Romantic comedies have gotten into the habit of doing too much. Sure, the to 10 Things I Hate About You, it always works out delightfully well—as it does here, in Rye Lane. Though Yas and Gus’ fake relationship is not the entire focus of the movie, this awkward lunch scene (in which Yas questions why Gus fell for this boneheaded girl in the first place) is one of the many highlights of Rye Lane. Better yet: Their growing companionship allows Yas to open up more about her breakup. Instead of crying over old wounds, the pair hatch a better plan—to sneak into her ex’s apartment as payback (with a bit of karaoke on the way).
As Yas and Gus, Oparah and Jonsson’s performances left me hungry for more. Newcomer Oparah has a level of spunk that feels so refreshing in a female romantic lead. And Jonsson, who ironically stars as an ambitious young banker also named Gus in HBO’s Industry, has a grip on the “dopey, yearning sweetheart” archetype. He reminded me of Colin Firth in Bridget Jones’s Diary, which is fitting, since Firth has a quick cameo as a sandwich shop worker in the film. Apparently, reaching the Oscar-winning actor is as easy as writing him an impassioned letter—which is all director Raine Allen-Miller did to secure the legendary Love Actually star in her flick.
Rye Lane
Courtesy of Searchlight Picture
That small cameo—which forced me pause the film and alert it to every rom-com lover I know—is a sign of just how smart Rye Lane is. Not only is it self-aware by including one of the best-known, most-beloved rom-com leads as a gag, but it’s actually a real comedy too. The jokes aren’t just witty; they’re also laugh-out-loud hilarious. Yas and Gus are poised to fall in love with each other in a way that feels so obvious, yet still completely unpredictable. Allen-Miller, working with a clever script penned by Nathan Bryon and Tom Melia, has clearly done her research on what makes a rom-com extraordinary: most importantly, plenty of cheeky tête-à-tête between two leads with impeccable chemistry, but also a more human, emotional element layered beneath that quick-witted banter.
Rye Lane is good for a day where you need a smile—or, if you’re like me, you’ll want to gobble it all up right away and tell everyone in your vicinity to run to Hulu. There’s truly no better feeling than discovering a new favorite rom-com and giving it a spot in the rotation of comfort films to watch over and over again. Rye Lane is definitely worth adding to the pile.
