I do not usually go out of my way to watch love stories, but I couldn’t resist renting Autumn in New York because of Richard Gere. The man is like a fine wine; he gets better (looking) with age.
Will Keane, played by Gere, is a 48-year old playboy-womanizer. He loves them and leaves them, unable to commit. One night in the restaurant he owns, he meets the daughter of one of his old flames. The daughter is Charlotte, played by Winona Ryder. Will calls Charlotte the next day and tells her he needs her to make a hat for the lady he plans to take to a special dinner. A few days later, when Charlotte comes to drop the hat off, Will tells her that the lady canceled and he needs a date for the dinner, so she goes with him, which was his intention all along.
After spending the night together, Will tells Charlotte that he really likes her a lot, but they could never have a future together. She laughs and tells him that she knows they don’t have a future together because she has a terminal heart condition and isn’t expected to live very long. This really shakes Will up and before long he finds himself unable to give-up on their relationship.
The remainder of the movie is of Will trying to do right by Charlotte. He really loves her, but has never committed to anyone or anything in his life. The irony is that now that he has found someone he wants to commit to, it is someone that is not expected to be around for very long. Or it could be that he feels he can commit because she won’t be around for long. There is also a sub-plot; there is a mysterious woman from his past that helps teach him about love and commitment.
The movie was well written. Despite the incredible age difference, the romance works between Ryder and Gere. There is a sweetness and tenderness to the relationship. Gere’s character doesn’t make a complete transformation into a ’’white knight’’, he still has his faults and makes some really stupid mistakes in the relationship. But the viewer really roots for him to grow-up and appreciate the love that he has found.
If you love a good love story, then you will like this movie. The acting is good, and the May-December love affair is very touching. One piece of advice though, keep the tissues closeby. As with any good love story, there will be some tears.