As the summer was finishing up and I was getting ready to go back to school and leave work for the school year, my coworker asked me, “Have you seen ‘My Oxford Year?’”
My answer to that was no at the time; I had not really been watching a lot of movies that summer with my busy work schedule, but I managed to take some time right before I went back to school to watch this almost two-hour-long romantic comedy.
The main character is Anna de la Vega, played by Sofia Carson, one of my favorite actresses. Anna is a postgraduate student from America who decides to go abroad and attend Oxford in England to get her master’s in Victorian poetry. I was particularly interested in this: As a college student myself, I have thought about the possibility of going to get my master’s — in what, I am not sure yet.
One of the things I enjoy in a movie is drama, and consequently, as this movie is a romance, there is going to be drama. Right at the beginning of her journey in England, we meet Anna’s main love interest, Jamie Davenport (Corey Mylchreest), who comes across as somewhat of a playboy before later being revealed to be a highly respected scholar. Throughout the movie, the two fall in love with each other before Anna learns a secret about Jamie which causes a break in their relationship.
Another thing that I love about this movie is the friends that Anna makes who are consistently bothering her to stay in the relationship with Jamie. I have definitely been that pushy friend saying, “You only live once,” or “You never know until you try,” so seeing this resonates with me. The encouragement of Anna’s friends in the movie is heartwarming and provides the comedic relief that every story needs.
I also enjoy this movie’s overall aesthetic. While most 2025 movies are more “techie,” if you will, and more modern-looking and bright, this movie features an older setting. It uses a much more classic style with darker colors such as browns and reds — or as I refer to it, a coffee aesthetic. (I won’t lie, I am an avid coffee drinker.) I appreciate how it captures the history of Oxford in a special way that I believe is hard to do.
The entire movie centers around new experiences, trying things that are outside of your comfort zone and making new friends. It really captures college, in the sense that sometimes you do have to try new things — I know I definitely have. I started college as an athlete, and now I am a part of both theater and musical theater at Saint Mary’s and Notre Dame.
Overall, “My Oxford Year” really appeals to the idea that if you don’t try new things, then life will pass by, and you will regret not jumping at the opportunity — so try out for that musical or be involved in a new club. The movie is full of emotion, heartbreak and love, and it keeps you on the edge of your seat. I recommend it to anyone who is searching for something new or is scared to jump into new opportunities (or anyone who is like me and is also there for the unfolding of a love drama).
