When one thinks of the Romcom genre, immediately, a plot and image come to mind of a Sandra Bullock-esque white woman— modest yet ambitious, trying to make it in the big city and make her dreams come true.
However, their dreams get sidetracked by a love interest or two and some hiccups in between. If that’s not the plot you had in mind, let me paint you a different picture; a black twenty-something-year-old woman going to an art exhibition of a friend of a friend (who only takes uncomfortably close photo shoots of mouths). And as she excuses herself to go to the gender-neutral bathroom wondering and doubting why, she sees bright pink Converse and hears sniffling coming from a stall. As she goes to the main gallery again, with attempts to hit it off with a guy…only to look down and see the same pink Converse.
Peak romance, right?
As someone who enjoyed watching all sorts of romance, specifically Romcoms such as Maid in Manhattan, Miss Congeniality and The Carrie Diaries, Rye Lane was the first time I felt represented and understood, really seeing myself as the target audience of this movie.
Set in Peckham, South London, Rye Lane is a post-coming-of-age story of the “what happens now” phase in every young person. The story is focused on two characters, Yas, a young aspiring costume designer played by Vivian Oparah and Dom, a music enthusiast who just recently went through a breakup played by David Jonsson as they venture into their newfound connection as awkward as it may be.
In her directorial debut, Raine Allen-Miller with writers To Melia and Nathan Byron bring a fresh perspective on the love and life of young black people- specifically in the UK. It gives a fresh perspective on the love and lives of black young adults that is authentic and true to their experiences. With fun, quirky visuals, made through creative editing techniques, a beautiful representation is born.
Music is used throughout the movie with songs that are nostalgic to many people who have been raised in that environment. Songs like ‘If you’re Not the One’ by Daniel Bedingfield that my dad would play on Sundays or long trips. Or more current songs like Vossi Bop by Stormzy, which I remember being excited to hear with my friends in high school. It’s a great way of using music not just as background music but as a storytelling convention that connects with the personal experiences of the viewers by using the existing environments of the Brixton community.
This centres on the people that make the place as unique and memorable as it is. The movie also shows the Jamaican heritage deeply embedded into its community and the influence of other immigrant cultures on how they’ve settled into the UK- becoming an integral part of the country and neighbourhoods. It’s an effortless way of being appreciative of its surroundings, feeling like an ode to Rye Lane and the various locations we explore through the character's story.
The subtle yet obvious details to those who are and have been part of these places like the markets they pass, the hairstyles of passers-by or graffiti on the walls of the train station.
It creates the world that these characters live in but still makes them feel real and connects us to them. The characters are not placed passively but instead interact with their environments in a self-aware manner.
It’s a nuanced appreciation of the multicultural nature of communities and the identities of people that live in them without treating them as caricatures. The director grew up in South London and she has intimate knowledge of the area that shines through like a love letter to the place that raised her.
The movie is unapologetically young at heart and in execution. The arcs that the characters go through really highlight the struggle of identity and being your authentic self in a period of one’s life that is all about finding yourself. This period in life is coined by most adults as an age of discovery. But as we see the two characters and as most young people would say it can be a very difficult experience. The movie gives that perspective with an empathetic view, truly looking from the.
Looking at things like the fear of not rising to your potential which limits oneself, explored with Yas’s character and with Dom— still living with his parents and the hesitation of when to move out and be his own and depend on himself. It’s a beautiful reminder of how everyone’s journey is different and how the people in your life can help make that journey a little better. It’s interesting to see how different perspectives and lifestyles can be an eye-opener and not always have to be in conflict. The pressure to be something right then and there is taken away and replaced with playful antics but also serious, grounded moments, showing just how life is unexpected and having the characters reflect that reality.
Taking the simple formula that most romantic plots have of falling in love in a day, Rye Lane fleshes out the trope by diving straight into reality and picking apart the flaws and strengths of their characters. Things, like failed potential and anxiety, are issues that many young adults face regularly and are well-addressed in an effortless organic way. Seeing the characters have open and honest conversations about the difficulties of navigating their own path and what the future holds for young people in the world now is somewhat comforting. Using the form of a wacky rom-com to unpack all of that, in just over an hour, was definitely a very interesting choice that worked well.
Yas’s bold and unapologetic quirkiness contrasts with Dom’s character and helps bring him out of his more reserved nature. We get to see him be more adventurous and push himself out of his comfort zone. Through their union, something new and hopeful is made, despite the previous situation or worries that may have weighed on them before they met each other. It's very reassuring for a lot of twenty-somethings who may be watching as they go through this stage in life.
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