Netflix has launched a brand new rom-com starring The Life Listing‘s Sofia Carson and Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story‘s Corey Mylchreest. What may go improper with such a strong and gorgeous duo? Arguably nothing, however My Oxford Yr, a film adaptation of Julia Whelan’s romance novel of the identical identify, simply proved that even the most effective of actors generally can’t maintain a sinking ship afloat. With Sofia Carson main a good canon of rom-com films on Netflix and even Mylchreest delivering a number of the most heartfelt, most romantic moments on this planet of Bridgerton, the expectations for this Oxford-set love story have been understandably excessive.
Nevertheless, My Oxford Yr slid simply previous the romance bubble and fully overpassed its feminine protagonist. The opening scene, which reveals Carson’s Anna getting drenched by her future beau, Jamie (Mylchreest), as he speeds in his Jaguar by way of a puddle of water, is an indicator of the mess that follows. My Oxford Yr did not simply step in some mud. It got here straight out of the gutter. Two sudden (or somewhat extraordinarily anticipated) lovers get put by way of the wringer, and what they undergo ought to provoke one or the opposite emotion. Solely it would not.
My Oxford Yr is stuffed to the brim with rom-com archetypes and British clichés, and any touching potential appears to have been washed away by the rain. The movie insists that love is fleeting, and maybe so is its skill to seize the bittersweetness of a very profound love story.
If there’s one factor that this new coming-of-age film on Netflix will get proper, it is the title. My Oxford Yr is actually about the principle character’s 12 months spent at Oxford (no less than the start of it). It sounds promising, intriguing even, however when the paths of the 2 future lovers cross, the daunting realization sinks in that the Netflix film is merely a concoction of clichés. This new romantic comedy starring a former Disney star has the compulsory American protagonist struggling to grasp the British language. It reveals Anna’s hatred for the college’s playboy, which abruptly turns into sensual ardour, and consists of nearly each flat try to flirt accrued from the worst of Hollywood’s rom-coms. My Oxford Yr tries to be unique and profound, however it’s simply bland, and its 27% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (on the time of writing) is proof sufficient.
Upon arriving at college, Anna instantly finds a bunch of buddies. There may be Maggie (Esmé Kingdom), who is meant to satisfy the function of the awkward good friend within the group. The film, a few difficult romance, tirelessly tries to convey the concept that Maggie is undesirable and, above all, undateable, utilizing her to create an odd facet story by which she continually swoons over one among her oblivious buddies. At this level, it’s infuriating as a result of Kingdom’s expertise was wasted in an identical function in Fallen, one of many worst YA book-to-movie diversifications on Rotten Tomatoes, the place she was continually bashed for, nicely, present.
Charlie (Harry Trevaldwyn), Anna’s homosexual greatest good friend, can also be part of the messy love drama, as he navigates his journey from sleeping round and being perceived as undateable to lastly accepting the real curiosity of somebody who actually cares for him. The romantic comedy film desperately needs to make viewers imagine that each character is basically undateable, and that features Anna and Jamie. She is ready to return to her totally deliberate future in New York. He’s set on stopping his therapies and accepting his destiny that he’s dying from most cancers. It is a powerful tablet to swallow, however regardless of these heavy circumstances, the generic rom-com leaves your soul eager for one thing extra. Something.
Maybe Netflix hyped the film up an excessive amount of, portraying it as a tearjerker that may tug at your heartstrings and go away you in agony. It’d come as a shock, however My Oxford Yr is so distant from evoking any type of feeling that the belief of losing 114 minutes watching this boring story felt extra heartbreaking than what the 2 important characters went by way of.
The Feminine Protagonist’s Misplaced Arc in ‘My Oxford Yr’
Anna De La Vega is meant to be the feminist heroine in My Oxford Yr. She is launched as this decided younger girl, who was once a poetic dreamer, however shifted her focus to monetary safety as an alternative. As her prestigious job on Wall Road awaits her, she decides to spend a 12 months at Oxford to check Victorian literature earlier than heading into the finance world. A decent endeavor, nevertheless it actually leaves viewers rooting for her change of thoughts and rediscovery of who she needs to be. It may have gone nicely, and it may have impressed, nevertheless it sadly did not. My Oxford Yr missed its probability of turning into top-of-the-line rom-coms on Netflix.
The Descendant star’s performing abilities weren’t the problem in her new rom-com. Netflix romance lovers will know that Carson brings depth to her roles, mixing sarcasm with vulnerability, as seen within the romantic dramedy feel-good film The Life Listing. Sadly, the problem was in seeing by way of the arc of the feminine protagonist. My Oxford Yr began with conveying Anna’s unwavering childhood need to check on the prestigious college and observe her goals. Regardless of opposition, the film’s heroine follows her quest and conquers anti-feminist hurdles. Effectively, that’s, till she meets native hottie Jamie.
The minute Anna and Jamie went on a handful of unimpressive dates to easily get pleasure from a while collectively, the shift was simple. It turned obvious that the Brit had some greater secrets and techniques lurking behind the playboy facade. The revelation of his tormented relationship along with his father after his brother died from genetically transmitted most cancers, and Jamie combating the identical destiny, was the downfall of the feminine protagonist’s arc.
My Oxford Yr courageously began with a feminist-centered story, identical to Sofia Carson’s Purple Hearts, by which Anna embarks on a long-awaited journey that will even assist her rediscover the dreamer mentality she had as a toddler. As an alternative of exploring Anna’s inside turmoil as she navigates what she needs her future to appear like, My Oxford Yr will get tousled within the intimate facet of issues and abruptly prioritizes and highlights Jamie’s challenges.
Anna abruptly is just the attractive American rescuer in Jamie’s story, and nothing extra. It appears the sexual pressure overshadowed the truth that the film was meant to middle on Sofia Carson’s character. Mylchreest is a delight to observe, however midway by way of the rom-com, Anna turns into a facet character at greatest, turning into the confidant who fixes Jamie’s relationships and issues. That is about the one motive why some tears is perhaps shed. My Oxford Yr is obtainable to stream on Netflix.
My Oxford Yr
- Launch Date
-
August 1, 2025
- Runtime
-
112 minutes
- Director
-
Iain Morris
- Writers
-
Allison Burnett, Melissa Osborne, Julia Whelan
- Producers
-
Caroline Levy
-
-
Corey Mylchreest
Jamie Davenport
-
-
Catherine McCormack
Antonia Davenport
