Nick De Angelo (Rob Lowe) is a self-possessed valet in Las Vegas. With the help of an older woman and a lucky night in the casino, he gets enough money to chase after Lady Victoria Wingate (Amanda Pays) in Oxford. He gets accepted at Oriel College but Victoria is already involved with rower Colin Gilchrist Fisher (Julian Sands). The rowers are at the top of the social hierarchy. The brash Nick steals a boat and leaps into a race coming in second to Colin. Nick joins a team coxed by Jersey girl Rona (Ally Sheedy).Brash Nick is fun and compelling. However, he goes overboard at times like when he first meets Rona. She doesn't deserve it and it makes him look like a bully. I love Rob Lowe but Nick can be off-putting at times. Some of the British villains are too cartoonish. The worst part is that Amanda Pays is too much of an ice queen. It's one of her early roles and she is terribly stiff. It would have been a better rom-com if Nick goes off with Rona instead. Rob Lowe has plenty of charisma but that isn't enough to save this.

A condescending hustler is in love with a woman he's never met. He cons his way into enrolling at Oxford, to meet Lady Victoria. Because of his exceptional rowing skills, he joins the rowing team with one chance only. He is heartbroken to learn that Lady Victoria has a fiancé (Julian Sands) His arrogance gets him into trouble, but with the help of his friend Rona (Ally Sheedy) he may reach his potential after all. I suppose this was an OK movie, albeit, a tad on the mundane side at times. Your enjoyment of this film may depend on how much you can tolerate the 80's coming of age story formula and all the clichés that come along with it. I usually love the 80 clichés, but this one succumbs to tedium a little bit too often for my liking. This had a lot of potential to be a memorable coming of age film, the talent was certainly there. I did enjoy some of the intense training scenes from Rob Lowe, along with the hi-jinks that you would often see at this stage. I'm not really into rowing very much, it ranks as one of the dullest sports next to Curling. The rowing race at the end is very well done and I have to give it credit. Rob Lowe isn't very good in this movie. He comes across like a poor man's Tom Cruise without the charisma to pull off the likable arrogance. In fact, he's plain unlikable for most of the movie. His obtuse personality isn't very easy to get behind, and I didn't find much redeeming about him. Another problem is that you know where Lowe's character is heading. When his character shows maturity it is far too late to care. His romance storyline with both Sheedy & Amanda Pays is rushed and not given enough time to be as effective as it wants. I like Rob Lowe. He is very talented when he wants to be, but not in this one. Ally Sheedy's character is supposed to be vital, but it sure didn't feel that way. She comes across as somewhat awkward and unsure on how to portray the role. She's cute to look at, but the script doesn't give her much to work with. As a result, she comes off as slightly inconsequential. Julian Sands's character is a bit ambiguous. He's neither a good guy or a bad guy, falling in the middle. Carry Elwes has a small roll as well. Final Thoughts: I didn't hate it or even dislike it, it just isn't that good of a film. You can do better when it comes to coming of age films from the 80's. You won't regret watching it, but it isn't worth seeking out5.4/10

I am from Oxford so am a little bias because I recognise the location. All in all it is a good comedy that all the family can enjoy (although it is a 15). Highlights include the stereotype of an Oxford student, The stereotype of an American, and trying to name all the pubs that you see. I recommend to anyone who is from or has ever visited Oxford to watch this film because it is of the highest quality and guaranteed laughter all the way. If you can not find humor in the romantic yet slightly far fetched plot line then at least in the great characters as each one is very easy to relate to and they all have great names. This is the best advert for Oxford University that I have seen, so work hard kids and you too could be just like Nick DeAngelo.

I found this video in a garage sale about 6 years ago , and bought it mainly because it had was set in Oxford and starred Rob Lowe. If you like any so called "BratPack" type of film from the 80's you should try and get hold of a copy of Oxford Blues. Yes it is true that its not all that well put together and some of the acting is a bit rough around the edges, But I have never got bored of watching it. The main thing I liked about it was it did have a story line, which a lot of films dont have. Watching Rob Lowe's character make his dreams come true by winning the heart of Lady Victoria , Gets my vote!. I like people with ambitions and thats probably why I liked this film. So dont be put off by any negative comments, as I think its a classic 80's film. I had better warn you that finding a copy could be a nightmare!