Credit: Disney+
2 min read
We can’t wait to stream the hell out of Rye Lane. Here’s what you need to know about the unmissable romcom.
Boasting a whopping 98% ‘fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Rye Lane might just be one of the most exciting additions to the romance genre in a very long time. A very long time indeed.
But wait, what’s that? You missed your chance to watch it at your local cinema? Never fear, because it’s now been confirmed that Rye Lane is winging its way to Disney+ in the not-so-distant future.
Here’s what you need to know.
What’s Rye Lane about?
From breakout director Raine Allen-Miller, Rye Lane follows Yas and Dom, two twenty-somethings reeling from bad breakups, who connect over the course of an eventful day in Peckham and Brixton.
They eat tacos, sing karaoke, scheme to steal back a priceless record and confront their nightmare exes – all while helping one another to come to terms with their losses, their insecurities and their vulnerabilities, too.
Is it any wonder that, as the hours tick by, they find themselves inadvertently restoring one another’s faith in romance?
Watch the trailer for Rye Lane below:
Admit it: you’re sold, right?
Who stars in Rye Lane?
The Rebel’s Vivian Oparah and Industry’s David Jonsson take the lead in Rye Lane as Yas and Dom, the mutually heartbroken strangers at the centre of this glorious film.
He’s crying in gender-neutral toilet cubicles and lamenting the loss of his girlfriend to his best mate; she’s the effervescent burst of energy that forces Dom to see the silver lining in every cloud he points out. And we love them both to little pieces, quite frankly.
Credit: Disney+
They are joined by:
- Alice Hewkin as Tabby
- Munya Chawawa as a ‘restaurant crooner’
- Simon Manyonda as Nathan
- Karene Peter as Gia
- Benjamin Sarpong-Broni as Eric
- Poppy Allen-Quarmby as Cass
- Malcolm Atobrah as Jules
- Omari Douglas as Mona
… and, as if that weren’t enough star-power to lure you in, then let’s not forget that a major romcom star (we’re talking Bridget Jones’ Diary-level) makes an unexpected cameo at one point during the film, too.
What are people saying about Rye Lane?
Rye Lane isn’t just genuinely funny and heartwarming – it’s seriously smart, too. Its leads feel familiar and impossibly genuine. And it takes on an enjoyable romp through some of our favourite parts of London, too.
Credit: Disney+
There’s no denying, though, that it’s also a pretty groundbreaking addition to the romantic genre.
As Oparah tells The Independent: “As young, dark-skinned women, we’re often hypersexualised or de-romanticised. You can’t be viewed in a romantic context; you can only be viewed as a sexual object.
“To be a representation of just a Black woman in all her complexities, and visually with my West African features… yeah – it feels fab.”
When can we stream Rye Lane?
Rye Lane will premiere on Disney+ on 3 May in the UK and Ireland, so be sure to get the popcorn on standby – you’re going to want to watch it twice. At least.
Images: Disney+
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