Features: DVD, Widescreen, Pan and Scan (TV Format)
The passion and poignancy of classical romance take on a contemporary edge in Autumn in New York, the story of a 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, 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.
"Stylish and finely crafted." Los Angeles Times
"[Ryder's performance is]...heartfelt and appealing." James Berardinelli's ReelViews
Editor's Note
Following in a long tradition of Hollywood May-December romances, AUTUMN IN NEW YORK is the story of a pair who finds love when each least expects it. Will Keane (Richard Gere) is a successful restaurant owner and bachelor playboy with more "girlfriends" than he knows what to do with but no serious relationships. He meets Charlotte (Winona Ryder), the daughter of an old flame, and is immediately interested in her. The two develop a casual love affair, but Charlotte has a hidden secret: a terminal heart condition. As the unlikely pair continues the relationship, they grow closer than either could have imagined, proving that love is rarely convenient or easy. While struggling with his feelings toward Charlotte, Will also has to deal with a mystery woman (Vera Farmiga) who holds a secret from his past, and his own sense of mortality as he gets older. AUTUMN IN NEW YORK is an old-fashioned melodramatic love story that makes up for its familiar plot with glossy movie-star performances from Gere and Ryder, plus lush cinematography and elegant direction from actress-turned-director Joan Chen, whose touch makes New York City romantic in a unique and understated way.
Plot Summary
Joan Chen directed this sad story of a New York City romance cut short. An older man who is a known playboy picks up a younger woman, and the two fall in love. However, when she reveals that she is suffering from a terminal illness, the relationship takes on deeper meaning.
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