Almost self-described as "a love letter to South London", Rye Lane is a different kind of Rom Com than you've seen before. I would rather describe it as an honest, unsexy letter to South London that celebrates the beauty in the mundane that is home to so many, and a feasibly charming story of two strangers awkwardly becoming more.
Indie productions can bold with their styling and have fun with the details. Its eccentricity tells me there must have been a lot of "why not" during the planning, and yet it remains cohesive enough to go mainstream but quirky enough to be loved. It wasn't a million miles away from a Danny Boyle film to be honest. We're taken on a sight seeing tour of the real Brixton and Peckham, so it's far from a fairytale New York / Parisian / Notting Hill / San Fran romance.
Despite David Jonnsons perhaps slightly too rigid delivery, Vivian Oparah's energetic performance perfectly matched the theatrical intensity and up-tempo. A lot of lovable dumb characters, friendly fools, and particularly special cameos, Rye Lane will make you laugh, cheer, and feel like you're home.
3.5 / 5