AUTUMN IN NEW YORK
SYNOPSIS:
In his late 40s, Will Keane (Richard Gere) is a flamboyant New York restaurateur who is
addicted to women. When he meets the much younger Charlotte Fielding (Winona Ryder) his
instincts warn him of the dangers, as does his old chum, Dolly (Elaine Stricht), who knew
Charlotte’s mother. Indeed, so did Will; she was the one women he didn’t bed,
going off instead with her friend. Now, more than 20 years later, those actions are having
their repercussions come back, just as Will finds himself actually falling in love with
Charlotte. But as fate would have it, Charlotte’s heart is in the deadly grip of the
grim reaper.
"Overdone and predictable as it is, Autumn in New York is not a bad film: just a
frustrating one. Frustrating because it comes close to achieving its emotional objectives,
and because it suffers from MHS (Modern Hollywood Syndrome), which inflicts the virus of
plasticity on films such as this. For example, in an effort to ensure a feel good ending,
the real ending – a sad but not tragic view of Richard Gere’s Will Keane as the
redemeed sinner in purgatory (symbolically speaking, because there is snow on the rooftops
of New York), is tagged with a scene that could be described as forced moral closure. I
won’t labour the point or spoil (?) it for you by going into a description. Another
frustration is the perfunctory way one of the underlying issues of the relationship is
dealt with: she is terminally ill, but has decided against any invasive surgery when the
crunch comes. He secretly engineers emergency surgery to be on stand-by, and the conflict
revolves around intricate issues of love and selfishness. But this whole subject is
dismissed in a couple of lines in favour of pat resolutions. Everything is hammered home,
although the rider to that (sorry) is Winona Ryder’s multi-layered performance as the
youngster in love with an older but not wiser man. Solid support from a pro cast also
helps; Gere is good, too, although the script doesn’t stretch him and the character
is not as complete as it might be. In all, I get the feeling that the script was put
together in a laboratory, pulling elements into a mixing petrie. They should have got a
good English writer to do the final draft, to bring up the subtlety level."
Andrew L. Urban
"Propelled by a gorgeous, jazzy soundtrack, beautiful cinematography and star
performances, Autumn in New York is a love story that colours the heart with melancholy.
In fact the mood of the film is one of its great strengths, and there's time to reflect
and consider some of life's imponderables. But most of the enjoyment comes from
wonderfully engaging performances from Richard Gere and Winona Ryder. Gere plays
irresistible womaniser convincingly; you know the type - he's on magazine covers, has
plenty of green folding stuff and doesn't seeming to work much. Ryder is enchanting –
she is vulnerable, feisty, feminine and the epitome of youth and beauty. She is a classic
beauty with perfect porcelain skin, thick black lashes and liquid amber eyes. As for that
dress she wears on their first date – it's a stunner. Together they make compelling
chemistry, despite a touch of melodrama and a few script problems. The main flaw is to do
with the credibility of the development of their relationship, which is just a little too
speedy. And I do have some reservations about the ending. The elements however, are quite
delightful, and we are captivated for much of the time. It's Hollywood working Cupid's
bow. Central Park is beautiful with its autumnal colours, and New York's distinctive
skyline and personality elicit a strong sense of place. Great supporting performances from
Anthony LaPaglia and Elaine Strich, whose no-nonsense grandmother Dolly steals all the
best lines. One of my favourites is when she waves an apology for the mess with 'My maid
died 14 years ago and I've never been able to replace her…' Gere, Ryder and New York
– three good reasons to see it."
Louise Keller
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CRITICAL COUNT
Favourable: 0
Unfavourable: 0
Mixed: 2
 Brad Green's
SOUNDTRACK REVIEW
TRAILER



AUTUMN IN NEW YORK (M)
(US)
CAST: Richard Gere, Winona Ryder, Anthony LaPaglia, Elaine Stritch, Vera Farmiga,
Sherry Stringfield
DIRECTOR: Joan Chen
PRODUCER: Amy Robinson, Gary Lucchesi, Tom Rosenberg
SCRIPT: Allison Burnett
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Changwei Gu ASC, CSC
EDITOR: Ruby Yang
MUSIC: Gabriel Yared
PRODUCTION DESIGN: Mark Friedberg
RUNNING TIME: 105 minutes
AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR: Roadshow
AUSTRALIAN RELEASE: November 23, 2000
VIDEO DISTRIBUTOR: Roadshow Home Ent
VIDEO RELEASE: May 9, 2001
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