True Blue * (1996, Dominic West, Dylan Baker, Johan Leysen, Nicholas Rowe, Geraldine Somerville) – Classic Movie Review 13,498

The 1996 British sports drama film True Blue stars Dominic West, Dylan Baker, Johan Leysen, Josh Lucas, Bill Nighy, Geraldine Somerville, and Nicholas Rowe.

Director Ferdinand Fairfax’s 1996 British sports drama film True Blue stars Dominic West, Dylan Baker, Johan Leysen, Josh Lucas, Bill Nighy, Geraldine Somerville, and Nicholas Rowe.

It is a risible attempt to tell the story of a controversial Oxford versus Cambrigge boat race, when Americans were controversially imported into the university to beef up the side. A pathetic, unconvincingly handled love story is pushed into the stew to try to expand any possible audience for it.

Based on the 1989 book True Blue: The Oxford Boat Race Mutiny by Daniel Topolski and Patrick Robinson., it tells the story from the perspective of Topolski of the 1987 Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race and the disagreement among the Oxford team known as the Oxford Mutiny, though names and events are changed.

Johan Leysen’s portrait of the coach is the best thing about it, and the cast is nice enough, but True Blue is no Chariots of Fire.

The film was retitled Miracle at Oxford for its US DVD release by Miramax.

This low-budget (£3.5 million) film was made by Booker Entertainment, Film and General Productions, Rafford Films and Film4 Productions, and released by FilmFour distributors on November 15, 1996 (London).

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,498

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