex who cheated on him with his best friend. Yas walks with him on the way and decides to help him and in return Dom offers to help liberate a record that Yas left behind at her exes flat. 

The story is reminiscent of Before Sunrise with a young couple spending a day together and has nods to the likes of Love Actually and Notting Hill, both of which were set in a rather more middle class version of the city streets Rye Lane takes us through. There is also a rather excellent cameo that relates to one of these films, keep your eyes peeled for it. 

Rye Lane manages to hit all the cornerstones of a great romantic comedy as well. The lead couples burgeoning romance is uplifting and one you will root for. The actor’s chemistry with each other is magical and they each bring a charm to their characters that make you root for each of them. There are moments of comedy and drama and the film reflects the highs and lows of love in its central pairing and their flashback stories to their break ups. Furthermore it also features that one special scene that seems to capture that moment when they completely fall for each other. Take a bow “the karaoke scene”. 

Rye Lane also has a unique visual style. The lenses used in many of its shots are incredibly wide and give a fisheye effect with the characters set firmly in the centre with the world wrapping around them. Whilst many of the shots are also framed below the characters looking up and feature many close ups with the protagonists faces filling the frame. The result is one where the world is totally consumed by the protagonists and the eclectic streets that they travel through. 

Debut feature director Raine Allen-Miller, writers Nathan Bryon and Tom Melia and actors David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah have really captured lightning in a bottle in this 82 minute wonder.