Sofia Carson is becoming a household name on Netflix with the likes of Feel the Beat, Purple Hearts, Carry-On, and The Life List – the actress has certainly banked the streaming cash – and in 2025, Carson plays Anna De La Vega in My Oxford Year, a romantic comedy inspired by the novel of the same name by Julia Whelan. It’s a film, I predict, that critics will loathe, while romantic hopefuls will dote on.
Anna De La Vega, a driven Colombian-American student with a bright future at Goldman Sachs, embarks on a life-changing journey to Oxford, England. Her encounter with the charming Jamie Davenport (played by Corey Mylchreest, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story), a local with a passion for poetry and literature just like her, marks a significant shift in her life and sets the stage for a thought-provoking romance.
Like any romance genre film, the introduction of Jamie changes the world of Anna De La Vega – from an inspirational careerist, to toying with poetry and dissecting lines with Jamie, who also becomes her teacher. However, as the film alludes to in the second act, Jamie has more of a profound impact on Anna that goes beyond just the usual generic tropes of romance – there’s a larger story at play.
Which, in some respects, is a shame because the larger story is far more interesting than the first 30 minutes, which caught me by surprise, considering Carson’s Purple Hearts had a hook immediately. The beginning of My Oxford Year is too on the nose for my liking, especially with the surface-level acting and the forced nature of the script leading the cast into obligatory chemistry. I’m not entirely sure why the opening act is so obviously laborious from a romantic standpoint, especially when Sofia Carson and Corey Mylchreest are attractive. It does feel somewhat like the cast was dragging the story by the heels, which does not make for a good viewing experience.
But once My Oxford Year strays into the middle of the second act, where revelations are key and, by far, more emotional than a Hallmark romance, it becomes a film worth hanging in there for. Whether or not audiences will endure the opening – there is a factor here that a recognizable face like Sofia Carson saves it – is another thing. It’s undoubtedly a shaky start.
There’s a deep appreciation for literature and poetry in this film, which director Iain Morris does well to convey, but with the backdrop of the beauty and traditions of Oxford, this makes the experience even more romantic. The film’s cinematography captures the essence of Oxford, enhancing the romantic atmosphere. It works, superbly, even if it’s light. The dynamic of the Oxford local teaching a young American woman how to be British, from saying the word “bellend” to enjoying a pub for the first time, and a cheeky takeaway at the end of a boozy night, was surprisingly endearing, and will gain points from the English viewers. The film teaches at least one thing: life is far too short – enjoy it while you have it. Anna represents a roadmapped life full of success and wealth, but the world has so much to offer than predetermined jobs at wealthy firms, and I believe that’s one of the messages the film is trying to get across.
And despite my annoyance at the opening (and I know, I’ve laboured the point far too much), Carson and Mylchreest do eventually sell the romance, which will make the usual romance watchers swoon. Is the chemistry between them compelling and sensational? Far from it, but it’s a love story all the same.
But maybe the problem is me – perhaps I expected better. My Oxford Year lacks a little life in the story. The backdrop of Oxford and other picturesque places of Britain does not save it.
Read More: My Oxford Year Ending Explained