‘Rye Lane’ is a Note-Perfect Entry into the British Rom-Com Canon

Following in the footsteps of beloved movies like Before Sunrise and Love Actually, Rye Lane brings a fresh perspective to the genre while hitting every hallmark of a classic rom-com. The film stars Vivian Oparah (Class) as bold and bubbly Yas and David Jonsson (Industry) as sweet mama’s boy Dom. They’re two twentysomethings who meet by chance and spend the day together in London’s Peckham neighborhood, grappling with past heartbreak — and opening their hearts anew in the process.

Yas, an aspiring costume designer with big dreams and a quick wit, encounters Dom, a shy accountant living with his parents as he nurses a broken heart, in the bathroom at a mutual friend’s art opening when she hears him crying in a bathroom stall. This kicks off a day of adventure in which Yas follows Dom to a meeting with his ex-girlfriend, Dom helps Yas attempt a heist of her A Tribe Called Quest record from her ex-boyfriend, and they meet the vibrant characters who populate Peckham.

At the outset, Yas appears to have fully recovered from heartbreak, and Dom seems to be closed to love completely. However, as they exchange embarrassing anecdotes and witty banter, they (and the audience) realize that everything is not as it seems. All the best rom-coms lead viewers to fall in love with the protagonists as they fall in love with each other, and Rye Lane is no exception. Oparah and Jonsson have infectious grins and undeniable chemistry that might have you smiling at your TV screen as they smile at each other.