Oxford Blues (1984) -
The story of this film was a very silly concept and very obviously a juxtaposed idea, with Rob Lowe's 'Nick' character sticking out like a saw thumb at Oxford. I'm positive that he would have been expelled almost instantly for his typically American brash behaviour set against a backdrop of a typically British location and cast.
In general it felt like a cheaply produced effort. Something to fill the quotas with amongst the more successful and well presented films of 1984, hoping that the others would make up the loss from this one. It wasn't much different to the Hallmark productions that flood the lesser known film channels, although I've definitely seen better from those efforts.
Sadly the gorgeous Rob as Nick came across as an American tw@t with a very cavalier attitude to everything and was akin to so many of that ilk that I have seen before. The ones that take nothing seriously, but have to have an epiphany before they ruin their lives and everyone else's on the way.
And the Brits were all shown to be idiotic toffs or eccentric Professors.
Mr. Lowe did at least have a great pair of buttocks in those lovely fitting jeans though, so that was a bonus.
The actual rowing and competition element didn't appeal to me, so with the rest of the story not having much going for it, I would have liked a better try from all involved. I did like the fact that Julian Sands in the role of Colin wasn't the knobber I had expected him to be from the start.
I would have to admit that it got better towards the end, once all of the drama had happened and the epiphany was realised, but it was fortunate that everyone performed their parts well, however even then it wasn't exactly gripping.
It seemed to be reliant on the idea that even the most ignorant of Americans can achieve anything they want to and get away with much more, while those British, lucky enough to have been born with a silver spoon in their mouths, can rule the world, as long as they went to Oxford. As such it showed up both sides of the pond and missed an opportunity to be something better.
421.01/1000.
The story of this film was a very silly concept and very obviously a juxtaposed idea, with Rob Lowe's 'Nick' character sticking out like a saw thumb at Oxford. I'm positive that he would have been expelled almost instantly for his typically American brash behaviour set against a backdrop of a typically British location and cast.
In general it felt like a cheaply produced effort. Something to fill the quotas with amongst the more successful and well presented films of 1984, hoping that the others would make up the loss from this one. It wasn't much different to the Hallmark productions that flood the lesser known film channels, although I've definitely seen better from those efforts.
Sadly the gorgeous Rob as Nick came across as an American tw@t with a very cavalier attitude to everything and was akin to so many of that ilk that I have seen before. The ones that take nothing seriously, but have to have an epiphany before they ruin their lives and everyone else's on the way.
And the Brits were all shown to be idiotic toffs or eccentric Professors.
Mr. Lowe did at least have a great pair of buttocks in those lovely fitting jeans though, so that was a bonus.
The actual rowing and competition element didn't appeal to me, so with the rest of the story not having much going for it, I would have liked a better try from all involved. I did like the fact that Julian Sands in the role of Colin wasn't the knobber I had expected him to be from the start.
I would have to admit that it got better towards the end, once all of the drama had happened and the epiphany was realised, but it was fortunate that everyone performed their parts well, however even then it wasn't exactly gripping.
It seemed to be reliant on the idea that even the most ignorant of Americans can achieve anything they want to and get away with much more, while those British, lucky enough to have been born with a silver spoon in their mouths, can rule the world, as long as they went to Oxford. As such it showed up both sides of the pond and missed an opportunity to be something better.
421.01/1000.