‘My Oxford Year’ Review – Sofia Carson Stars In A Film Unworthy Of Her Talents

We’re living in a Sofia Carson world. The reigning queen of Netflix original genre films continues to deliver hit after mediocre hit—from Purple Hearts to The Life List, and now My Oxford Year. These romantic films explore life through rose-colored lenses, the kind viewers eagerly devour while curled up with a significant other on a Saturday night. But Carson’s appeal goes beyond the “Netflix and chill” mantra. These aren’t date movies as much as they make you grateful for what you have or long for what you don’t.

Carson has cultivated a genuine fanbase, making her a perfect fit for today’s streaming content landscape. She’s not without talent—in fact, far from it. Carson exudes magnetic charisma and screen presence, effortlessly balancing adorable, funny, and charming moments. She knows how to lean into genre conventions, positioning herself as a key Netflix player for years to come. There are even a handful of scenes in her latest films that reveal genuine emotional authenticity, hinting at even greater depth beneath the surface.

So, you shouldn’t be surprised if I disliked Netflix’s My Oxford Year—or the audience it was clearly made for. You know exactly what you’re going to get: a strong, vibrant woman falls for a man in a setting most people will never experience, playing out real-life scenarios without offering any authentic moments that truly reflect real-world struggles. That’s the crutch films like this lean on, making the movie feel like manipulative medicine—more placebo than anything meaningful.

The story follows Anna (Carson), an ambitious Mexican-American student who decides to do something fun and just for herself before accepting a prestigious job at Goldman Sachs. After graduating summa cum laude from an Ivy League school, she chose to study poetry at Oxford University. Why? Well, the professor there is her hero. However, when she arrives on her first day, they announce that they have been made head of the department, and someone else will be taking over.

Who? Well, it turns out to be a very dashing, handsome, and endearing British academic. Oh—and he also happens to be the same man who splashed Anna by driving through a puddle in his English sports car, soaking her thoroughly. His name is Jamie Davenport (The Sandman’s Corey Mylchreest), whom Anna runs into again at a local fish and chips joint. When Jamie tries to hide from one of his many girlfriends chasing him down the street, Anna alerts the woman, making him eat his charming words.

Of course, this is how all attraction starts—with a bit of friction. It doesn’t matter that Jamie seems to have a girlfriend, Cecelia (Poppy Gilbert), a ravishing redhead. After all, Anna doesn’t try to steal Jamie; she simply gives him a choice. However, the independent American woman soon discovers that Jamie offers more than she bargained for, ultimately learning that life is best lived without a roadmap.

My Oxford Year is from writer, director, and producer Iain Morris, known for his work on The Inbetweeners franchise of films and Apple TV+’s Time Bandits. Working from a script by Allison Burnett (Autumn in New York) and Melissa Osborne (My Fault: London), who adapted the novel from Julia Whelan of the same name, the movie drowns out the incredible chemistry between the leads by dousing the script with over-the-top melodrama and romantic clichés.

Of course, Carson can have chemistry with just about anyone—she’s an inherently magnetic performer. Then there’s Mylchreest, who looks as if he were genetically engineered to star in precisely this kind of British romance. While we do appreciate the human moments brought by Jamie’s parents—poignantly played by Dougray Scott and Catherine McCormack—the scenes that touch on real-life issues feel fleeting. By the middle of the second act, the central conflict becomes more of a narrative device than a lived reality.

When My Oxford Year focuses solely on the romance, it doesn’t need the plot twist—one we won’t spoil, though it’s easy to guess in a film like this. It functions more as a prop than something rooted in genuine human emotion, ultimately undermining the story’s intended emotional weight. Most of the supporting characters feel underdeveloped. The world-building at Oxford is quickly abandoned in favor of romantic tropes. In the end, the film is occasionally endearing—but thoroughly predictable.

The final result is a realization that Carson continues to prove she is a star in films unworthy of her talents.

My Oxford Year is currently available to stream exclusively on Netflix.