My Fault: London plays out exactly how you would expect if you watched the 2023 Spanish adaptation of Mercedes Ron’s Wattpad story, Culpa Mía, the first of a trilogy. There aren’t any surprises, and all that we are left with is a little bit of satisfaction and underlying curiosity as to why this movie was worth investing in.
My Fault: London follows the love affair of newly minted step-siblings Noah and Nick. This version of Noah is American; she moves from Florida to England, her mother’s home country, to move in with her new stepfather and stepbrother. She leaves behind a best friend and boyfriend, both of whom (surprise, surprise) betray Noah. Noah and Nick have a frosty first meeting at Nick’s home, and from there they fumble around their mutual attraction until it quickly hits a boiling point. Drama from their respective lives threatens to upend the forbidden romance, which they desperately try to hide from their parents.
Minor Changes Help & Hinder My Fault: London
The Spanish adaptation was met with ravenous support, and the sequel, Your Fault — released on Prime Video in late 2024 — was met with equal fervor. Those who enjoy the steamy tension and relationship between Nick and Noah can relive it all in a different language and country. There are subtle differences between the two adaptations, both of which are feature debuts for their respective directors. They’re minor things that mostly reveal themselves through the performances. Overall, the two adaptations differ based on the culture in which each is set.
The Sєx appeal and Sєxual attraction drive the Spanish adaptation, leaning on the cliché of the Spanish being pᴀssionate, Sєxy people. My Fault: London feels a lot more tempered in contrast. It’s slightly disengaged from the Sєx appeal of its characters, though it doesn’t outright discard it because it’s the basis of the narrative. Instead, we get a bit more of Nick and Noah’s traumas and familial baggage, as screenwriter Melissa Osborne and directors Dani Girdwood and Charlotte Fᴀssler focus on the emotional connection over the Sєxual one.
Ultimately, the characterizations will play better for audiences unfamiliar with the original, as the thrills in Nick and Noah’s relationship are better without comparison.
With so little distance between the two adaptations, it feels like an utter waste of Asha Banks and Matthew Broome’s talents. Wattpad has an overwhelming number of stories that play on a variety of kinks, like the step-sibling one, and it would be a better use of the filmmakers’ burgeoning talent to adapt something else. My Fault: London can stand on its own, but only for viewers who aren’t familiar with or want to engage with the Spanish-language adaptation, which is hard to imagine considering Culpa Mía was a record-breaking hit for Prime Video. Nevertheless, there is enjoyment to be had.
Asha Banks & Matthew Broome Salvage An Imperfect But Entertaining Adaptation
Asha Banks and Matthew Broome have a sweet chemistry, but it doesn’t really pop from the start. Instead, it slowly reveals itself as the characters soften towards each other. The story is rather simple and almost reserved, and it feels at times like the actors are saddled with recreating moments or reestablishing familiarity with the audience. While minor changes were made to differentiate My Fault: London from Culpa Mía, it’s futile. However, My Fault: London benefits from making Nick and Noah more equal and removing the age gap; at the very least, they don’t accentuate it.
The shortcomings are almost predictable as it is a young adult romance, so that isn’t really a knock against the film. The pacing is pretty good, developing the romance between Nick and Noah at a comfortable speed and giving space for the surrounding drama to flesh out their respective characters. The drama with Nick’s mom is a bit hamfisted, but it emphasizes that English Nick is softer than Spanish Nick. Cocky as he may be, there is a stronger sense of honor, respect, and kindness under the tough exterior.
Noah is the character who suffers the most in the changes made for the English-language adaptation; she is slightly less personable and emotive. This Noah is a touch more reserved. Gone is the sense of recklessness that matches her lover’s, and the incredibly strong feelings and reactions of her Spanish counterpart. While Asha Banks does a decent job, the way she plays Noah as she is written is no different from the YA genre’s average American heroine — a bit bland. Ultimately, the characterizations will play better for audiences unfamiliar with the original, as the thrills in Nick and Noah’s relationship are better without comparison.
My Fault: London is okay. It’s perfectly timed for Valentine’s Day and primed to be devoured by an excitable audience. The film looks great. The cinematography is a key reason it grabbed my attention. The actors do their jobs well, and the soundtrack, albeit abrasive at times, delivers one banger after another. There’s certainly an audience for this particular brand of YA romances, and My Fault: London fits comfortably into that. The Prime Video movie is limited by the fact that another recent adaptation exists, but it works within its own framework. The challenge ahead is making the sequel, if there is one, feel like it can stand on its own and not just be an imitation.
