80sfilms

The year before this film came out, two of what would come to be known as “The Brat Pack” starred in 1984’s romantic-comedy-drama Oxford Blues.

The film starred Rob Lowe, who had a string of successful 80s releases, including Illegally Yours (1988), Square Dance (1987), About Last Night… (1986), Youngblood (1986), St. Elmo’s Fire (1985), The Hotel New Hampshire (1984), Class (1983), and The Outsiders (1983).

Oxford Blues featured Lowe doing what he used to do best–looking good, acting smug and sarcastic, and, eventually, getting the girl of his dreams.

In this film, he played an American hustler who follows a rich Brit hottie to England, where he enrolls in Oxford and joins the rowing team to get her attention (and no, it’s not that easy to get into Oxford–he had a computer hacker friend work some magic to get him in).

In the vein of 80s hits such as St. Elmo’s Fire, The Breakfast Club and even About Last Night, Oxford Blues was neither crude nor crass, instead getting its point across without vulgar language, while still dealing with issues such as sex, drugs and general promiscuity. Yes, the plot was simplistic, but at least the film was entertaining without relying on crude slapstick shenanigans and F-bombs every two seconds.

Both directed and written by Robert Boris, Oxford Blues also starred Ally Sheedy as a fellow American at Oxford and part of the rowing team, Amanda Pays as the Brit hottie, Julian Sands, Julian Firth, Alan Howard, Cary Elwes and Chad Lowe.

Oxford Blues might be one of Lowe’s lesser-known films of the 80s, and I’m pretty sure no one I know has ever seen it, but it’s definitely worth a watch, as it’s light, funny and, in the end, satisfying.