The Bechdel Cast - Rye Lane with Shelli Nicole

Episode Date: March 13, 2025

On this episode, Caitlin, Jamie, and special guest Shelli Nicole stroll through south London and chat about Rye Lane (2023). Follow Shelli on Instagram at @ayoshelli and check out her website at www.hishelli.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Hi, I'm Bob Pitman, Chairman and CEO of iHeart Media. I'm excited to share my podcast with you, Math and Magic, Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. Make sure to check out my recent episode with legendary musician and philanthropist, Jewel. I didn't want a million dollars. I wanted a career. I wanted a way to figure out how to do something that I loved for the rest of my life. Join me as we uncover innovations in data and analytics,

the math, and the ever important creative spark, the magic. Listen to Math and Magic, stories from the frontiers of marketing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. In Mississippi, Yazoo Clay keeps secrets. Seven thousand bodies out there or more. A forgotten asylum cemetery. It was my family's mystery. Shame, guilt, propriety, something keeps it all buried deep until it's not.

I'm Larisen Campbell and this is Under Yazoo Clay. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Peck Dog cast, the questions asked, if movies have women in them, are all their discussions just boyfriends and husbands or do they have individualism? The patriarchy's effing vast, start changing it with the Bechdel cast. Oi! It's the Royal Lane episode, isn't it? episode in it. I don't want to participate in this. I think that this is quite frankly disrespectful and I'll say it problematic. Leaving me out to dry. And I just want to apologize to the British community for what has taken place on this show today. And then the episode just ends. Hard cut out.

No, I thought it was funny. Grow up, Brits. Thanks. Welcome to the Bechdel cast. My name is Jamie Loftus. My name is Caitlin Durante. This is our podcast where we examine movies through an intersectional feminist lens using the Bechdel test simply as a jumping off point.

What's that though in it? Well, here's what it in it. It is a media metric created by queer cartoonist, Alison Bechtel back in, I believe the eighties for her famous comic collection, Dykes to Watch out for, often called the Bechtel Wallace test because it was co-created with her friend, Liz Wallace. That makes sense. It was originally intended as a way of talking about how little queer representation of queer women there was in movies but has since evolved to be comp-headed to death. The version that we use of this test requires that there be two characters with names of

a marginalized gender who speak to each other about something other than a man for two lines of dialogue or more. Should be a meaningful interaction. Not super worried today. We don't need to get into it much further because today we don't just have a wonderful movie to discuss. We have an incredible returning guest. Let's get to it.

Oh my gosh. She's a culture writer. You've seen her work in Architectural Digest, Vogue, as well as her sub stack, Hi Shelly. And you remember her from such episodes as, oh my gosh, what's that? Detroit, Buffalo? Buffaloed? Buffaloed. Do you ever say detroited? I almost said detroiters. Detroiters. Oh, great show. This is a show that I still refuse

to watch. Okay. Well look, I guess I'll watch it. I've never seen it. I hear it's funny to watch it. I guess I'll start. Anyway, it's Shelley and Nicole. Welcome back. Welcome back. Welcome back. Hi, how are you? Oh, you know, thanks for being here. Always a pleasure. Thank you. I love the accent slipping out. Honestly, I love it. And we are talking about Rye Lane today. I'm so excited. You introduced me to this movie. So did I really? Yes. Oh my god. That's my favorite thing. It's so good. I will not start talking about it straight away. I'll let you finish your statement.

Oh, no, it's just it's it's so good. And I know that all of our histories will be relatively short because this movie came out very recently. It came out in 2023, directed by Rainn Allen Miller, written by Nathan Bryan and Tom Malia. And Shelly, what's your history with this movie? How'd you come across it? Okay, here's the thing.

So it was my, you know in movies where they're like, they're about to start saying a memory and then the screen gets hazy? That's what's happening now. So hazy moment. It was my first ever Sundance and this was, God, I think Sundance, that would be Sundance 2023. Because I went to 2024 and I did not go this year. Yeah, so it was 2023 and it was my first ever Sundance

and I had, as somebody who really loves film, of course I knew about Sundance, but I never dreamed that I, I don't know, I just never dreamed that I'd be there, right? Then I got invited, I got into this one program where they invite marginalized critics and they put you up and all this kind of stuff. And I had free rein to see any movies that I wanted to.

Nice. It was great. You know, like the film programs and all that stuff. But I made it a point not to read too much into what the movies are about, but I focused on the pictures and I wanted to see as much Black shit as I possibly could. So, I did not know about Rylane, I did not know all the history of it, which we'll, like, get into with the cast and crew

and all that kind of stuff. I just saw two Black people, and I saw that they were, like, smiling, right? And they weren't, like, sad or in slavery period clothes. And I was like, oh, my God, that feels like I should go. Um, and I went to go see it. It was like my last film of that day, which was like my second or third day.

Um, and I saw it in Salt Lake versus in Park City because it was just like full up. And immediately when it first started, I was like, this movie's gonna change my life. I sat smack center of it and I was just like, this is great. I saw it, it played through, I gave it like five million stars on Letterboxd immediately because I am the person that takes that Letterboxd as the credits roll.

I don't care. Um, and I knew that I was gonna write about it and make it like the star of my Sundance coverage. But then, two days later, I was at Sundance for like seven days or eight days. And I had kind of seen everything I wanted to see by day five. So I saw this movie three more times. Oh, my God!

That's so good. And then they give you access to it, like, digitally, especially like if you're like writing about it and stuff like that, because they want you to be able to really write about it. Went home immediately after the first screening, put it on while I was like eating terrible food in Salt Lake City, terrible takeout, and was like watching it in bed. And then it came out on Hulu,

and it didn't come on theaters, like not by me anyway, in bed. And then it came out on Hulu, and it didn't come on theaters, like, not by me anyway in Chicago. Yeah, which is why I think I missed it. And I have a lot to say about that, but yeah, continue. It was straight to Hulu, which was a surprise to me. But I was also super happy about it because then I meant I got to watch it whenever the fuck I wanted. Came out on Hulu, watched it immediately, and then I reached out to Searchlight Pictures, who is the distributor, and I was like,

"'Hi, I would love for you to give me money "'to show this to a bunch of black people in Chicago.'" And they did. And they gave me, like, so they gave me... Wait, that's Fox. And they gave me, like, they connected me with, like, a local person here. Um, because you know when you go to screenings and stuff like that, like, there's usually a representative in the city.

And Chicago's a pretty big movie city, so I'm lucky enough. Reached out and I was like, I think I reached out, I sent like four emails before I heard back and then I think they were like, okay. And they gave me a bunch of money and I put together a private screening for 30, I think, black folks here in Chicago. And I turned this one person's place called Lit By Lex, it's a candle place, into a living room because I wanted it to be like when you just kick back with your friends and you watch movie in the living room and I had like couches and all this stuff,

put on this screening, it was really awesome. I specifically picked the place that had windows that was on the street so that when you walked by, people could see it, cause I wanted people to take pictures and like, what's this movie? Posted about it on Twitter, which I don't have Twitter anymore,

but I still have these posts. And the writers were fucking with it. They were like, this is so cool. about it on Twitter, which I don't have Twitter anymore, but I still have these posts. And the writers were fucking with it. They were like, this is so cool. They like responded. It was really cool. This movie just means like a lot to me. I promised myself that I wouldn't over talk this time. That's not going to happen. That's a story. That's amazing. Yeah. I love this movie so much. I love this movie. I love this movie. I love this movie. so much. I love this movie. I love this movie. I love this movie.

Oh, that makes me so happy. Jamie, what about you? That is incredible. I, nothing even remotely close. I wish. I didn't know about this movie. I think that I was going to say, I was like, well, I really haven't missed a lot of like movies and theaters that I've been excited about in the last couple of years.

I'm surprised that I missed this. And it's because, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, wow, I really haven't missed a lot of like, movies and theaters that I've been excited about

in the last couple of years. I'm surprised that I missed this. And it's because it wasn't released theatrically in the US. And I think that, you know, it is kind of a stigma everywhere, but it often ends up being true that straight to streamer movies are like, I don't rush to watch them as much unless it's a Lacey, Chabert Christmas movie. And then I run and I don't rush to watch them as much, unless it's a Lacey, Chabert Christmas movie,

and then I run and I don't walk. Um, I feel like we're conditioned, while it is in no way always true, but to see them more as TV movies and not things to, like, rush to see, which I think is a real shame and crime in the case of this movie, because I would have, I'm so jealous you got to see it in theaters because it is just so enveloping

but also rewatchable and the second you see it, you're like, oh, this is gonna be a comfort movie for a really long time. It's just like, I really, really, really loved it. And I am mad that it wasn't released theatrically because I feel like this is the kind of thing that if it were released theatrically because I feel like this is the kind of thing that if it were released theatrically in the US, would, even if it didn't, like, do huge numbers,

would have gotten a lot of positive word of mouth. Hell, yeah. Yeah. It definitely would have given what I like to call it is, like, the British love Jones with a happier ending. Like, it would have definitely given that sort of millennial black couple like comfort rom-com, but so many people like haven't really seen it. And I think it's still on Hulu, but still haven't watched it. Yeah.

It is. Yeah. Also, I mentioned this to you over text the other day, Caitlin, but I was like, Oh, and I love when I have a thought about a movie and then I read reviews and someone much smarter than me also had the same thought. I'm like, yes. Um, we just covered the before trilogy on our Patreon, AKA matriot. And so we just rewatched that trilogy and like, there's so much of the first movie in that trilogy that feels like present in there where it's just, I love a movie where two people are walking around and falling in love, I've learned. It's just really, really sweet, except this is like a much more stylized, like more hard comedy in a way I really like.

It doesn't meander at all. Like I was like blown away and I had all the notes I needed after my first viewing, but I watched it again because it's just very rewatchable. It's so much fun. The performances are great and I can't wait to talk about it more. Yay!

I'm so happy you dug it. Oh, it was, it's, yes, I loved it. Yeah, Caitlin, what was your history with this movie? I heard about it as we mentioned via you, Shelly. I think you mentioned it at the end of our episode on Buffalo, AKA the Detroiters. And I think I said that because I know that you used to live in Detroit, right? Yeah, I'm from Detroit. Yeah. Okay.

So I associate Detroit with you and then I just, my brain... That is the best thing anybody has ever said to me in my whole life. Oh wow. I associate Detroit with you is like, that's the point. So yes, I would like fight on all of my bios to be like, she is a Detroiter living in XYZ. So, oh yay, sorry to interrupt. Oh no, no, I'm happy to pay you the compliment. But yeah, you mentioned it at the end of that episode and I was like, oh, I've never heard of that.

What's that? Because it, I think only got a theatrical release in the UK. And so I looked it up and I was like, oh, okay. And then I like made a little mental note of that. It's like, oh, that could be a movie we could cover later on with Shelly and Look at Us Now.

Look at Us Now. But I'm so happy we're talking about it. It's so good. So I looked it up. And then I saw that actor, David Johnson, in Alien, what the hell is it called? The new one. That's where I know him from. Oh, no. That's it called? The new one. Industry?

That's where I know him from. Oh no. Yeah, that's how I recognized him as well. It seems like he's like on the verge of blowing up. I want them to both be on the verge of blowing up, please, but it seems like David Johnson definitely is. He's in the most recent Alien Romulus. Oh, okay.

I haven't seen him. He plays one of the cyborg robot, I forget what they call them in the Alien franchise. But anyway, he's he's that character. I was like, Oh, that's the same guy from that movie Rylane and then finally watched it to prep for this episode. And I similarly really liked it. I am not a big rom com head, but I do like them when they feel grounded and they actually have comedy in them, which most rom-coms aren't grounded. They're very like, look at this ridiculous premise that would never happen in real life. And they don't have jokes in them.

They're not actually funny. They're just like tonally light. But this movie has jokes. This movie feels grounded. And I really dug it for those reasons. Yay! I was also thinking, like, I've seen this, like, bemoaned in pieces I've read on Letterboxx, but just in general how I feel like,

especially since algorithms started deciding which movies get made and which don't, there's been no shortage of rom-coms, most of which go straight to streaming, but there has been a shortage of rom-com leads having actual chemistry. Like, there been a shortage of rom-com leads having actual chemistry. Like, there's just so many rom-coms I can think of from the last 10 years that are like,

well, this person is popular and this person is popular. If we make them kiss, maybe it'll be good. And it is rarely good unless the, like, but oh my God, this movie is the exception, the rare exception to that, where the two leads have incredible chemistry. It's such a believable pairing and you can't help but root for them in a way that I haven't felt in a

romcom in a really, really long time. We're back, chemistry is back. We did it. Oh, I'm so excited to talk about this. And I'm so excited that both of you are like actually dug it because I know that you are also like, hell honest when it comes to movies that you fuck with and that you don't. So I was kind of nervous because you know, you kind of feel like you sometimes I feel like I overhype a film and then someone watches it and they're like, like five stars and I'm like, yes. To me.

To me. No, this movie is so, it's so special. I don't know. I was in a great mood and I watched it at the beginning of a day and then again at the end of the day. Same. It's good. Just randomly for no reason.

Weekly. Nice. Love it. Yeah. Let's take a quick break and then we'll come back to do the recap, shall we? In it? Hey, it's Amartinez. do the recap, shall we? In it? minutes, we take the news and boil it down to three essential stories you can keep up without feeling stressed out. Listen up first from NPR on the iHeart Radio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hi, I'm Bob Pitman, Chairman and CEO of iHeart Media. I'm excited to share my podcast with you, Math and Magic, Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. Make sure to check out my recent episode with legendary musician and philanthropist, Jewel. I didn't want a million dollars. I wanted a career. I wanted a way to figure out how to do something that I loved for the rest of my life. Join me as we uncover innovations in data and analytics, the math, and the ever important creative spark, the magic. Listen to Math and Magic, stories from the frontiers of marketing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

There's a type of soil in Mississippi called Yazoo clay. It's thick, burnt orange, and it's got a reputation. It's terrible, terrible dirt. Yazoo clay eats everything. So things that get buried there tend to stay buried. Until they're not. In 2012, construction crews at Mississippi's biggest hospital made a shocking discovery.

Seven thousand bodies out there or more. All former patients of the old state asylum. And nobody knew they were there. It was my family's mystery. But in this corner of the South, it's not just the soil that keeps secrets. Nobody talks about it. Nobody has any information. When you peel back the layers of Mississippi's Yazoo clay, nothing's ever as simple as you think.

The story is much more complicated and nuanced than that. I'm Larysen Campbell. Listen to Under Yazoo Clay on the iHeartRadio radio app, Apple Podcast, Science Stuff. Join me, Jorge Cham, as we tackle questions you've always wanted to know the answer to about animals, space, our brains, and our bodies. Questions like, can you survive being cryogenically frozen? This is experimental. This means never work for you. What's a quantum computer? It's not just a faster computer. It performs in a fundamentally different way.

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All right, we're back. In it and, sorry, I'm not gonna let that go. Also, I watch a lot of staff lets flats and the characters say, in it after like every sentence and. 100%. Yes. You turned me on to Stath Let's Flats, Caitlin, and I'm eternally grateful.

You know what? I said I was gonna watch and didn't, and now this makes me feel. You have to, Shelly. You won't regret it. Okay, well then yeah. Okay, solid. I'm gonna add it to the list.

Okay, perfect. Okay, the recap of Rye Lane. So we meet Dom, played by David Johnson, in a bathroom stall at an art gallery. He is crying over a recent breakup. He's like scrolling through Instagram and looking at photos of his ex and her new boyfriend. He's wearing pink Converse's. He's so like Tumblr boyfriend code. Oh, my God. I'm losing it. I was like, oh, my God, emoting in pink Chuck Taylors.

With high vibrant colors. Just like, it's Tumblr. Yeah. 15-year-old me would have been shitting herself. Like, just, yeah. I mean, the costuming in general in this movie is terrific because everything that Yaz is wearing and like her accessories and shoes and just incredible.

It's such a good balance of like the outfits are incredible and they still look like people you would see in the world. Actual people. 100%. You're like, oh, we probably actually could get that outfit if we wanted to, which is great. It's nice.

I think I own everything that Dom is wearing. Like I own those pink chucks. You do! So yeah, maybe Halloween costume? Anyway, so he's crying in the bathroom. Then a woman named Yaz, played by Vivian Apara, comes into the bathroom and hears him crying and they interact briefly through the stall doors. She doesn't see his face, but she does see his pink converse shoes. The art show that they're both at is for Dom's friend Nathan's photos of people's mouths.

Which his all of the galleries and like the shows that we see of his are very funny. And it's just very well done because like, I know so many artists who are just like, I don't know so many artists like personally, but like whenever I see so many artists like promoting something on Instagram or something like that, the shows, there's something that is like this, which is so, somehow, I loved that show. Like I would go to his show. Like, I don't...

It seemed fun. And also it is so, like I had it in my notes, like it is so rom-com canon that they have to have a cute run-in at an art gallery. They have to. Any rom-com, that they have to have a cute run-in at an art gallery. They have to. Any rom-com, if one of them doesn't work there, they know someone who does. It's just genre canon.

And also, like, there will be a lot of this that I do say, like, throughout us talking about this film, but putting Blackness in those spaces, in this space of a rom-com. Do you know what I mean? Like that layered, like, having this Black artist who is still very himself, but in this very Black film featuring this very Black art with this Black artist who is... The Black listeners will get it, but like, very Black. You get what I mean? Like, but putting those layers of people

into this world of rom-com is so nice because the trauma is not there. And I feel like with blackness and in rom-com, they can be funny, but then there's some something has bad has to happen to somebody somewhere sometime. And it just doesn't happen in this movie. Everyone's going to their lives. Sorry, spoilers movies very happy. How dare you spoil?

No, it's very true. And because we've seen time and time again, representations of like a woman in a rom-com works at a gallery or works at a magazine, but it's like such a white version of that. Judy Greer is usually there. Oh, yes, she is. It's shocking she doesn't pop up here.

But there is a very famous actor who pops up in this movie that you're like, wait, what? I'm shocked. So good. And I like that he bravely looks like shit in this movie. He does not look good at all. I was like, what happened? But maybe he just like, he just breathes through hair and makeup, he's like, I'm going in raw.

Yeah, anyway, I'm here, I got a few hours, so. Yeah, exactly. I was like, I wanna know that story so badly. But I feel like there's been a lot of comedy movies that make commentary on rom-com tropes in a way that feels very, very kind of ham-fisted in the way that it does it. But everything about this movie is so effortless

because like you were just saying, Caitlin, like we're so used to seeing these very white tropes in this genre of like the quirky, white art gallery director, blah, blah, blah. And this didn't even occur to me till the second viewing, but even the like quirkiness of our main characters are put on probably because they've watched too many movies like this.

And like, I just, I loved it. And it doesn't feel like it bangs you over the head with it. It's just like, oh, this is something that could actually happen. Like Yaz being like, I just liked that you thought I was like a cool girl. Who among us? You know that? You just usually just really hope

you don't get caught in the lie. But yeah, it's just, can't say enough good things. But yes, anyways, the movie starts at an art gallery. Yes, and Dom is there because he's supporting his friend Nathan in his mouth pictures. Yaz is there because she's friends with Nathan's girlfriend, Cass. Then Dom comes out of the bathroom and talks to Nathan, who admits that he went to a party

thrown by Dom's ex-girlfriend Gia and her new boyfriend Eric. So Dom feels very betrayed by his friend. Which the more you learn about that situation, the more I'm like, I'm really mad at him. Why would you do that? Yeah. What the hell? What the hell indeed.

Then Dom and Yaz kind of link back up. She sees his pink converses and realizes it's the same guy from the bathroom. So she kind of like strikes up a conversation with him, though he doesn't realize that she recognizes him, I think. But they leave the gallery at the same time and they end up walking together. They cut through Rye Lane. Hey that's the name of the movie market. It makes you think.

Cause they're in the movie takes place in different neighborhoods in South London. We'll talk about that and like why the director wanted those to be the locations. But anyway, so they're walking around these neighborhoods. Yes. Asks Dom about himself. We learned that he's an accountant. She's like, boring. And he's like, it's my dream. Which, like, I think that's awesome, too. The fact that, like, this person, this black person, gets to have an average normal-ass dream of being an accountant and having a regularized life

with going to his job and then having his girlfriend and like having a family, you know, like just normal, standard, cool average people dreams. I love that. Yeah. Again, it was like a thing, like a rom-com trip I hadn't even thought about in a long time. But it's like the, well, I'm doing this now, but what I really want to do is this.

And he's like, this is what I'm doing now. And it's all I ever really want to do. I'm pretty happy. I'm happy as hell. Right. Which makes his heartbreak even more sad because it's like he had his life was the way he wanted it to be, but he had to meet. Yes. It's just how it had to go. He just had to. I also love that, um, just the idea of like a gender neutral bathroom being a wrong meeting space. I'm like, yeah, and it's not commented on. It is just a gender neutral bathroom. They're everywhere.

Uh, you know, I just thought that was really cool. I did too. And I'm glad you pointed that out. Plus there's also some other like stuff like, they usually hit us over the head with in films, like, ones especially after, like, what, 2018, 2019. But this whole, like, they just happen to meet there and no one talks about it. No one has to say it again. Like, oh, I saw this guy with pink converses in the gender neutral bathroom.

And it's like, no, you knew that had happened there and that was it, like, okay. And it was so great. I love it. Yes. Yeah, I feel like a lot of recent movies that are making attempts to include things like that are like really like padding themselves on the back. Look what we did.

You're like, it's a bathroom. It's a potty. Everybody relax. It's a shitter. It's not that big a deal. Yeah, it's like if your goal is realism, who would be like, here we are in the gender neutral bathroom. Like, right. Yeah. Okay, so we've learned that he's an accountant. We also learned that he recently moved back in with his parents. I think because of the breakup, we learn that Yaz works as a fashion buyer, but her dream is to be a costume designer

for movies, TV, entertainment. We learn also that Dom is on his way to meet up with his ex-girlfriend for the first time since their breakup. That is such a bad walk. I was really like put into a very specific state of mind. You're like, this is one of the most miserable walks of his life. How lucky that the love of his life is there with him. Right. And so that's what he's on his way to do. Yes, reveals that she also recently

went through a breakup, though for her, she was the dumper rather than the dumpy. And she's like, yeah, he sucked and I walked away and Dom is like, oh, that's so iconic, good for you. And she's like, right, right. And she's like, yes, exactly. That's so me. And I would do it again. I just, I love her, I've done that.

Where you're like, I'm never gonna see this guy again. Why not be the coolest person in the world to this person I'll never see again? Make up a huge fabricated story. Always the person you end up in a long-term relationship with. So Dom tells her more about his breakup, how he caught his girlfriend cheating on him with his best mate, Eric, who will also be present for this meeting to clear the air.

I hate Eric. I hate Eric. Eric is such a doof. I hate both of them. Pile of rocks for brains in that era. Everyone is, I really did, like Dom has this, and I mean this in the nicest way, he has this like Charlie Brown quality to him, where he just like, no one respects him.

And there's no reason why, he's a very sweet person. And I'm just, it just feels like people are just yanking footballs from beneath this guy left and right. Yeah, I hate both of them. And I hate that he agreed to this meeting. I know. Like, I hate both of them, and I hate that he agreed to this meeting. I know. Like, I hate that he's going here. I hated every second of, I mean, like, loved, hated,

but like, why are you doing this? Because this was not for him. This was 100% for her to make her feel better about what she did. And she's bringing Eric. I would be like, even I would have enough dignity to be like, well, no, you can't bring him. What do you mean?

At a standby all you can eat restaurant. Oh, my God. Have either of you been to a place like that? I had like work functions that took place at, I think in my case, it was like a it was a Korean barbecue, but no, a Brazilian barbecue with the cards, and it is one of the most stressful eating environments I've ever been in because I was working, Caitlin was when I was working at the Comedy Theater in Boston,

and so a very male-dominated space, and they were competitively getting the meat sweats. They were like, don't turn the card to red. And I was one of two women there, and I was like, this is my nightmare. It's like men trying to eat meat until they die. Oh my god. To prove a point, it was, oh my god,

it's a great place to set a scene, I loved it. Yeah. Because it just adds tension of like, and the most annoying person in this scene will be eating meat the whole time. Yes. Wild. I mean, it adds to the humor.

I can't complain. So Dom and Yaz arrive at this meeting spot, this restaurant. She offers to go in with him and he's like, no offense, but this is important and you're basically a random person, so no thank you. Fair. And she says fair And they part ways. So Dom goes in, Gia, his ex and Eric, his best mate or formerly best mate. Let's hope so. But then is it not Eric who helped him move later in the movie? So they're hanging out again. Yeah. I know that Eric is a puzzle to me.

He's a total cipher. I'm like, what is going on in this man's head has to be nothing for anything he does to make sense. I do feel like I've met a handful of people like this in my life where he's like, well, I like them both. So I guess without thinking about the traumatic interpersonal stuff, he's like, what? They're both fine in my book. They didn't do anything to me.

Like he also gets fired for peeing in bottles and leaving them in his work locker and then being like, that's not what that is. He's like, they're so political there. I can't believe it. He is so political there. My brother had a roommate like that once. Yikes. He had a pee pee bottle roommate.

Pee pee bottle. I'm wondering how common an experience this is for cis men. Because when my brother brought it up, he's like, it's happened to my friend too. I was like, what? Oh my God. But there's a lot of pee pee bottle guys out there, I think. I remember, isn't like Lutz the peepee bottle guy in 30 Rocks?

Yes! Oh, my God, yes! Oh, wait, it's Frank. This is Frank. Yeah, it's Frank. Right. This is the type of guy that's out there. Yeah, that's terrifying. We probably, they walk among us.

Don't say that. That's terrifying. You could walk past one and not even know it. I'm sure it's happened more times than we'd. One could be your friend. You could walk past one and not even know it. I'm sure it's happened more times than me. One could be your friend. I did date a guy once that had an emergency bottle in his car in case he had to pee too much. Absolutely not.

Suffer. I guess that's the end of the... Just suffer. And also, if that is so necessary, please don't tell me about it. No. Please. But yeah, I like, again, just like such a good specific of like, and he's a pee pee bottle guy. Yeah. And of course, and none of them ever think a thing of it.

No. They're like, it's good for the environment. And it was like, no, that wasn't that Frank's thing? The pee pee bottle guys, yeah, cause he was making sun tea, he said. Oh, 30 Rocks are so good. Yeah, and he was like watering his plants with them. Yeah.

Or something, I forget, but. It's like a survivalist thing too. Oh, 30 Rocks are so good. Yeah, and he was like watering his plants with them or something. I forget, but... It's like a survivalist thing too. I feel like it's this weird hypermacho survivalist, like bear grows, I drink my own piss, you lived. And you're like, don't do that. Just don't. You don't have to.

At least in water world, Kevin Costner pees into this apparatus that like filters his pee into drinkable water afterwards. We should do Waterworld. I've never seen it. I've only seen the live show at Universal Studios. Yes. Which I'm assuming is not canon. That's really cool. It takes the vibes from Waterworld, the feature film,

and really emulates them. Waterworld, the movie, is not good, and I hate Kevin Costner, so I have no wish to cover Waterworld, the feature film, and really emulates them. Waterworld, the movie, is not good, and I hate Kevin Costner, so I have no wish to cover Waterworld, but I would. It's my brother-in-law's favorite movie, which, like, my cousin told me this. She, like, said it in a low voice.

Embarrassed. She was like, it's Justin's favorite movie. I was like, what? She's like, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I kind of want to watch it now. I've never seen it either. I am curious, don't they drink pee in Dune?

I haven't seen those. Me either. Oh, you know, they might. I kind of forget. I have seen the available Dune movies. Oh, not the David Lynch one, but the Denis ones. And I could not tell you a single thing that happens in any of them.

I don't understand what those movies are about. Anyway. Anyways. Yeah. I mean, in general, like if you could avoid putting your pee in bottles, you should. I think that's a fair boundary. I agree. Yeah. Anyway, so Eric, the pee-pee bottle guy is there as is Gia and they basically ask for permission from Dom to not feel guilty anymore about the huge betrayal they committed against him. They just like don't want to hold themselves accountable at all. And just then, Yaz comes in pretending to be Dom's new lover saying that they met recently at this epic karaoke night.

They hit it off. Their sexual chemistry was rippling throughout the room. I love this part. And Gia is very jealous. Yeah, because Gia is, I feel like, the darkest side of many of us, where she's called this dinner to basically humiliate her ex, who is already,

she's just kicking him while she's down, but the idea of him moving on makes her so upset. And I just feel like this is a very dark part that exists in everyone personified, and you're just sitting at Gia, their their soulmates and you're dating pee-pee bottle guys. Right, it's the thing of like I am over them but I don't want them to be over me or like yeah right it's like a narcissistic thing. Yeah like I don't really like them but I want them to have a crush on me like I've definitely felt that in my youth. I've done, yeah, I mean, it's like who among us

hasn't been like, if this person I'm disinterested in doesn't wanna marry me, I'll die. And like, what is that? I've definitely been guilty of it, but it's like, you just wanna win for Dom so bad at this point. So bad. That it's so awesome when Yaz comes in. Right, because she comes in, again,

their chemistry is palpable. And also, Yaz quickly abandons any sense of pleasantries and berates Gia for cheating on Dom with, you know, peepee bottle, dipshit Eric. Yeah. And she's a neutral party. She could just be like, clearly he sucks and you're mad about it. And you chose him. Like, please. Oh, I love it. Right.

And so she comes in with this very like mic drop moment and then Dom and Yaz run out afterward and they're high on the energy. They get some food together, which are burritos served to them by Colin Firth at a place called Love Guacchewally. So many layers to this bit. So many, and it's a perfect bit. Like, I was in the theater,

and I called myself the Leonardo DiCaprio meme, like, because I was just very much like, oh, my God. And then I did it again when I saw the name of the place. I was like, Oh my god, are you kidding? Like, is so I mean, if you're a fan of rom coms at all, it's very clear what's happening here. But I was curious. Yeah, like what how this happened? Because it's so rom com. It's also so British.

So it's it there's just multiple layers. So yeah, but the most I was able to find was Raynall and Miller explained how this came together sort of in a radio interview. So she says, I decided I really wanna do this thing where we have a shop that's like about a burrito or something. I said it to my partner and I was like,

it has to be somebody like you know who in there. And my partner just suddenly came out and went, what about love guac-shilly? And I was like, oh my God. And it was the best thing ever. And so I guess they just like reached out. Reverse engineered. Yeah.

Yeah, it was so cool. And she viewed this as sort of like a baton pass. David Johnson also, I don't know, like they were super starstruck because it's such a weird thing to happen. They also call him Colin. Yeah. I wonder if he's playing himself.

Colin, what are you doing here? Why don't you have, are you bored? Like, tell me what's going on. I don't know. And I guess that they like all, it sounds like it was like a very magical day on set. And like David Johnson said, I just thought it was, you know, he's absolutely incredible.

And he was so humble, so kind and giving, and it was just like a dream. And he gave us the best bits of advice for our career, like a real career. And hopefully we use them. I was like, oh my God, it's so sweet. I'm glad he was nice, because if he was mean, I would be like, damn.

Hopefully, I mean, never say never, hopefully if he was a horrible person, we would know by now, I don't know. But I just love that like every recollection of this is like everyone's gushing like, woohoo, this was so fun. And it's such a sweet, weird moment that is not replicated anywhere else in the movie. Right.

This seems like the type of thing that could be like a running bit if like later they run into like Hugh Grant or something. I mean, I wouldn't be mad. I wouldn't be mad. Right. But no, it was, it was a great little one-off joke. Also love guacuallyshoo-lee? I mean, that's how I would pronounce it. It makes me wonder if, like, with an English accent, I think they might say guac-a-mole.

Oh, they do say guac-a-mole. They do. Yeah, so it actually doesn't work here. Yeah, so it is love guac-shoo-lee. Guac-shoo-lee, yeah. Which just hurts my feelings to hear it that way. Love guac-sholay. Scare. Guac-a-sholay?

Guac-a-sholay. Doesn't quite work here in the same way. But anyways, just a very, very sweet moment in the sweetest movie ever. Yes. So they get their burritos and then they walk through a park. They talk a little bit more about their recent breakups. Yaz says that one of the reasons she broke up with her boyfriend is that she's like, you know, when there's a bunch of tourists on a boat and they wave at you while he was the type of person who wouldn't wave back and I want someone who

will wave back. This is like such a perfect rom-com line because it makes sense too. Like you want someone who will wave back. This is like such a perfect rom-com line. Because it makes sense too. Like you want someone who like waves back. It's kind. Because it shows that you're just kind, you're playful, you're like sweet and you're not just like, ugh, that's just not cute.

You're not too good for anything. No, it's so cute. And then we get, oh, why don't we keep going. It pays off later, yeah. You're not too good for anything. Like it's just- No, it's so cute. And then we get, oh, why don't we keep going? It pays off later, yeah. It's so, it's perfect rom-com writing. It's perfect rom-com writing. I love it.

Yeah. For sure. So then they head to a bar. Yaz gets a call about a costume designer job interview, which she blows off. Like it's supposed to be that day and she's just like can't make it sorry bye. She then tells Dom more about her relationship ending her ex-boyfriend Jules was this like self-righteous joyless guy who was unkind to her so she pretended like she was about to give him head and then

instead dumped a bunch of hummus that she made on his dick and got the fuck out. That's how they broke up. The way that that scene is shot. I mean, we'll talk about the cinematography in a bit, but like the way it's especially when you learn what happens later in the movie, it makes even more sense because it shot like a dream sequence. Yes. But I just, ugh. The way this movie is, I saw some people being like,

I normally wouldn't like fish eye view, but this movie is so good that I quickly forgot about it. And I mean, I don't have any, as a former MySpace girly, I have no issue with a fish eye lens. Absolutely not. And I was like, yes, this is my culture. Lomography, anyone?

Boca effect, anybody? Yeah. But like, it's just so cool. And I was telling my fiance about this. Yeah. Yeah, her fiance. I love rom, I love com. But I was telling him, I was like, it's just so cool to see a like current rom com

that is actually stylized and isn't just so, again, like when you think about a rom com streaming on Hulu, which this shouldn't have been exclusively, but like you just think of total flat, no color editing, like just AI looking kind of editing style. But you just think of total flat, no color editing, just AI looking kind of editing style. And this movie is so visually cool in a way that all rom-coms deserve to be and are not.

Totally. Right, because it's like the artistry of film that I think gives a lot of like film bros what they think is permission to discard movies that like don't have very stylized things and because rom-coms usually don't they're like well that's not real cinema I like Dune even though it doesn't make sense. Name one thing that happens in Dune. Your end. But, you know, it's not as though all movies have to be super, super stylized or anything like that. But I do appreciate that this one is because it just elevates it.

Plus they needed to for the, we'll probably get into this, but they needed to film it so stylized without the color and the lighting and stuff. Because both leads and most people in the movie are dark skin and like they really makes them pop. Like in most rom-coms, you don't have to worry about the lighting and the colors because you usually have just two pale white people or like some like interracial couple or something like that. But this one, like everyone is, most of the cast is like dark skin folks. So even background actors and like extra,

like, so I think that added into why they needed to shoot it such a way or like specifically, it also helped bring out the beauty in the story and the people all at the same time by shooting it such a stylized way. It reminds me of insecure. Like everyone always talks about if you ever need to see, like no one in the world can ever say you can't shoot black people a certain way because just look at insecure.

Like there's nighttime scenes, there's scenes where it's really dark inside the house and it's still so vibrant. And like, so yeah, it's like, if you say you can't do it, it's because you're fucking lazy and exactly at lazy. Exactly. And it's really at best. Exactly. And just like some of my favorite background acting I've ever seen, where it's just so like,

I'm so curious like how casting worked for this movie, because every background actor is doing something specific and funny, and then just like draws you, like doesn't distract from the story, but also like makes you feel a real love for the communities that they're walking through, because it's just like people going about their business, but in like a very, I don't know, like sweet wholesome way.

I think about like the two school kids who were playing some weird game in the background of one scene. You're just like, what the fuck are those kids doing? I think about the balloon lady when they're going through. She's like popping all over balloons trying to get out the door. Right, right. It's just like a more magical version of the real world. It's so special. Anyways, what's happening in the movie?

Oh, let me tell you. So she has just dumped her boyfriend by pouring hummus on his penis. But in her haste to leave, she accidentally leaves behind her cherished A Tribe Called Quest record. Damn. So Dom is like, well, you helped me. Now I'm going to help you get your record back. It's also partially so that they don't have to stop stop hanging out. Which is just such a sweet thing where it's like they have to keep finding these excuses before one of them finally has to be like, I like you, please don't leave. Before sunrise.

I know. It's so great. Yeah. Anyway, so they try to get into the ex-boyfriend Jules' place because he's out of town right now. But when they try to get in via the key that Yaz has, she realized that he has changed the locks. So then they go to Jules' two mums' place to look for a spare key. Like, what? Such a fun detour.

If you're not paying attention, you might miss it. You kind of might miss it. You kind of might be like, wait, what? Because I think, no, I know that I did not, first of all. That's a lie. But I think I definitely did have to do a double tape. Like, I had to pay attention and look at the house and the pictures and stuff. And I was like, ah, okay, cool.

And so they show up at this house and it turns out that they're throwing a party. So Dom's hanging out at the barbecue. They're judging him for the music on his phone, because it's all like sad breakup music. Um, there's high jinks with Dom looking through the mom's underwear drawer. Then at one point, Dom overhears Yaz telling Jules' moms that she's only hanging out with Dom because she heard him crying in the bathroom and felt sorry for him.

Dom is sad. They eventually leave the house and he confronts her about this. And she's like, yeah, I did feel sorry for you, but I'm also enjoying hanging out with you. But now we're in love. Right? It's okay. We're fine.

Yeah. And they discuss possibly hanging out again at some point. So they exchange numbers and then they part ways. Cut to they're together again moments later on a moped because Yaz learned that even though the moms didn't end up having a key to Jules' flat, Yaz's friend Mona does. So they go to Mona who runs a karaoke night at a club.

Ooh, and now we're coming full circle. Yes. I love it. When they were on the moped, it was a Stormzy song, which like iconic, like, so good, so good, so good, so good. It's a great soundtrack because then they go and sing Shoop by Salt and Pepper at the karaoke night. Like in the dorkiest way possible.

It's so cute. But they're bringing down the house. Not at first, but only together. Not at first. Yeah, not at first. Yeah. So great. Yeah, but when they join forces, they kill it.

Just like how they described in the fake story of how they met that they tell to Gia. And it's exciting! It's so exciting. The first time I saw it, I like, my jaw, I was like, I truly did, because usually, I mean, in a subpar rom-com, you can see a scene like that coming from a mile away, and I did not see it coming. And it's so organic and sweet.

And not corny. Like, not, I mean, like, corny in the sense of they're doing this karaoke moment, but not, it wasn't corny. It not corny. Like, not, I mean, like corny in the sense of they're doing this karaoke moment, but not, it wasn't corny. It was so cute. It was like, damn, they're really realizing more how much they like each other. And also in that moment too, we get to see a little bit of Vivian O'Para's character get, you could see the real her. She's like, not this girl. She's not that girl that she's been for the past like seven hours. She may be a little bit, but it's not really her, you know? Yeah, she does like retreat

into herself a bit. Yeah, it's really, oh my god, I just loved it. Where you realize, I mean, that is like a very special moment in any like any kind of relationship too. I think like in a friendship, a romantic relationship, a family relationship, where you just realize someone is a little shyer than you thought they were is such an intimate, sweet thing. So they sing the karaoke song and they're like all energized from that and then they make out a little bit and then they head back to Jules's place with the key and they get inside but just then Jules and his new girlfriend Tabby come in and they're like what the fuck are you doing here and we get the real story of what happened between Yaz and Jules. He was actually the one to break up,

he was guac-shually the one to break up with her because she was a mess and like. He got us. Yeah. That was nasty work. That was good. That was so good. Well done, well played.

I try my best. He breaks up with her because she's a mess. And like she didn't have the guts to pursue her artistic dreams. And she was just generally a messy person. Dom and Yaz eventually leave Jules's place with the record. But Dom confronts her about lying to him, especially because he had been so honest with her and he's like, you set a very bad precedent by lying to me from the very jump and she does not handle this criticism well and he doesn't trust her now, so they part ways this time, you know, not to reconvene anytime soon. They wallow in sadness separately for a while.

Some time passes and they start to carry on with their lives. I mean, certain rom-com tropes must happen no matter. Yeah, you have to have that montage. You have to have the like yearning, but I'm not gonna say anything because I'm rightfully mad at you, but the other one doesn't know how to like swallow their pride. And they're like, I'm over it. I swear.

Yeah. And the fact that they set this in, and I do like that because it's like earlier, it's kind of left as this hanging question of like, is Yaz going to keep pursuing this career? It seems like she's really on the fence about it and that as we later learn, it's like part of her own insecurity

that she doesn't feel comfortable really throwing herself into it all the way. And so having that time apart sometimes is necessary because it's so easy to get pulled into a relationship and be like, I have love, I don't need personal satisfaction. Which is never true. If you need to hear that today, it's never true.

Yeah, you need both. So they start to carry on with their lives. They're going on dates with other people. Yaz has an interview for a costume designer job that she actually goes on this time and gets the job. The alien movie. Yeah. So British of them to keep calm and carry on.

Classic. Yeah. I also love that there's a scene where, like, Yaz is talking to the director. And their conversation is, like, mapped on. It's, like, very meta, because the director is, like, Yaz is talking to the director, and their conversation is, like, mapped on, it's, like, very meta because the director is, like, this is the big climax of the movie,

so there needs to be this big grand moment, and it's basically just, like, narrating what Yaz needs to do in the movie that we're watching. It's really fun. I loved it. And it's like this, again, like toes the line so effortlessly where I think that there's a way to do that scene that has, that's like, here's my romcom.

It has nothing but antipathy for any other romcom. But even when this movie is subverting the romcom, it still feels like it comes with like a genuine affection for the genre. And it's just like building on it versus being like this fucking sucks like it's just like it's sweet and funny it's not antagonistic I don't know. And I had no at this point too I know we're gonna first talk about what the movie like how it happens but I kind of didn't know I did think it was gonna be very Love Jokesy

right where it's like they weren't gonna maybe get, but it was cool. I was gonna be fine with that because it was very much like you could see how they still affected and touched each other's lives as they were moving on. Like she was starting to go on these interviews. She was being more self-assured about herself. She was being honest with herself.

And then him, when he was like, I gotta get get out of this house. Like, I got to get back out there. I am a dope person. And her sort of extrovert-ness sort of tapped into him and then vice versa. It was just so, if it didn't go the way of a normal rom-com of being like happily ever after, I'd have been cool with that like honestly. Yeah. Yeah. Because it's still satisfying to watch them like having affected each other in positive ways. Because either way, yeah like their lives are better for having known each other. And then the super sentimental part of yourself is like, and they are gonna end up together. Yes. How does it end? How does it end?

I want to talk about how it ends. It's so cute. I love it. What does it end? Tell us, tell us. Okay, so she's gotten this job. She also realizes that she misses Dom and that she has feelings for him

and that maybe she should do some grand gesture to try to win him back. Because they had discussed previously that he was always the one doing grand gestures in his relationship that were met with like... Just like made me tear up is like, if you're the grand gesture person in a relationship, it is so satisfying to see someone do that for the other person.

It's just so sweet. I'm almost crying now. It's so nice. And that's so true. And actually, I did cry. I'm not a cryer girl, but the first time I was like, oh my God. Because you're right. Watching that, there were so many layers of satisfaction for the viewer.

Being like, if you're this person and you are usually doing all this, but guess what? You're about to see it happen, like for you essentially. And also fuck his ex on a whole other level, because if you've rent out a chicken shop that we had our first date at, and I'm sitting there, like, this is so like, get. Again, British mode, they had a chicken shop date Like the famous series and she was like I this does nothing for me. I'm like this

This is British cannon. Come on. It was wait cuz it was their anniversary and he rented it out Yeah, how could you not if you don't melt into a pile of goo, grow a heart? I was like, are you kidding? I couldn't. I couldn't. I couldn't. She's a grinch. It reminded me a quick story of my dad and my mom. My mom and dad, one of their first dates were at like a big boy. Um, and this is like early seventies.

And they went to big boy and she would always get, she got extra food, like, because she had like six brothers and sisters Whatever and the only way that she could go out with him is if he brought food back home Anyway, I'm years later. My parents just celebrated their 46 year and with something like that, but this was like maybe 15 years ago My dad was like make sure your mom has a really nice dress a really pretty outfit Make sure she can get her hair done all this stuff like that. He didn't tell her where she's

going. He didn't tell me where he's going. Why did he make her? And they both got really glammed up. He took her to big boy. The one that they went. I was like, everybody shut up. I honestly think my mom was half and half. She was half like, this is very romantic. And the other half was like, are you kidding? Yeah, it was like, maybe when you get older, you're like, okay, I've been here. But it's just like, so it was so cute. And I couldn't believe that his growth ex was like, just it just showed how much she wasn't for him. She's like, I filled in my eyebrows for this. And it wasn't even that good. That's a lie.

Her eyebrows looked incredible. I'm sorry. She's gorgeous. Yeah, I don't know. I, yeah, my, um, fiancee proposed to me, uh, like we basically went on our first date again. We went on the same walk we went on on our first date and yeah, I was sobbing the whole time because I knew it was going to happen because I basically planned it. But I hadn't planned it being our first date again. I was like, this is so nice. It was like we were literally we walked. We went on a two mile walk. But it was really like it's the sentimental.

But that's a sign that she's not really in love if she's not like that part. Yeah. Moved by that. Yeah. You should be if you're really in love. Mm hmm. Yeah. Anyways. Yeah. Moved by that. Yeah. Because you should be if you're really in love. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Anyways. Anyways. Okay, so this is how the movie ends. She's like, I'm going to do a big grand gesture to win Dom back. Yeah, she is. Meanwhile, their mutual artist friend, Nathan, who had the show at the beginning of the movie, now has another art show, this time about people's butts. It's like photography, butt photography. I like that he comes back. I was not expecting that.

Different butt. That was fun. And so Dom goes to the art show, but Yaz is not there, but she does call him while she's on a nearby boat, which he waves at. So she sees him waving. She knows that he's the one because he waves at the boats. Yaz apologizes for lying to him. They run, she gets off the boat, he runs through the neighborhood, they reunite and they're like, ha ha ha, good to see you again.

Should we hang out? Kiss, kiss, kiss. And that's the end of the movie. And it's so romantic and perfect and I just can't. And then I hit restart play again. Yes. So that's the movie. Let's take another quick break and we'll come back to discuss. every single morning in under 15 minutes, we take the news and boil it down to three essential stories. You can keep up without feeling stressed out. Listen up first from NPR on the iHeart Radio app or wherever you get your podcasts. I am Bob Pitman, Chairman and CEO of iHeart Media. I'm excited to share my podcast with you,

Math and Magic, Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. Make sure to check out my recent episode with legendary musician and philanthropist Jewel. I didn't want a million dollars. I wanted a career. I wanted a way to figure out how to do something that I loved for the rest of my life. Join me as we uncover innovations in data and analytics, the math, and the ever-important creative spark, the magic. Listen to Math and Magic, stories from the Frontiers of Marketing on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. There's a type of soil in Mississippi called Yazoo clay. It's thick, burnt orange, and it's got a reputation.

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And we're back. All right, where should we start? Shelly, where would you like to start? Because all my notes on this movie are like, loved it. Okay, I kind of want to start with the Easter eggs of it all, but I guess it really wasn't an Easter egg. I think it was such a perfect just like old to London and like rom-com films and South London in particular. But one thing that I really loved was like seeing people yeah, like Colin Firth and all

that but I really did you guys ever watch Absolutely Fabulous? The answer is likely yes, right? I actually never did. Oh my gosh. Yes, I did. So incredible, incredible series, a huge part of my like pop culture upbringing. The mom, the one that talks more,

like that answers the door when they go to the ex's house to get the key. She was a recurring person in Absolutely Fabulous. And when I saw that I just was like, again, like Leonardo DiCaprio moment. And not just because she was in this movie and that was super cool. But I really love when Black artists put things and people in movies that only probably likely other Black people will be like, oh my God. Or as like an insecure did that a lot with like the people like who played Issa Rae's mom, like stuff like that. I just really love that because it felt like it was a really dope layer, another dope layer to blackness, which the whole film is a love letter to me.

The whole film is an absolute love letter to blackness and black love. And I hadn't seen anything like it in a long time with maybe the exception of maybe the exception of the photograph. But again, I'm just Issa Rae fan forever. So that could be it. Um, but yeah, I guess that's the main thing I wanted to start off with was just that. And I think a lot of people make films that say they're like an ode to this or ode to that,

and you watch it and you really don't feel that connected to it or you feel like it missed you, or it feels a little bit like maybe to them, it's a very personal ode to whatever and they think it's going to be this blanket everyone's going to get it. But this one I am not I'm not British like I am black but I am right crazy. I'm not like I'm not from South London and I don't have any like, West Indian heritage and stuff like that, but I got so much of the film, even though I'm this black girl from Detroit at

Sundance watching it, right? And it just felt so deeply well done, especially with it being like a black rom-com. I would definitely, this is a rom-com for everyone, yeah, but it is a black rom-com with to me one of the most important parts of it that both leads are dark skinned. They are not racially ambiguous. They don't have like a curl pattern that you can't discern. Like both leads are dark skinned black British people and it's so beautiful to see it on film. So that's where I wanted to stay.

But... Yeah, and the director speaks to this. I read an interview with her, Rainn Allen Miller, in Elle Magazine, as this movie was coming out. And she speaks a lot about changes she made to the script where for example the original draft had the movie set in Camden which and if I'm remembering correctly oh gosh London listeners

correct me if I'm wrong but it's a different area of London I think it's like a kind of predominantly white area that is known for its like kind of like artsy hipster vibes, but like very different vibes from the neighborhoods we end up seeing in the movie. So basically she got a hold of the script. It was sent to her. She was like approached to direct this. It's her feature film directorial debut.

And she was originally like, well, I'd love for my first feature to be something that I wrote, but this script was so funny and I fell in love with it, so she agreed to direct, but she made some changes to the script. Here's a quote from her, she says, I had quite a lot of notes. I wanted the female lead to be the funny one and I wanted the world to feel more elevated So when I told stories I wanted them to feel more dreamlike and surreal and then she goes on to say I wanted the film to be a correct representation the truth of it is Being a person of color is a hard experience

representation. The truth of it is being a person of color is a hard experience, but there are also really good days and this film is about one of those really good days. It's so important to represent our experience correctly and not just show grit. We also goof out. We also get our hearts broken, eat Gregs on the bed and cry. We all have a 360 experience of the world and it's important that that's shown." And then also one of the changes she made was that again, the story was originally set in Camden, that neighborhood of London, and then she changed it to Peckham in Brixton in South London. And then obviously the title of the film is named after the real life Rye Lane market and all the like. So basically, like, I was thinking of movies set in London

and what you usually see with that. It's mostly movies featuring white characters. They'll take place in these like posh upper class neighborhoods. Like we've talked a lot on the podcast about like the movie and TV version of New York City, where only white people mysteriously live. And it feels like London is similarly represented that way in media. Especially if you're thinking about rom-com set in London, you've got your things like Notting Hill and Bridget Jones and Love Actually and Four Weddings and a Funeral,

all of which star Hugh Grant. What's your favorite? We'll say just watched the latest Bridget Jones. Very happy. Okay, really? Oh, I haven't seen it yet. You liked it? I loved it, but I have such a connection to that movie.

But yes, I was happy. I was very happy. I've been saving it for a night where I'm it, but I have such a connection to that movie, but yes, I was happy. I was very happy camping in it. I've been saving it for a night where I'm like, I need this. Yes, that's what I did too. Okay, good. But Rye Lane is one of the few movies, at least that I've seen, that's set in London that doesn't center white characters, that shows pockets of the city that are multicultural, that are racially and ethnically and socioeconomically diverse. A few other ones I could think of were things

like Bend It Like Beckham, Attack the Block, Polite Society, but so much of like how London is represented in media is like very like, look at these rich white people. Sometimes we're in the 1800s. Well, because I think that that that view of England, at least it seems so like fairly pushed in the US of thinking of England as this white posh exclusively place, whereas like all of the media I encountered about England growing up would not have reflected any of the diversity that you see when you go there, or any of the class diversity that you see outside of Oliver Twist.

Any class diversity, you have to go back 150 years. And any racial diversity is basically not there unless you have BBC, which we don't. And so it just yeah Yeah, and when you push it when they push it now So like my thing first thing that came to my mind was Bridgerton, right? Like and they have like Queen Charlotte and stuff like that There's always this debate level of like did the blackness exist and when we talk about going back to a different period And like that's such a time right and we think about like

to a different period and like that's such a time right and we think about like there's always a debate because even still Bridgerton is on it's like a million season and every time it premieres people constantly debate on if Queen Charlotte was like actually black and it's just so the erasure of black Britain is just it's constant and I was and it's so funny that you bring that up about Attack the Block. That was gonna be my other, when I was thinking about black film, and it's not romantic, but when I'm thinking about like a film from the UK that's just inherently black and brown, I definitely think of Attack the Block. And not a lot of people like talk about that movie, but it was so black.

Which is wild. It's so good. It's so good. It's one of the best sci-fi-ish horrors I've seen in a long time. For sure. But I think about that and it shows like- Wasn't that where John Boyega was discovered?

And that's where John Boyega, and then him being in these sci-fi roles is just possibly incredible because he was also great and we in an interracial relationship and all this kind of stuff. But Attack the Block and Rye Lane are two Black British films that I've seen where I've just been like, I didn't have to play like spot the Black character, you know, and it was just, it was awesome. And I know Attack the Block takes place in like council housing and stuff, but that's either here nor there. It's just like another area of Black Britain, which is really cool. That and another cute movie, sorry, Boxing Day. That's another Black British rom-com that is so fucking good. Also, all Black cast.

See, now you've just chosen your next movie because every time you mention it, we write it down. I happily have to do it. But Boxing Day is such an incredible Black cast movie. That's a rom-com. Boxing Day is what, like black cast movie. That's a rom-com. Boxing Day is what, like the day after Christmas? The day after. Because it was like for the servants.

That's essentially what it was for. Like they couldn't celebrate on Christmas because they were like working for the family. So they would get the next day. I think British listeners, please don't tell me if I'm wrong actually. I don't want to know. Thanks. Well, I also just, I read in, I didn't cite it in my notes, but that Raina Allen Miller had previously stated that she, you know, like you were saying, Caitlin, that she was

hoping to, that her first movie would be on something she'd written herself, but also that she was a little bit reticent towards rom-coms in general. And I feel like you can feel that in this movie in a good way because she's pushing the genre forward in a way that I've never seen it before. And I'm so glad that someone who wasn't a diehard rom-com fan made a rom-com because it has all of the things that we love about rom-coms but also is not being precious about the tropes that we haven't needed for decades. Including the white washiness, including the visual uncreativity and just all of it. I just love it.

And Rainelle and Miller, not for nothing, I'm just so glad that I know about Elio because she's so cool. And she's just really, really cool. She also, I wanted to share another quote from this Elle magazine interview with her about the environment that she cultivated on set. Here's just a quote from this piece. When it comes to creating an environment on set, Alan Miller cites a grounded and relatable approach is best.

Now quoting her, it should be fun, you know? It shouldn't be hell because even though it's important to work, it's not life or death. Prioritizing people and making sure the crew and cast could go home, see their families, and live a healthy life was important to me. She explains, noting that she wanted people like the film's production designer, Anna,

who was eight months pregnant during filming, to feel comfortable. Everyone needs to feel like their opinions matter, she continues, from the runners on set to the young actors leading the film, to make sure they're all singing from the same hymn sheet doesn't mean that they can't have fun, explore and challenge." doesn't mean that they can't have fun, explore, and challenge." What a concept. Truly. Imagine not being punished for egotistical reasons on a set. That's really cool. Right, because we've talked about so many productions that are directed by men almost always that it's like a dictatorship. The director is a tyrant. They're cruel. They're abusive to their cast and crew. It's just what makes them gray. I was going to say, but it's okay because it's creative and look what comes of it. Like police. Absolutely not. I love, I think that this was the thing that was pushed back a lot on during the press cycle

around everything everywhere all at once. That was another very like inclusive and thoughtfully crafted set where it's like, we don't want this to ruin anyone's life. We want this to be a force of good. And what a concept. I'm so glad that she has a similar, cause it's also just like showing respect

to the people who are bringing the vision to life. Like, and you can really feel, I forget if we talked about this earlier, but the fish islands was another nod to British comedy with Peep Show. Oh, right, yes. Which is like one of my favorite shows ever. It's so good.

I just, and that's all I'll say, but I love it so much. It's just so clear that like, Raine Allen Miller put a lot of herself into this movie in spite of the fact that she didn't write it. It was written by, I believe, so Nathan Bryan is a British, mixed race British actor. I mean, he's a white father, Jamaican mother. I believe that Rainn Allen Miller also has Jamaican ancestry, and Tom Malia is respectfully some white guy. So. I was hoping you were gonna say that. Yeah, I don't know.

But yeah, it feels like at the end of the day, with due respect to the writers, this is her movie, because you can just see every interview that I've seen with her seems to bear out that this was her vision of what she wanted in a movie and didn't have that also pays homage to movies and comedy that she really loves. And what more could you want?

Totally. The one small gripe I have with the movie. I'm so excited. There are, what I might argue are two different surprise kisses. One in the karaoke scene where they've like just gotten off stage and yes they are vibing like the energy is there but we don't know exactly in what capacity like is it they're feeling horny for each other or is it just the you know the excitement from performing either way yes kind of springs a kiss on Dom without really

checking in with him this does lead to them going into a bathroom and making out later, so you can presume that he's receptive to the kissing, but just like her kind of planting a kiss on him without being like, hey, should we kiss? That happens. And then at the very end, Yaz is like, hey, so should we go do something? And then he like kind of shuts her up by kissing her.

And she is receptive to it and they continue to make out and it's cute. But like, I'm like, can we do a little bit more in movies and in real life to normalize checking in with people before we just sort of like facially attack them with our lips. Just a thought. Yeah. I'm like, well, I like the movie, so I don't have that. But I do even. This is a very inclusive world that is still be... But I think it has to do with... We had a similar conversation around the Before trilogy, where it is ultimately kind of a pretty straight movie,

but I think that that has to do mostly with the kind of myopic nature of we're following a straight, presumably straight couple, we don't know for sure, throughout the movie. I don't know. I'm just like not inclined to knock this movie in any way, shape, or form. So I'm like, it was canon, it was totally fine. And why didn't it have a theatrical release outside of the UK?

Fair question. That's how I feel too. Like I do agree with like we could do a lot more work around asking or not even making it such a thing where it's like hello fellow person who I would very much enjoy to put lips upon may I kisseth thou you know. No I'm gonna start saying that exactly that way verbatim. Exactly that way all the time text me after let me know what happened. Yeah actually could you record a voice memo for me and then I'll just play that to people?

You take it out and you go, sorry, give me one second. Give me one second. Can you just listen to this? Thank you so much. Hold on, sorry, I have to find it. Sorry, still scrolling. I gotta scroll, gotta scroll a bit. She texts a lot.

But I do agree, yeah, there definitely could be a lot more work around it. I think just in my head, to be honest, like as I was watching it, it didn't come to my mind and not until just now where you just said it, to be honest, like I think I was so wrapped up within the rom-com of it all. And then I think also why it didn't hit for me is because of the after, you know, it's like, yes, they did go into the bathroom to make out.

And then yes, they did. The camera panned in a fucking circle and then it went up into the sky. And I'm like, ah, that was perfect. Of course he could kiss her. So it wasn't something that was top of mind. But yeah, I definitely do understand how we could put more conversation around doing so. Totally. that was top of mind, but yeah, I definitely do understand how we could put more conversation around doing so. Yeah, I mean, even in that first one at the karaoke bar, when she kisses him, he is a little taken aback. And he's like, Oh, oh, and she's like, Oh, sorry. And then he's like,

haha, wait, and then he like, kind of pulls her into the bathroom, and then they make out so like, her kissing him, sends the message to him that like she's down to kiss. And then he's like, okay, now let's go make out. So like the aftermath, like the results worked out just fine. But that's the thing with the surprise kiss. You don't know what the aftermath is gonna be. You don't know how receptive the person is going to be

to the kiss unless you check in with them first. So I'm always just a proponent of being like, hey, is it okay if I kiss you or to quote you. Wait, I forget what you said. Can I pull up the voice mail? Hello, fellow person. Sorry. Hello, fellow person that I would like to put my lips upon mayeth I kisseth thou. Thou. Wow. So ever after of you. I mean, don't make me go watch that movie tonight. Please don't do that.

I don't know why it's been on my mind recently, but it has. But nevertheless, no, I totally agree with you. I think I'm, it's so funny because, Shelly, right before this, we recorded an episode that Caitlin was like going to the mat for. So it's like the, the. Little Rascals is a genius film with great comedy. It's okay.

I can't wait to hear that episode. Because I have thoughts, I have thoughts, I have thoughts. Oh, yeah. It's fine. It's fine. It's fine, and we're safe. Did anyone else have anything else to say about this? I mean, a big thing for me is I'm

very happy that David Johnson's career has continued to grow. But if Vivian Opara doesn't become a movie star, it's curtains. Like, she just like, and he, and again, it's like, David Johnson's put in the position, position, his character is very withheld. This is the only, I've seen him in industry and this. I haven't seen Ailey and Romulus. They're both so talented, but I was just blown away

by Vivian O'Para. Her performance and her part is something that could have been played poorly, where it could have been really obvious that, I'm not the confident girl that I say I am, but she just plays it so well. I just like, I really love her. I can't wait to see her in more.

She was in, and I had to look it up because I don't know how I came across this show, but it's called Dead Hot. And there's another guy in it named Bilal Hasna. I apologize if I pronounce his name wrong, but he's in a show called Extraordinary. Did you watch that on Hulu? I haven't seen it yet. It's so good. And I think it's getting another season, but at least it has two. And in that show Vivienne Apare is in that, but they co-star in the Dead Hot show. And it's also another British

like series and it's kind of a one offer, but it was last year, but it was really, really good. And just for blah, he's incredible and extraordinary because that show, you can watch that show both seasons and like a day. I have many a time, but yeah, Vivianna Pry is like a fucking star. She really is. She's a star and I don't know if she has any more projects coming out, which I'm sure. Because I feel like that always happens. We say that and then boom, like, oh, if she hasn't anything and then boom, like all of a sudden you see something where she's like... We listened to this in two years and we're like, yeah, not to worry.

Yeah, we already knew. But I actually have never, I think I've seen like one episode of industry, but I knew that that was him because my fiance also. Your fiance. I am fiance. My fiance watches that show. So I didn't really know his work, but I think he's incredible in this.

But yes, she's a star. She's definitely a star. For sure. I mean, it's just so refreshing to not just see two dark skinned black actors starring in a rom-com, but just like two actors with such amazing chemistry. The chemistry was crazy. But just like two actors with such amazing chemistry. It is just such a relief to not see casting by algorithm, which I think we've seen so many times in the last handful of years.

It's just nice to feel like, and hopefully, you know, in many movies to come, when you see a Ray and Ellen Miller movie, she actually cares if you believe that these actors are attracted to each other, you know. It's just great. And even the other couples within the movie too, right? Like, I feel like they all had chemistry. Like, I also believe that Dom's character, like, they could be friends. He, of course, that's his best friend, right? Like, oh, yeah, it just is like, because they

went, they had been going to school since like elementary, sorry, primary school. Primary school. Apologies. Yeah. But they, but I believe that friendship too. And I also believe the coupling of that artist and his girlfriend. And I definitely believe that a coupling of that, her ex and his new girlfriend, the only one I didn't believe was the best friend in Dom's ex because what? That's crazy.

That's crazy. She must be in a really dark place. She's in a dark place. See? Yeah. That is like a scary, yeah. She was an asshole, but I was also like, and I know I was projecting,

but I'm a little worried about her because if you're leaving your sweetheart, you know, like long, even if you've fallen out of love over time, this is not the guy you jump to. This is not the guy. He's an idiot. He's an idiot. But he also played dumb so well.

The performance. The great performance. Because I watched a lot of the interviews. Like after I saw this movie, I couldn't get enough. You ever watch a movie, you're like, I need more content. I couldn't get enough. You ever watch movies? You're like, I need more content. I need behind the scenes. So anything that came out on YouTube, I'm watching interviews. I'm watching like, where they make them play the little silly games on like Instagram. I'm like, yes, that's exactly that's so funny. But he, he's so funny. He's so funny. She created this world that I believed,

and it was this close, I think, for most of the runtime to be my favorite little mini-genre, which is movies that take place all in one day. So I think for most of the runtime, it is like the same day and so... Up until the last, like, 15 minutes, it counts. It counts, yeah. I was like, that's why it was before-coded to me. The same day until the last like 15 minutes. Yeah, it counts it Before coded to me like people falling in love over the course of a day

I'm Europe three movies like walk, which is what when you said that Jamie about like Being on a walk, right and you're just falling in love on this walk. I Also, I connected with that too because I just like remember my like second date with my fiance, it was very much, we went on a fucking walk, like, and we ended up at like a restaurant and then like all this stuff. But to see that be on film, but for black people,

the Harry met Sally of it all, like the Notting Hill, all of it just like this beautiful, awesome setting, because I know when we think of Harry met Sally of it all, like the knotting hill, all of it just like this beautiful, awesome setting because I know when we think of Harry met Sally, we think of the park and the leaves changing and all of this. But now there's this film out there where instead of like inserting myself into it and being like, Oh, this could happen for me because I used to put myself in Harry met Sally like all the time, right? I'm like, this could be me or whatever. But you can only do that for so long when you don't see it on on film. That's why I always go back to Love Jones, another walking and falling in love like film. But then I saw it in Rye Lane and you're just like, you're just hanging out and they don't know they're

falling in love, but the viewer does. And it's just really dope to see it play out. And I, I think it was just like, it was played out perfectly. And then the trope of like, she's extroverted. He's a little introverted. It can be so lame, but it worked again here too, because I believed in their chemistry. So, and I love that the truth of how they portrayed themselves ended up falling somewhere in between where she wasn't as extroverted as she wanted to project herself to this guy that she didn't think she was ever going to see again.

All of these things that, I don't know, it's so exciting to see these micro dynamics that you have either witnessed or experienced in a rom-com where basically there is no, there's nothing, there's only things that you are used to, like aspiring to experience. It was so good. It passes the Bechdel test, does it not? I didn't know because I, yeah please, I was concerned. I didn't know if it did actually. I was concerned. I didn't know if it did actually I think maybe it does between yes as you would want it to but it yeah, okay between yes and

Jules's mom's yes Although they do kind of talk about Dom Most of their conversation and then yes also talks to her best friend, Cass. She talks to like the people on the set of the movie she's working on. Those are very like tertiary characters. I don't think we learned their names. So you can debate on whether or not those exchanges count.

The thing about a movie like this, where it's so hyper-focused on a hetero relationship. So it's like a man and a woman talking and like the before trilogy, they will encounter people along the way, but it's really focused on them. I do appreciate like the encounters they have along the way being with, I mean you get queer visibility with like the two moms, with Mona, who I was trying to figure out if that was intended to be a non-binary character, because they use they, them pronouns to refer to Mona.

Not totally sure. And if so, it's again, just like effortless in a way that if this was a real world, you wouldn't have to like stop and be like, hey everybody, are we all familiar with non-binary identity? I will say I noticed that, and what sent me over the edge is the Bechdel Test Fest, which is based in London,

where we've never been invited to, kind of interesting. Insane. But that they were heavily promoting how much they loved Rylane, and they do not promote movies that don't pass the Bechdel test, at least in passing. I don't think that it passes a lot,

but I do think that a couple of times it does. Yeah. If we're not counting, because that was gonna be my thing about counting the cast on set, or everybody on set, because she's talking to people in wardrobe and then the director, you know what I mean? Like whenever she's in conversation, it's always about her and him.

But yeah, I, oh wait, doesn't she, well, it's not that it doesn't. I was going to say the lady that she compliments in the store, but that is too short of an interaction. Yeah. She was just like cool outfit stranger. Basically. Yeah. Yeah, she's just like cool outfit stranger. Basically. Yeah.

Yeah. So I think it's a little up for debate because a lot of the conversations she does have with women. Technically it does, but it doesn't pass a lot. A lot. Right. Yeah. But I'm also like spiritually to me, and again, this is maybe me just being defensive, like

spiritually to me, and again, this is maybe me just being defensive, like spiritually to me, it does pass. Well, the other thing too about it is, and you know, we always talk about how the Bechtel test is just a jumping off point. Like it's not the end all be all of like, is this movie feminist? It was written as a joke. And it wouldn't, if more movies did handily pass, this wouldn't even need to be a conversation that we have at all. But like in an ideal world where there was far more inclusivity in movies and that more movies did have women and people of marginalized genders interacting with each other, it would be okay for a movie to not hand a Lee pass as long as it was, you know, like doing other things

for representation purposes, which this movie for sure does. And I think it matters of like who's behind the camera because I think a lot of times that we gripe about the mental test, it's because we're trying to be like, we like this movie, but behind the scenes, it's unequivocally all white men for the most part. And that is just not the case here.

We have black cinematographer, Olin Collardi. We have one woman producer, Yvonne Isimemi Ebazedo. We have a woman who edited it, which is very rare, Victoria Boydell, who has edited, oh, people like the movie 12 Monkeys, right? I haven't seen it. Yes, it's one of my favorites. That's the Brad Pitt movie, right?

Yeah, Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis. The only reason I know about, sorry, about 12 Monkeys is because of Can't Harley Wait, when somebody references it in Can't Harley Wait. I have not seen it, but she's a longtime British editor. So I just feel like this movie walks the walk in front of and behind the camera. And so I'm not inclined to be like, well, they're good.

Because sure, yes, there could have been more interactions between women. I think that we should never poo poo that as something that should happen more, but it just really does feel. And there's also original music from, I haven't heard of him before, but Quace, a black British musician who has worked with all of these famous musicians,

and I believe this was his first score. Like, you can just feel that this movie is coming from a genuine and thoughtful place, and behind the camera is just as diverse. And so it passes the vector test. Yeah, I definitely vibe with that too, a genuine and thoughtful place, and behind the camera is just as diverse. And so, it passes the vector test. Yeah, I definitely vibe with that too, about the behind the camera,

and then just how she is in her interviews as well. The director, Rainn is very just, yeah. So I vibe with that too. As far as our nipple scale, where we rate the movie on a scale of zero to five nipples based on examining it through an intersectional feminist lens, I think this movie does so much and even though it is centering a hetero relationship, that doesn't mean it's bad. That those do happen in the world sometimes. And the idea is, how are they portrayed and framed? And this movie, I think, does a spectacular job where the characters are very, very relatable

and their problems are relatable and their personalities are magnetic and the little love story journey they go on feels very grounded. And I think I'll give it like 4.75 nipples. I'm going to dock it for the surprise kisses. Okay, that's fair. the surprise kisses that you could argue are present, but other than that I really can't find anything else to nitpick about this movie. So yeah, it's gonna be very high marks for me and I'll give my nipples to the two leads as well as the director, Rainn Allen Miller, I'll set aside my 0.75 nipples for the two moms.

And then I'll give the final full nipple. I don't know if I'm doing this math right at all, but. Sounds like you just want to give it five nipples and that way you'll have more. Just give it five. No, I feel very strongly about the kissing. Give it away though because I have to pee. Oh my gosh okay. I'll give it to the to Rylane Market. Oh I'm giving you five nipples. I totally hear your criticism and I am,

and this is problematic of me, but I am giving it a pass on vibes. I loved this movie. I was like, I don't know. It is so nice going into it because we've watched hundreds and hundreds of movies for this show and there, I can count on probably two hands when the times that I've gone in to watch a movie

for this show and it has been clear to me very quickly that unless something wild happens, this is going to become a movie that is with me for the rest of my life. And this was that rare experience. I was so happy. I'm giving it five nipples selfishly, but also because I think it deserves it.

I wish that there were more movies like this, and I am actively upset and have my suspicions as to why do we not have wider releases of black rom-coms internationally? I think that that is a very pointed thing, because there is no reason this should not have gotten a wide release internationally. It's so many country miles better than rom-coms we've gotten released internationally in the

last several years. It's just, if you haven't seen it, go see it. Five nipples, distributing them equally between Raynall and Miller and Vivian O'Para, my two parasocial friends. Beautiful. Shelly, how about you? I am surprisingly giving it five nipples. Whoa, whoa!

I know, I'm so sorry to shock everybody. I apologize, I know I've been talking so much shit like for the past few hours. Five nipples, of course, because I think, well, four nipples to just the movie in itself and the cast and Vivian and all of them. But the main nipple, the one nipple, also goes to just how connected I am to this film.

I feel like this film was a part of a very personal experience for me. It was my first Sundance. I had been invited on my own merits. Like I write about film and pop culture and I got asked to come to this huge fucking thing that like honestly a lot of like marginalized culture writers, black culture writers specifically, don't get invited to. And I got invited to this place and I saw this movie that made me feel like my whole sort of experience of writing and film kind of just came all together. And then I learned who was behind the camera.

And then I got a chance to show it to another, like a group of just black people who were, who enjoyed it that night is just so close to me. It's a rom-com story and I love, love, love, love, love, love. So it's like another big part of it is that I didn't have to pretend to see myself on the screen. And that mattered a lot to me because it's 2025 and I oftentimes still have to do that. So yeah, five nipples across the board. Yeah. Amazing. Yay. Oh, Shelly, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for bringing us this wonderful

movie to us and the listeners if they haven't seen it. Thank you so much. Of course. Thank you for having me. I'm loving this. I always love being here. This is my favorite. Oh, wait, can I say something, Jamie? I heard you on Here to Help Pod. Okay. Oh my gosh. Let me tell you something.

I listen to very few podcasts nowadays, just because I feel like at one point I was listening to so many, narrowed it down to like five, of course, one of which the back of it is a part of. But I was listening and then I said, I know that voice because I was watching. And I was like, and that is like one of my favorite podcasts in the fucking world. So, and he killed it.

And I just was so excited for you. I know both of you are doing such big cool things, but it's so cool when people, I know I get to hear them on some, and I just am so happy for you. I know both of you are doing such big cool things, but it's so cool when people I know, I get to hear them on some, and I just am so happy for you. And you just killed it. It was funny. It was great. I was really nervous.

I'm glad you liked it. Cause I was also like, it was like, it was awesome. You helped. You definitely held your own for sure. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you all for having me.

Oh, thank you. It's our treat. It's our treat Truly come back anytime to talk about boxing day. I was gonna say for a boxing day. Yes, please Yeah, that movie is so cute and there's gonna be a second one. I hear I don't know but it's so cute It's so so so cute. It's really an extremely boxing day. I was gonna say an extremely boxy I It's so cute, it's really cute. An extremely boxing day. I was gonna say an extremely boxy day. A very extremely boxing day. I do kind of like this vibe that you are foreshadowing your next episode

in every previous appearance, if it makes sense. 100%. If I can find like a black queer summer movie that I love, that I'm just gonna send the email and be like, hello everyone. It looks like I'm coming back in June. Please do. Please do. Where can people find your writing, your work, follow you on social media, etc. Tell us everything.

So hishelly.com, H-I-S-H-E-L-L-I, will get you to everywhere I am, which is mainly just Instagram where I'm a yo Shelly like a y o s h e l i and then I'm on letterbox at hi Shelly h i s h e l i. Those are the only two that I use. But yeah, because I'm not on X, I guess I'm on threads because I also already have Instagram, but it's the same. Right. Yeah, you can find all my stuff there including links to my sub stack, which I'm just getting back into. And, but yeah, I love it. So subscribe to my sub stack

because I'm fun and I'm awesome and I'm very pretty. It's so true. It's true. I just followed you on Letterboxd and what is number one on your favorite films, but Riley. Exactly. Walking the Walk as well. Walking the Walk, okay. I am being, I'm for real about this shit.

Oh, this rocks. Please come back anytime. Please. Yay. You can follow us on social media. We have a letter box too, which we never plug. We also never plug our link tree, which is relevant because if we have,

if we have upcoming shows, our Patreon has linked there, our Letterboxd is linked there, etc. So yeah, Linktree slash Bactrelcast, Instagram, and our Patreon, our Matreon, where you get two bonus episodes every single month, plus access to the back catalog of episodes. Currently, we're in the middle of Rodent Timber, AKA recovering Ratatouille and the Great Mouse Detective. Try not to panic. I was wondering what the other one was gonna say. Oh, well.

I knew that Ratatouille was on there for sure. There was a heated battle between various... There are so many road movies. I have to pee so bad. You can get our merch at Cupublic.com slash be Bechtelcast. And with that, buy something or don't. I have to pee. Yes. Okay. Bye. Love you. Bye. The Bechtelcast is a production of iHeart Media hosted by Caitlin Durante and Jamie Loftus, produced by Sophie Lichterman, edited by Mo Laborde. Our theme song was composed

by Mike Kaplan with vocals by Catherine Voskrasensky. Our logo and merch is designed by Jamie Loftus and a special thanks to Aristotle Acevedo. For more information about the podcast, please visit linktree slash Bechtelcast. Hey, it's Amartines. The news can feel like a lot on any given day, but you can't just ignore las noticias when important world changing events are happening. That is where the Up First podcast comes in.

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