Notes of Autumn

Notes of Autumn set the Fall season for me. I am a fan of Luke MacFarlane, and was happy to see him in this movie. The female lead, Ashley Williams, is delightful. She reminded me of a young Cybill Shepherd.

Luke and Ashley are best buds who live in different cities. Both are having work problems and decide to switch houses for 2 weeks.

In the switch, each meets a friend of the other, and friendship and eventual romance blossoms. (It is Hallmark). Luke meets Peter Porte, an aspiring chef, and Ashley meets Marcus Rosner, who is a musician .

I am so very glad Hallmark included the gay storyline, casting two out gay actors in the roles. The movie is typical Hallmark, but it was sweet and cute and well done.. I'm hoping to watch Luke MacFarlane in more movies.

If you've been following my blog, you'll know by now that I'm not a huge fan of romantic comedies - simply because I find them predictable. While 'Notes of Autumn' is also every bit predictable, the journey isn't as clichéd. This film also explores a heterosexual and a gay romance all in one. It's like 'The Holiday' with a gay twist.

The first thing about the film that grabbed me, was how likable the characters were, and how wonderful the actors portray them. There's great chemistry between all the characters, not only the romantic ones. I enjoyed the character set-up, and the natural flow of the film. It was relatable instead of sensational, and I loved that.

The absolutely gorgeous Luke Macfarlane stars as novelist Leo Carrington, who is suddenly experiencing writer's block with his latest novel. His editor suggests a change of scenery to inspire him. Leo's best friend is Ellie Matthews (wonderfully portrayed by Ashley Williams). She is working for an event management company but constantly finds herself distracted - by music - and is fired as a result. Also needing a change of scenery, she suggests to Leo that they swap places for two weeks.

So Leo heads off to stay in Ellie's apartment. Only, she never told him she gave access to her kitchen to her chef friend Matt (Peter Porte), who is gay. And Leo never told Ellie he promised his friend Sam (the delicious Marcus Rosner) that Ellie would help him with a music show. Through many hilarious moments, romance ensues.

I enjoyed the fact the romance didn't feel forced. It developed in a very natural way, and the characters were really sweet. I also liked the way sex was the furthest thing from their minds, and their respective relationships were based on true emotion (not lust). Honestly, 'Notes of Autumn' had me smiling from beginning to end; overcome with an unusual sensation of absolute joy! This was just fabulous. I loved it!

7.9 stars.

I don't usually give high praise for these sorts of films. You'll see what I mean if you watch it for yourself as it's very "evolved" and open-minded as a story goes. What I found to be a breath of fresh air was the timing and the brilliant story. The writing is profoundly incredible for this particular type of plot. The dialogue is superb and the emotions that it evokes are very real and fulfilling. I love the back and forth, or the switch and how there can be no resolution without each of them taking a complete leap of faith into the life they were meant to live. They must experience a foreign, yet familiar place, finding love in their opposite's best friend and finding courage under new and fresh circumstances. It's a movie about fate and trust. Wonderful film in spite of the other stuff (you'll see).

This is a lovely movie and a joy to watch. No over-the-top, formulaic drama-just a nice premise about good people learning to take leaps of faith in life and love. Each of the cast members is a good fit with the other; and whether love interests or friends, they all have great on-screen chemistry. It's believable and fun, and especially nice to see a normal storyline among gay men-no one's dying or persecuted-just living a normal life with personal struggles that are relatable to all of us. Luke Macfarlane and Peter Porte make a perfect couple, as do Ashley Williams and Marcus Rosner. With its great cast and beautiful fall filmography, Notes of Autumn truly embodies the warmth of fall and is one of those films you can enjoy over and over again.

This could have been risky for Hallmark - 2 male favorites playing gay (as they really are. It worked for me. I was recently been blown away by the high romantic connection & chemistry in the gay romance 'Red, White & Royal Blue' - and I am straight. Hallmarks are looking a bit inhibited, or Jane Austen, in comparison. Their final kisses should look like they mean it more- rather than 2 friends who like each other congenially. I loved the comedic depiction by Kavan & Pascale as the book characters commenting on the narration. Marcus Rosner is always good too, and Ashley wasn't as over-the-top.