10 Best Movies Like My Oxford Year

In “My Oxford Year,” Anna (Sofia Carson) heads across the pond to take a year for herself before starting her finance job with Goldman Sachs. The Netflix movie follows Anna as she settles in at Oxford University, ready to spend the next several months learning about Victorian poetry from a professor she looks up to. However, there’s a last-minute change, and the course is instead taught by Jamie Davenport (Corey Mylchreest), a PhD student Anna previously met when he splashed her with his car.

After some initial friction, the two become friends and, eventually, something more. Jamie is quick to make sure Anna knows things can only be casual, but she finds herself falling hard for him. He’s been hiding that he has terminal cancer, not wanting her to become attached and upset, but that doesn’t stop Anna from finding out and deciding to stay with him as he finishes his treatments. Their time together may not be long, but it’s had an impact on Anna, causing her to abandon her plans in order to live in the now.

“My Oxford Year” isn’t one of the best romantic comedies of all time, but it is an emotional watch that may have you wishing for more. Luckily, there are plenty of movies with similar premises, even some that don’t have tragic endings. Here are ten films you need to watch if you want something in the same vein as the Netflix romance.

“Surprised by Oxford” is about Caro (Rose Reid), a young woman who goes to Oxford and stays there for her graduate studies. Somewhat skeptical of religion, she’s forced to confront her views when she meets Kent (Ruairi O’Connor), another student in the program. The two become friends and have philosophical conversations, ultimately leading to a deep connection between them that feels like more than friendship. However, when Caro’s grades begin to suffer, she puts up a wall and forces herself into academic isolation, even though it only makes things worse.

This film is an ideal watch for someone who’s looking for a similar story set in the same location as “My Oxford Year.” Both films are based on books rooted in the time the authors spent as Oxford students, which adds authenticity to the narrative. Caro and Anna also arguably have similar journeys; they have an idea and a direction for their lives, with morals and philosophies they follow and are forced to confront after meeting Kent and Jamie, respectively. “Surprised by Oxford” hits all the same notes without the underlying sadness, creating an image of what could’ve been for Anna and Jamie had their ending not been bittersweet.

Jamie Randall (Jake Gyllenhaal) is just starting his new job as a pharmaceutical sales representative when he meets Maggie (Anne Hathaway), a young woman with Parkinson’s disease, while he’s observing an appointment. The two soon start a casual relationship, but when Randall wants more between them, Maggie ends things. Though the couple makes up, they continue to hit speed bumps because Maggie comes to believe that Randall is only with her because he wants to find a cure for Parkinson’s. While the movie, which is based on a true story, does ultimately have a happy ending, it’s quite the journey to get there.

“Love & Other Drugs” really feels like an alternate ending for “My Oxford Year.” While the circumstances are different, at the core, both are about two people in a casual relationship because one of them is sick. The former is from the male perspective, giving audiences a different look at how someone handles the situation. Though it appears different at first, Jamie Randall and Anna are going through a similar experience of figuring out what’s next in life while also trying to see where the relationship can go, and Maggie and Jamie Davenport are in the same boat of wanting their partners to go out and live their lives. While “Love & Other Drugs” isn’t one of Anne Hathaway’s best movies, it is a solid choice to add to your watchlist if you loved “My Oxford Year.”

“The Fault in Our Stars” follows Hazel (Shailene Woodley), a teen with thyroid cancer, as she meets and falls in love with Augustus (Ansel Elgort), who is in remission from bone cancer, while attending a support group. He’s there supporting his friend Isaac (Nat Wolff), who has eye cancer. Augustus and Hazel become friends before growing closer over their love of reading, leading to a trip to Amsterdam to meet an author who isn’t thrilled to see them. They see the sights, confess their feelings, and experience firsts together, making the trip a magical, once-in-a-lifetime experience. However, Augustus eventually reveals that his cancer has returned, cutting their time short as they work through how to move forward while facing his forthcoming death.

Like “My Oxford Year,” “The Fault in Our Stars” is based on a popular book. Though the latter is a young adult book, both feature similar themes of heartbreak and loss, themes that transition well from the page to the screen. The key difference between them is that both of the main characters in the adaptation of John Green’s novel are terminally ill, making their story especially tragic. Hazel and Anna go through a similar process of acceptance, but Hazel’s is a bit more complicated since it’s rooted in her own mortality as well as Augustus’. The characterizations of Augustus and Jamie are similar, just set years younger, as they try to encourage their girlfriends to live life to the fullest.

What happens when a wine executive doesn’t feel valued by her employer, and her work best friend betrays her by stealing her idea for a presentation? She starts her own wine company and tries to snag that client, of course. “A Perfect Pairing” features Lola (Victoria Justice) as she heads to Australia to try to secure the international rights for a small wine brand before her former employer does. She works on the brand owner’s sheep farm after suffering an initial rejection in an attempt to prove she has the work ethic to take them on as clients, despite being a brand-new company. Along the way, she also gets close with Max (Adam Demos), the guy who runs the farm.

“A Perfect Pairing” is the movie to watch if you enjoyed “My Oxford Year” for being about someone traveling abroad to take a chance, but don’t want a sad ending. While there isn’t the same type of heartbreak involved, Lola and Anna are both forced to come to terms with what they want out of life and their careers. Though they each have a plan, both women throw them to the wind in favor of betting on themselves, and the new men in their lives encourage them to do so. Max is a bit more rough around the edges than Jamie, but both keep secrets that change the nature of the relationship. While it might be a romcom that feels a little too corny at times, it’s a great upbeat option.

Henry (Austin Abrams) has his heart set on becoming the editor of his high school paper in his senior year. While he’s initially disappointed when he ends up having to share the role with new girl Grace (Lili Reinhart), he finds himself taken by her despite her constant attempts to rebuff him. “Chemical Hearts” brings audiences along for their journey as Henry learns why Grace switched schools, why she struggles to drive, and that sometimes first love isn’t what you think it will be. The two get close, only to push each other away at times as they each process their emotions, especially as Henry learns about why Grace uses a cane to walk.

Part of what makes this a great watch is that it’s told from the male perspective. There are times in “My Oxford Year” where you want to know what Jamie is thinking in a particular moment, and “Chemical Hearts” provides just that. The audience watches as Henry tries to understand everything he learns about Grace and how that changes his feelings for her, much like the way Anna comes to terms with Jamie’s diagnosis. However, the key difference between the two films is their endings. While “My Oxford Year” has one that is equal parts sad and inspirational, “Chemical Hearts” is just sad. It’s not a traditional ending for the genre, but it feels realistic, especially considering the characters’ ages.

“Me Before You” chronicles the story of Lou (Emilia Clarke), a joyful, fun-loving woman, and Will (Sam Claflin), the man she’s hired to be a caregiver for. Paralyzed from the neck down and confined to a wheelchair due to a motorcycle accident, Will is initially cynical and rude to Lou, but that changes as the pair get to know each other. His life was turned upside down, from being unable to work to his relationship falling apart, and though Lou tries to help him see the good parts of life as they fall in love, Will has already decided how he wants to move forward, even if it upsets her and his parents.

Like “My Oxford Year,” “Me Before You” is based on a book and has an equally tragic ending, making it the perfect watch if you’re looking for another sad romance movie destined to leave you in tears. Both feature male main characters who have accepted a tragic inevitability about their lives, something that even falling in love won’t change. Will and Jamie both encourage the women they love to move on, to live a life worth living, but that doesn’t stop Lou or Anna from sticking around until the end. Once the men realize Lou and Anna aren’t going anywhere, they allow themselves to embrace it.

Two people meet on a train, sparks fly, and they decide to disembark together to explore Vienna. “Before Sunrise” follows Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) during their romantic night together. While Jesse was already planning to stay in the city and take a flight out the next morning, Céline was taking the train back to Paris. She changes her plans, and, as the two explore the city together, they talk about everything, including their previous relationships. Jesse is in Europe visiting his girlfriend, who is studying abroad, but they broke up, and Céline was dumped several months ago. As their time in Vienna comes to a close, they make a decision that, while feeling like the wrong one, makes sense for them.

“Before Sunrise” leans into the idea of taking a chance and living in the moment, something Jamie tries to encourage Anna to do more of in “My Oxford Year.” Both couples have important conversations about what they’re doing and what their time together means, even if they come to differing conclusions on how to move forward. Though there isn’t a sad undertone to “Before Sunrise,” the audience will inherently feel something when Jesse and Céline separate at the end of the film. However, unlike the Netflix adaptation, there are two sequels that explore how their story continues: “Before Sunset” and “Before Midnight.”

What happens when, after your mom dies, she leaves a to-do list of things to complete in order to receive your inheritance? That’s what “The Life List” is all about. Alex (Sofia Carson) expects to take over her mother’s company, since that’s what she’s been working toward, but the matriarch has other ideas, giving Alex’s current job to someone else and essentially firing her daughter from beyond the grave. Eventually, Alex receives a recorded message from her mother that helps her better understand her mom’s thought process. While completing her tasks, she works with Brad (Kyle Allen), the young lawyer acting as the executor of the estate, and the two become close friends and then something more.

For audiences who want to see Carson in another role, “The Life List” is arguably her best romantic comedy. Both here and in “My Oxford Year,” she wonderfully portrays the level of wonder her characters experience, from Anna exploring her new college to Alex trying different things. Much like Anna, Alex has a life plan, only to have a wrench thrown into it. While their life shifts are the result of different situations and people, they both embrace the idea that things don’t always go the way you want, and sometimes, that’s for the best. Both women make choices because of someone they love, though “The Life List” has a significantly happier ending than “My Oxford Year.”

Caroline (Marisa Tomei) is commiserating about her recent breakup with her friend at work when a new man literally walks into her life in “Untamed Heart.” Adam (Christian Slater), the busboy at the diner she’s employed by, follows and saves her from an assault by two men when she’s walking home. The pair begin a friendship, talking about their lives with each other before becoming romantically linked. Eventually, Caroline learns Adam has a heart defect and is in need of a transplant — but it’s an operation that he doesn’t want, as he’s worried it will fundamentally change who he is.

“Untamed Heart” is a wonderful complement to “My Oxford Year.” Both feature romantic interests with a terminal prognosis and the women who stand by them through it all while respecting their decisions not to seek treatment. One way in which they differ, though, is that Jamie is incredibly outgoing while Adam is a shy individual, making his conversations with Caroline mean that much more as she and the audience see him open up. Though both stories have sad endings, Anna and Caroline receive something that they will always cherish from their short time with Jamie and Adam, respectively. Caroline’s is more physical, while Anna’s is more spiritual, but both change them for the better. It’s the perfect example of the many ways someone can make an impact on your life, no matter who they are.

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Tobias (Andrew Garfield) and Almut (Florence Pugh) meet when she accidentally hits him with her car, and what happens next is the love of a lifetime. “We Live in Time” follows the couple as they grow closer, struggle with major life decisions, and work through Almut’s ovarian cancer diagnosis. The two initially disagree on whether to have children, but after some compromises and successful cancer treatments, they have a daughter together. However, when Almut’s cancer returns, they have to make new choices on how to move forward, and Almut is forced to think about how she wants to be remembered, especially where her daughter is concerned.

“We Live in Time” is as beautiful as it is tragic. Like Jamie in “My Oxford Year,” Almut is forced to decide how she wants to spend her final months and the way she wants people to remember her when she’s gone. And, like him, she doesn’t want to be chained to treatments and weak from medication in those moments. She’s determined to have her daughter remember her as a strong and great chef, just like how Jamie would rather Anna remember him as someone full of life, not a person lying sick in bed. “We Live in Time” will leave you crying just as much, if not more, than “My Oxford Year” does when it ends, making it one of the best movies for fans of the latter to seek out next.