Good story, Not enough for a whole film

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

In nicely photographed New York City, womanizing restaurant owner Richard Gere (as Will Keane) meets wiry hat designer Winona Ryder (as Charlotte Fielding) and the result is true love. But first, the couple must overcome an age difference. Then, there is the possibility of sex with an old flame. This is where a character's innate "lie detector test" comes in handy. Lastly, a rare disease threatens break up the blissfully happy couple. The attractive co-stars age difference is neither interesting nor unusual. The tragedies they suffer are likewise boring. There were opportunities to do something different and exciting with this old love storyline, but we remain on familiar ground.***** Autumn in New York (8/11/00) Joan Chen ~ Richard Gere, Winona Ryder, Vera Farmiga, Elaine Stritch

I watched this movie primarily because I like Winona Ryder. At first I was not very excited to discover the movie was for the most part a remake of LOVE STORY. Of course there are a few new twists but one can't deny many parallels. That wasn't that big of a deal but I must say the first half of the movie is rather uneventful with the two stars not really seeming to generate much legitimate chemistry. However, for me at least, things started to pick up considerably from the point the man is caught cheating. From there on the scenes are more dramatic and the cast responded to the increase in intensity. There is also some very artistic photography during the second half.....one scene in particular I found striking. This would be after Winona's character refused to have surgery and was sitting out in the cold on the balcony with Gere's character staring helpless through the window behind her. Very beautiful with the snow and unique composition of the shot. I would like to make a painting of that moment. Having the guy revisit his past via the arrival of his ignored daughter was a very nice touch. Suddenly it became a film about searching for redemption which was fairly well portrayed. Gere is pretty good here but I did find myself sorta wishing that someone with slightly better acting chops had been offered this role. He wasn't terrible though and the part was sort of tailored for his image. At least I got the fact that the Gere character was a man lost and desperately needing to connect with real people and his own real needs.I gave it an eight but truly it deserved maybe a 7.5 I did enjoy it though and there were some very touching scenes later in the film. And gosh, Winona was just so freaking lovely....what a face she has...wow!!!Anyhow,this is a tragic love story with a bit of depth and some truly beautiful people. The actress playing the daughter was very lovely to look at also I must add.

Well, I had very high expectations from this movie, because I like Geere, and in all the movies I've seen with him, he always did something to touch my heart. Rider is not one of my favorites, but anyway, I expected a lot more than what I've seen in this movie. First of all, the chemistry between the two is not there. You can feel they are just two actors with their roles and nothing more. Then the story is not necessarily old, but has no passion in it. Didn't touch me, didn't make me feel I am there, didn't squeeze any tear from me, as a similar movie did, "Sweet November", for example. The story line seems to be just without any salt or pepper. Like a child without imagination tells this to another child. There are no sparkles and most of all, it is so PREDICTABLE. I could say that each time she is having fun, she must get a heart crisis after this. It was TOO OBVIOUS. I like movies that keep me in the dark until the end, movies that are not predictable, movies that can make me feel there. This one didn't reach any of these things. I was disappointed by the story itself, the makeup, the intrigue, after all, I was disappointed by mostly anything. That's it.I recommend any of you, do not watch Sweet November BEFORE this movie, because otherwise Autumn in NY will seem like a silly low budget remake.1 out of 10 from me. And I rarely rate this low.

It seems these days that most critics will do anything to a movie just for the sake of appearing all-knowing, echelonistic and fastidious. Indeed, if it was not for my growing dislike for the absolute quixotic nature of critics (most of my friends don't even bother reading taglines anymore. They go by word of mouth), I would not feel compelled to defend this movie. In my honest opinion this movie is not half bad. I would not buy it or even recommend it but I most certainly would not lambast it. Let us take a tiny dissection of some of the criticisms leveled towards this movie.The chemistry is terrible: Well NO not really. What is being mistaken for lack of chemistry is a detachment which is perfect for the tone of the movie. Both main characters have mental asides. Winona's character is hiding something and Gere's character feels this. Add this to his emotional dilemma (he has never really given a rat's ass about anyone before and you could see why the characters are not doing cartwheels in bed.The movie is cheesy: What do you call titanic? City of Angels? Do you think these bodies of work are original. This may come as a shock to you but there is no such thing as an absolutely original idea. Every idea or concept borrows ingredients from another avenue. Look at the matrix.The script is redundant: The dialogue is horrible but then again, so was the dialogue in Mission Impossible.I don't expect this mediocre movie to change the world or even make a serious impact on culture or what have you. I just don't appreciate a regular old run of the mill cheesy Hollywood flick such as this one being crucified when others are left to fly and are called "the best movie of the year". Something is wrong. I do not like this. It does not make any sense.