Surprised by Oxford (Whitaker, 2023)
Surprised by Oxford is a sweet but complicated film. Its many complexities, between the characters and their wants, along with particular inner struggles, piece together a story of love and desire but also display how a broken line of trust can impact everything.
Surprised by Oxford revolves around a young American woman, Carolyn Drake, and her desire to gain knowledge and a Ph. D. in English. During this new journey of hers, Carolyn couldn’t imagine how she would overcome a deep trauma surrounding trust that she’s lived with since her childhood. Oxford not only shows Carolyn the beauties of knowledge but through certain characters, she has to face conflicts that push against the principles she has set for herself due to her past. Upon her arrival at Oxford, Carolyn meets some other students named Edward, Linnea, Hannah, and Kent, as well as Provost Regina Knight. Despite not getting off on the right foot with everyone at first, Carolyn slowly removes her strict barriers as the movie progresses, even with severe struggles and difficulties. She finds herself in situations she wouldn’t have been found in during the past, but these situations shape her into a new version of herself, that she hasn’t known, as she navigates new spaces, friendships, and emotions, and as she grows through her trauma.
This film displays the beauty of Oxford as well as the prestige and history it carries. I found this to be a gorgeous movie due to the many scenes and shots of the areas around Oxford. However, since the Oxford school buildings hold history, there is a specific fragility to the institution itself regarding the respectable manner in which everything around Oxford is treated. For example, when the librarian explains why ink and pens are prohibited from being used in the library. To me, this fragility can create anxiety as a viewer, which I don’t find troublesome, instead, it kept me curious and engaged. Besides these features that I particularly noted, I also found that Carolyn and specific instructors stood out among the rest. I found Carolyn to be a difficult protagonist due to her attitude and mood towards her friends when she is struggling but refusing to talk to them or accept their help. As for the instructors, Provost Regina Knight particularly stood out to me because of the kindness she shows Carolyn despite Carolyn’s mistakes. Provost Knight shows Carolyn trust but also displays her wisdom in the kindness she shares.
Surprised by Oxford has many strong points as a film. As mentioned previously, this was a very visually pleasing film to watch. It shows the beautiful architecture and land surrounding Oxford and nearby areas. It is easy, as a viewer, to admire the little intricacies within classrooms, libraries, pubs, study rooms, and almost everywhere else within the film. Linked to the beauty of this film as well as the story, I find that Surprised by Oxford sits pretty high on my rewatchability scale. I believe the conflicts, character growth, and maturation within this movie hold truths and solutions that many individuals of all ages can learn from. I also think the conflicts displayed aren’t uncommon for individuals in different areas of life, so I find that this film presents learning opportunities for those in similar situations or even just those going through life. Lastly, I believe the strongest point of this film is that it demonstrates the messy and confusing task and nature of growing up with childhood trauma and coming to terms with it.
The weak points revolve around certain aspects of Carolyn’s character as well as specific moments of dialogue I would consider to be cliché. Due to Carolyn’s past, she guards herself very carefully but with that she is quick to make assumptions and comes off as standoffish or closeminded. At several points throughout the film, Carolyn refuses to hear or listen to a few individuals such as Kent or Hannah, and is even quite hostile in some moments. This, in turn, makes it difficult, as a viewer, to sympathize with Carolyn and sometimes achieves the opposite effect. However, I do personally think these moments and feelings shape how Carolyn confronts her struggles with her past and her friends going forward.
As for the other weak point, I did find minor parts of the dialogue to be overused or cliché. The first example of this is when Carolyn is describing her initial journey to Oxford, where she says, “So I set off into the great unknown.” I think this phrase is used in many young adult books, movies, and shows, and I feel as though I’ve heard it too many times. The second example can be seen after Carolyn gets her computer set up in order to video call her mom. After a few moments of chatting, Carolyn’s mother asks, “Is it everything you dreamed it would be?” Again, I find this to be a quite popular question within young adult books when the protagonist ventures forward to define themself. I don’t particularly find this dialogue to be offensive or out of place, but rather overused.
I would recommend Surprised by Oxford to anyone, however, I believe that students, young adults, and individuals experiencing new situations, people, locations, etc. could benefit the most from this film as it focuses on discovering desires and pleasures among new and scary experiences.
Surprised by Oxford will be in cinemas for a two-night theatrical event on Wednesday, September 27th, and Sunday, October 1st.
