There are movies that exist purely for comfort and charm, and then there are those that bring a quiet ache beneath the surface. My Oxford Year, releasing on Netflix this August, promises to be both. A romantic drama that blends wit with longing, it is based on Julia Whelan’s bestselling novel and directed by Iain Morris. Sophia Carson steps into the role of Anna, a young American woman who earns a scholarship to study at Oxford, only to have her plans disrupted by something no syllabus can prepare her for unexpected love.
What sets My Oxford Year apart is not the setting or the setup, but the emotional honesty in how it unravels. Anna, driven and focused, arrives in Oxford with the goal of ticking boxes on her academic checklist. But when she meets a magnetic and mysterious local played by Corey Mylchreest, the story shifts into something deeper. Their connection is fast, their chemistry undeniable, but they agree to keep it free of attachments. Of course, real life and real hearts are never that simple.
As the seasons change in Oxford, so do the stakes. The film moves through libraries, pubs, riverside paths, and candlelit debates painting the city as both dream and distraction. And in the middle of it all is Anna, torn between staying the course or detouring into a future she never planned. Her journey is relatable to anyone who has ever pursued a goal only to realize life had other ideas.
Produced by the team behind The Fault in Our Stars, My Oxford Year carries a similar emotional pulse. It is not a sugary rom com. Instead, it explores the complexities of ambition, timing, illness, grief, and the grace it takes to accept a different ending. Sophia Carson delivers one of her most grounded performances yet, showing both strength and softness in equal measure. Corey Mylchreest is equally compelling, playing a man who is both love interest and emotional pivot.
The supporting cast includes powerful turns from Dougray Scott, Catherine McCormack, Harry Trevaldwyn, and others. With music by Isabella Summers and cinematography by Remi Adefarasin, the film carries a poetic rhythm that matches its setting. Oxford, in this story, is not just a backdrop it is memory, possibility, and consequence all rolled into one.
Streaming from August 1, 2025, only on Netflix, My Oxford Year invites viewers into a world where every choice counts and every moment echoes. It is a film that asks the quiet question: what happens when the future you worked for is not the one you end up wanting?
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