R E V I E W S

Autumn In New York (2000)

Starring: Richard Gere, Winona Ryder
Director: Joan Chen
Rating: PG-13

Studio: MGM

Review Posted: 8.20.00

Rating: 1.5/5

By Paul Perkins.

You can always tell when the summer is almost over because movie studios put out their bad films in the month of August. And some times studios don't screen the film to the press because they are afraid of the critics bashing the film, as is the case with Autumn In New York.

Autumn in New York, the story of an once-in-a-lifetime love affair that unfolds in a single brief season. The pairing of an aging man who doesn't believe in forever with a younger woman who has only a moment to give produces a resonant story about the risks that must be taken to truly live and love.

Autumn in New York follows the sexual exploits of Will Keane (Richard Gere) - New York restaurateur, infamous verging-on-50 playboy, and master of the no-commitment seduction - until he runs into an unexpected dead end when he meets Charlotte Fielding (Winona Ryder). Charlotte is half Will's age and twice his match, a 21-year-old free spirit yearning to get out and taste the excitement of adult life.

Will indulges his interest in Charlotte, expecting yet another quick and easy romance. But nothing-about Will and Charlotte's encounters are quick or easy; instead they are rife with intergenerational clashes, differing philosophies and an inexplicably urgent sense of sensuality and connection. Then, just as Will attempts to escape from the relationship with his usual line about "not promising forever," Charlotte provides a surprise response: she has her own reasons to believe things absolutely can't last.

Well, what can I say about this movie. It was so bad and boring I felt like jumping off a bridge after seeing it. Here are some key points why I did not like it. The story was so lame and it was done so many times before. Richard and Winona did not look good together and when they kiss, Gere looked like he didn't really want to. Winona's character is dying in the film and we all know this. She has a tumor in her rib cage, so how can she have sex with Richard's character in the film? The last thing you'd want to do if you have a tumor in you rib cage is have sex because you take deep breathes when you do. Only in Hollywood.

There is a scene when a young lady named Lisa finds Gere's character, you come to wonder who she is. The movie doesn't tell too much about her. There's a scene with a surgeon and the way he acted in front of a Patents you can tell this is a movie. The ending was so Hollywood and it did not make sense in regards to the plot of the film to have it end the way it did.

Here are some good points of the film. None... None... None. Did I forget to mention there were no good points in this film? When I was coming out the theater I saw an older lady. She said she needed some excitement after 20 years of marriage and wanted to see Richard Gere. Well, you won't see any thing like that in this film. If you want to see Richard Gere, go rent Pretty Women because why spend $8 on a boring and bad film. Pretty Women is better than Autumn In New York. If you value you money, avoid Autumn In New York.

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