New filmmakers emerge every year, and while it is always heartening to see that the medium is going to be left in good hands after the old masters transition out of the industry, it isn’t often that we find someone who is so indicative of the future of cinema to the point where just watching their work feels like a major revelation. This happened recently with Raine Allen-Miller, who made her directorial debut with Rye Lane, a film that combines many different styles and concepts into one of the most ambitious and genuinely moving romantic comedies of recent years, and it feels like we are watching the birth of one of the most exciting and genuinely talented young directorial voices in contemporary cinema, a filmmaker who could potentially be defining of a new generation of storytellers. It only helps that she makes the smart decision to choose a film like this as her debut – working from a script by Nathan Bryon and Tom Melia (whose writing is impeccable, and they should not be forgotten when discussing the brilliance of this film, since the director could only go so far without their contributions), she tells a story about a pair of young adults that cross paths on an ordinary day, and spend the next few hours strolling through London, getting to know one another and going from strangers to potentially the person that will change the other’s life, almost as if they were brought together by fate. It is a conventional story, but one that is infused with so much heart and humour by a young filmmaker who prioritizes the smallest intricacies of the narrative, acknowledging that any well-crafted film needs to balance aspects, whether the minuscule details or the broadest strokes, the relationship between the two usually being the quality that makes for the strongest and most meaningful romantic comedies. Rye Lane is quite exquisite, a seemingly interminably charming film that takes a few risks, but never ventures too far out of the realm of plausibility, instead choosing to be a bit more flexible about certain abstract concepts, whether attempting to describe that special feeling you get when encountering someone with whom you have a strong connection, or the very definition of love, which is a far more daunting concept than many of us may expect.

By this point, it is clear that the romantic comedy is a genre in which great films are essentially a dime a dozen – as viewers, we tend to be allured by the promise of watching 90 minutes of people falling in love, even if it stretches the boundaries of reality in some instances. Allen-Miller wasn’t looking to change this more than she was simply aiming to challenge conventions in her own way, which is precisely why Rye Lane feels so dynamic. The idea of spending a day with characters as they move through an urban space has been done countless times before, and there isn’t anything formally contained in this film that we haven’t seen in films like the Before Trilogy or the countless imitations that it spawned, with only the setting and characters usually tending to change. The purpose of this film wasn’t to be holistically unique, but rather daring in more subversive ways, which is where it makes the most profound impact. The script evokes very traditional romantic comedy tropes, whether it be the meet-cute or the growing romantic tension that culminates in a harrowing departure before the eventual return, and slightly reconfigures this structure to be more inclusive of a broader range of ideas, both narratively and thematically. Independent comedies normally tend to allow for additional elasticity in terms of how it takes on these narratives, and Allen-Miller certainly does not waste an opportunity to showcase both her reverence for the romantic comedy, as well as her forthright intention to make one in her own way. Without disregarding the tropes that define it, Rye Lane becomes quietly rebellious, employing a sense of genuine playfulness to a story that could be seen as hackneyed in any other context, but yet feels so refreshing and honest, which is entirely attributed to the director’s earnest, direct manner of approaching certain issues and redefining them alongside this film’s aesthetic and distinct tone, which is far more nuanced than it appears at a cursory glance.

Rye Lane is a character-based film, and it is never delusional to believe that it was capable of anything more than just being a simple story of two young people falling in love over the course of a single day in London. Perhaps this concept as a whole is veering dangerously close to being a cliche, but under Allen-Miller’s careful direction, it never comes across as anything less than entirely authentic. However, based on the nature of the story, the director had to place complete faith in her actors to deliver on her vision, and she truly achieved this through the casting of the two leads, who deliver a pair of the most impressive performances of the year. David Jonsson is delightfully awkward as Dom, who simply wants to exist without drawing too much attention to himself, but who still yearns for some kind of validation, whether it be from those in his community, or from someone who truly loves him, which is precisely why his moment of vulnerability after heartbreak kickstarts the narrative, since it introduces us to Yas, who is one of the most profoundly compelling characters in recent memory, which is all due to the staggering work from Vivian Oparah. Both of the actors are exceptional, and take on these roles with a blend of intensity and softhearted humour that can only come from a genuine belief in the character you are playing, and the undying devotion to developing them beyond mere archetype, which is exactly what comes across as most striking about both of these performances. In much the same way that Rye Lane serves to be an incredible debut for the director, the film is a wonderful introduction to these exceptionally gifted young actors, and the pure charisma that they portray on screen (most notably Oparah, whose performance is one of the very best of the year) is the major reason why this film is not only so deeply fascinating, but profoundly captivating, since every moment these two are on screen feels like it contains moments of genuine revelation, which is always a striking experience, since it offers us the possibility to get acquainted with these promising young actors that should ideally be assuming their place at the very forefront of the next generation of performers, if their work in Rye Lane is an accurate assessment.

There is much more to Rye Lane than initially meets the eye, albeit in the sense that the film touches on issues slightly more deeply than simply exploring the budding relationship between two individuals, who find themselves falling in love almost immediately, their attraction being instant. It is clear that the purpose of this film wasn’t simply to retread common themes of a conventional romantic comedy, but to carefully curate certain ideas, filtering some unique elements into the film through engaging with some more complex concepts that would otherwise be viewed as inconsequential in any other context. Allen-Miller is not interested in a basic, run-of-the-mill romantic comedy, but rather one that has something to say, as well as the confidence to proudly and fearlessly develop on its ideas without any hesitation. Many of these themes aren’t easily describable, since they’re often contained to the smaller, more abstract moments – a passing glance, a quick gesture or a small expression of a particular emotion. There is value in seeing this film through by paying attention to all aspects (which is considerably helped by Allen-Miller’s flexible, almost acrobatic sense of direction – the film is as narratively complex as it is beautifully constructed, which is quite an achievement for a directorial debut), since we often find details that we would otherwise miss. It is also important to note that Rye Lane is a film that fully understands the importance of calibrating its emotions to feel authentic, but never overwrought. This was not striving to be a social realist drama, and there are many moments of slight surrealism, or a few inserted abstractions that help anchor the film within a very specific kind of comedy, one in which the oscillation between reality and fiction is a lot more malleable than we may anticipate. It all works towards the unimpeachable sense of heartfulness that guides this film and makes it so profoundly compelling, which is in itself a remarkable achievement for a number of reasons, most of all its ability to handle emotions in a way that feels genuine, rather than just retreading the same tired ideas that we have seen in countless romantic comedies in the past.

It is always a positive sign when the credits on a directorial debut start to roll, and the audience’s first thought is to wonder what the director and stars are going to do next, since the experience of getting this introduction to them stirs up the possibility for them to be representative of a new generation of filmmakers. It isn’t clear what is next for Allen-Miller, but the potential she has is absolutely extraordinary, and one can only hope that she continues to express her artistic vision in such vibrant, complex ways. Rye Lane is an extraordinary film, and not only the best debut of the year, but one of the best romantic comedies of the current decade, which is an achievement in itself, especially since so many filmmakers have been trying to find new ways to revolutionize the genre, but often struggle due to the fact that these stories are either too high concept or lack the heart needed to get the audience invested in these stories. Rye Lane easily circumvents both challenges through acknowledging its own simplicity, but refusing to be defined by it – this is a film in which the best ideas are the most unfurnished, and where the raw sense of humanity is what strikes us the most. It also prioritizes emotions in a way that is meaningful but not heavy-handed – there are familiar narrative beats, and the film does follow a specific structure associated with the genre, with the difference being that it knows how to be creative about most of its ideas. It is a compelling, endearing and frequently outrageously funny film that has enough heart to propel the entire story on its own, and is anchored by splendid performances that capture the spirit of delightful rebellion that keep this film afloat, and a genuine sense of lovable charm that is simply irresistible, one of the many appropriate ways to describe this absolute delight of a film.