The Stream: It’s a romantic comedy with some of the genre’s tropes.

The Big Screen: David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah have great chemistry.

The Final Bill: A charming romantic comedy with great central characters with a fresh perspective.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: Raine Allen-Miller
Writers: Nathan Bryon and Tom Melia
Stars: David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Rating: R for language, some sexual content and nudity
Runtime: 1 hour 17 minutes
Production Companies: Searchlight Pictures, BBC Films, British Film Institute, DJ Films, Turnover Films
Platform: on Hulu as of March 31, 2023

Hey, Streamers! Springtime is for lovers, right? The flowers are blooming. The birds are chirping. Hearts are finally thawing after a bitter winter. These things might all be coincidental, but who cares when Hulu has released the new romantic comedy, Rye Lane, just in time to spread that loving feeling.

In Rye Lane, Dom (David Jonsson) and Yas (Vivian Oparah) meet at a mutual friends’ art show. Dom is reeling from a recent break up from his girlfriend. She dumped him, and he’s not handling it well. Yas, who also has recently gone through a break-up, endeavors to support Dom on this one evening as he prepares to meet up with his ex and her new beau. Dom and Yas have opposite personalities, but they gravitate towards each other nonetheless. Will love blossom from this connection? Lovely hijinks ensue.

Rye Lane is a clever, funny and charming romantic comedy. It is written and directed by relative newcomers that present a fresh perspective on the genre. While the movie follows the same generally trajectory of romantic comedies, it does have a flare and personality of its own. Yes, there is a meet-cute and a misunderstanding, but there are fantasy sequences, songs, and a lot of vibrant color and life that enhance the burgeoning relationship between Dom and Yas. It does a great job of drawing the audience in. It feels like those Before Sunrise movies except Black and British and uniquely attuned to the diversity that is relevant now without feeling performative.

Lastly, David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah are so great together. They embody their characters very well and have strong chemistry with each other. It is easy to watch these characters walk and talk all over South London with each other.

Ultimately, Rye Lane is a charming romantic comedy. Yes, it follows that same old, romantic-comedy formula, but it also has a fresh perspective and presents it in a unique way. Aided by great performances from the two leads, this movie delivers on the humor and romance that make rom-coms enjoyable. Definitely, snuggle up with your boo with a big box of popcorn and watch this movie.