Sweet Autumn (2020 TV Movie) User Reviews

A fall romance to appeal to those with a sweet-tooth!

[cgvsluis · 6/10 · 19 May 2022]

Aunt Dee of Aunt Dee's Candies passed away and leaves the business to her niece Maggie and her young friend Dex. Dex is a man of few words, which is both frustrating to Maggie but also prevents them from really getting to know one another at first.

Dee left a series of posthumous letters to both Dex and Maggie, with one purpose in mind.

Meanwhile Maggie would like to take the company National and Dex would like to stay local...arguments ensue amongst the annual fall festival hosted of course by Aunt Dee's.

This would be a great fall watch as it is filled with fall colors, facts about Maple syrup, and a fun fall festival in "Vermont".

The two leads play well together and the story has both fishing and motorcycles.

Mid-grade romance with a sweet concept.

Nikki and Andrew - some of my favourite Hallmark actors

[dorothyexeter · 7/10 · 17 March 2021]

OK. I decided to start to add my reviews. I enjoy some of the Hallmark movies since they are feel good movies to contrast with the ever increasing dismal dark movies on the movie scene. We need more positive depictions of humanity, family, friends, and romance, which is Hallmark's aim. Too many of the Hallmark movies are not well done, and I don't bother with them. This is one that is worth watching. I hope that Hallmark takes note of these reviews and continue to improve their movie lines with more varied themes and romantic scenarios. I like both Nikki and Andrew and this movie was great with these two leads. Yes, some of it was the basic Hallmark plot, with some good different twists to make it interesting enough to watch, as well as good supporting actors. Hallmarks should pay more attention to the makeup of the actors ... too much of the fake tan look here! Make them look more natural! The autumn scenery was beautiful, especially the scenes out in real nature. The theme of the movie and Aunt Bee's match making, after her passing, highlighted valuable ethics that our world needs more of. More people would benefit from these ethical messages if they watched these movies.

Is it just me?

[jagfannn · 6/10 · 20 October 2020]

I'll start by saying I love the cast here but, yet again, the male lead character starts out being so arrogant, unlikable and distasteful, he can't earn enough redemption by the end to make "romance" with the female lead feel heartwarming. Not enough chemistry between them to pull it off.

Writers need to stop being so extreme with the arc of the characters, extreme is not better, it's just extreme.

Finally.. Enjoyable movie!

[ts-0000 · 23 October 2020]

The set decorations & fall atmosphere,was chosen well. Lately things been,lacking or felt misplaced in Hallmark movies.. Was a refreshing change! The casting,script & lead actors was nicely done. Something worth checking out,will also rewatch in the future.

Classic Hallmark movie with new cast mix

[flashlightreview · 7/10 · 18 October 2020]

Hallmark went all out and revamped their "Fall Harvest" programming. "Sweet Autumn" is one of the better movies this year, and the reasoning might be:

• interesting cast, they come across as realistic and natural
• great setting, the houses, areas and decoration used really blend with the fall season
• while all Hallmark plots are kind of predictable, this one is at least interesting

Great movie.

Great cast, tiresome script.

[Racingphan2 · 6/10 · 6 February 2021]

Usually anything with either Nikki DeLoach or Andrew Walker is very good. This one isn't. No chemistry, sadly predictable scenarios and a general lackluster feel drag this movie down. And maple season is late winter. By fall all the sap and syrup have been sold off.

Sometimes Predictable can be good

[Sergiodave · 6/10 · 8 July 2022]

Yes, you can pretty much guess the ending to almost every Hallmark movie, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Sweet Autumn is most certainly not original, but with two of Hallmark's best lead actors it's a good way to spend 90 minutes. Enjoyable and may put a smile on your face.

A tastless autumn

[RaniaALDMR · 5/10 · 2 January 2022]

I disagree with most of the reviewers, I was so disppointed! Usually Nikki Deloach and Andrew W. Walker are good together but in the movie there was no chemistry at all, they looked like friends. She was really better with Scott Porter and he is better with Bethany Joy Lenz. And what's with Deloach's hairdo? The movie was boring and I did not see anything romantic.

The owl quote

[mermaidmax · 8/10 · 4 October 2021]

Beautiful scenery. I didn't focus too much on Nikki's hair. Typical in some ways, very different in other ways. Another reviewer asked about the owl poem, so here it is:

A wise old owl lived in an oak, the more he saw the less he spoke.

The less he spoke, the more he heard.

Now wasn't he a wise old bird.

Nice Movie with Some Strange Casting Choices

[mamachikn · 7/10 · 18 June 2023]

This is a cute movie. We watched it first a couple of years ago and liked it, mainly because of the lead actors.

On this rewatch, we noticed that the woman who was playing the lead's younger sister seemed quite a bit older.

She has played older characters, and is in her early 50s, whereas the lead actress, who plays the older sister, is 10 years her junior.

The really bizarre casting is the man who plays the husband of the 50 something actress is 30 years younger! 30 years! He looks a lot older than his early 20s, but everywhere I checked has him born in the year 2000.

That's beyond cougar, lol!

I still liked the movie. Not great, but Andrew Walker and Nikki Deloche are always fun to watch.

No Cliché left untouched

[rebekahrox · 4/10 · 23 October 2020]

Soooooooooooo Boring. I'll have to disagree with most of the reviewers here. I usually like Nikki Deloach and Andrew Walker. But Nikki had a weird hairdo and no opportunity to shine because of the dull script and Andrew was just meh in this one for the same reason. It all centers on the over-used- to-death plot of the successful woman's having to return to her small town to run a business she inherited but has to share with a handsome man who she conflicts with. Lord, I almost fell asleep typing that. Throw in the obligatory festival and a frolic and there you have it. This one, however, is made worse by the dead aunt she inherited the candy store (SWEET Autumn, get it?) from reaching back from the grave by leaving cloying and hackneyed words of advice for the couple in order to bring them together. This was a lazy effort and unworthy of the talent.

This is how it's done!

[MIssM19 · 9/10 · 18 October 2020]

In the last movie review Nikki DeLoach and Andrew Walker had I wrote this: "It's rare to see two leads working together again, three seems pretty impossible, but I really hope they get to do another movie together." It took them 3 years but it's finally here!

Ok, the plot is nothing we haven't seen. Both leads receive part of a inheritance: a candy shop, Maggie wants to expand the business but Dex doesn't. (He wants to keep production at a city level).

I had big expectations of this movie because of the leads, whom are among my favorites duos of Hallmark, and i'm happy to tell you these expectations were fullfiled! You can tell these two are good friends because they have amazing chemistry. The characters have a funny banter. We have a good secondary cast as well. Kudos to the set designers because the Autumn vibes made me happy. I'm even happy about how the managed what I call the "pre-ending problem", and while I don't quite excuse Maggie's decision at least they didn't behave like children. I'm already wishing for a fourth movie.

A match made in heaven (literally).

Matchmaking from the grave

[MickyG333 · 7/10 · 25 January 2023]

7.2 stars.

I like the leads, they never fail to entertain. Let's imagine you've never seen a Hallmark film before. If that is the case 'Sweet Autumn' will be a most wondrous romantic journey. But if you've seen 200 of them, like I have, (give or take) this one becomes so cliché that I have to shake my head. Where to begin with the glaring errors (or at least call them annoying).

The story begins about 20 years in the past, two young girls are with their aunt. They totally miscast the younger version of Deloach's character. They should have switched the roles, the other girl is a better fit. Error #1: casting.

We jump into the present, Deloach's character is in the big city now, she goes back home for her aunt's funeral. Aunty left behind a video to be viewed at her funeral. In the video she gives post mortem instructions for her family and friends. There is no development of the story, it's a bit confusing, and the video is cheesy, unrealistic, and cliché. Error #2: lack of foundation.

There are other incidents I'm not listing in this review. I was strangely turned off by this movie for a large portion of it. The writing is so repetitive with every other Hallmark movie, it's insulting. 'Sweet Autumn' was made in 2020, so all of these ideas have already been rehashed 50 different ways. If this had been done in 2012, I'd say it was unique.

The leads also get these letters from her aunt who passed, and as they read them, we can see that her aunt is some sort of supernatural being who has the gift of prognostication. The lead female is too authoritative with him while he takes a back seat in everything. There is one thing he won't budge on, yet he eventually does. I don't think so, this is a recipe for later disaster. He will grow to dislike her assertiveness one day. Error #3: The mechanics of this type of relationship are fanciful.

Even the older version of her sister looks more like the younger version that was miscasted as Deloach's younger self. Almost as if there was a misprint in the script, they got switched. Also, her sister looks 10 years older, but is actually younger? Error #4: script error, and casting error #2.

I don't want to spoil it. If you like this whole fantastical fabrication of destiny, fine, it doesn't work for me this time around. It's too overdone and is my final straw for this particular trope. HOWEVER...

...The chemistry is so real, the acting is sublime, the music, lighting, and scenery are superb, the film is well made. Outside of some writing and storytelling blunders, the dialogue is intelligent and witty. It was also entertaining after the first hour. If I watch this one again, this is a reminder to myself: be patient, it gets better after 60 minutes.

Not sweet enough

[TheLittleSongbird · 5/10 · 2 June 2022]

Although it didn't sound particularly original story-wise, 'Sweet Autumn' was still seen because of the two leads. Nikki DeLoach and Andrew Walker very seldom disappoint, their filmographies are hit and miss and so are their characters, but they are often among the best things of the misses. Do consider them two of Hallmark's best regulars and ones that near-consistently deliver, and have also seen them together before (and liked them).

'Sweet Autumn' sadly really isn't one of their better works. Actually think they came off quite well, though both have been much better in other things individually and together, but the film itself was at best average and does very little with their talents. Personally didn't think that 'Sweet Autumn' was terrible or one of the worst Hallmark films that year and it had its good things, but it really isn't too great either. More a middling effort, that is not as good as 'Country at Heart' (the only good Fall Harvest film this year) but much better than 'Follow Me to Daisy Hills' and 'Falling for Lock Lodge'. This is not being said with malice by the way.

The good things will be mentioned first. Personally thought that DeLoach and Walker came off quite well and work hard in making their characters interesting. DeLoach gives her all without resorting to scenery chewing, despite a dull role, and Walker once his character relaxes has an easy going subtle charm and natural charisma that he brings to many of his roles, no overacting or underplaying. The supporting cast are better than average too.

While the romantic chemistry could have done with more spark, to me it was there and it didn't feel rushed or aimless. 'Sweet Autumn' also looks lovely, especially the scenery which is something that Hallmark nearly always delivers on (even in the bad films). Some pleasant moments in the music, which is not as ill fitted or intrusive as other Hallmark films.

However, the story just didn't grab me. It is very slow going, especially in the pretty uneventful early stages, and is very flimsy and done to death-like throughout. Everything has been seen before with every Hallmark story cliche present to the point of being too much like a retread, and the plot element that the film attempts to set the film apart a little (with the candy store) is badly done, far too sugary sweet to the point of nausea and the over-sentimentality is too much. The script on the whole is poor and perfunctory at best, with too much talk, especially that cloying and really awkward sounding advice. Everything has been seen before with every Hallmark story cliche present, and the plot element that the film attempts to set the film apart a little (with the candy store) is badly done, far too sugary sweet to the point of nausea and the over-sentimentality is too much.

Despite DeLoach and Walker's best efforts, neither of their characters are easy to connect with and DeLoach's is too much of a bore. With the film focusing too much on their flaws, like Walker's character's arrogance to begin with, and exaggerating them (though DeLoach's overall is particularly taken to extremes), which is a pet peeve of mine watching films etc. Neither grow all that much. The supporting characters are typical Hallmark cliches and nothing more. The conflict is thin, lacks tension and contrived and as to be expected the film ends too tidily. Charm and heart are lacking and cheese and contrivance are in abundance.

Overall, average at best regrettably. 5/10.

Sweet Autumn

[studioAT · 5/10 · 4 November 2021]

Hallmark take their normal formula, borrow heavily from 'PS. I Love You', and call it 'Sweet Autumn'.

It's not bad, the leads work well together and the story holds up - which are the two things that make or break a Hallmark film, but I wouldn't say it ranks as one of my favourites.

Andrew W. Walker and Nikki DeLoach together again

[jewhitmer25 · 9/10 · 22 August 2021]

Andrew Walker and NIkki DeLoach were adorable together, they are such marvelous actors.

The plot was nothing new for Hallmark, can you say done-to-death, The entire cast handled it magnificently. What might have been a been there done that film captured my interest from the start and provided me the opportunity to enjoy the characters and intriguing situations.

My advice - watch this movie.

Tiresome storyline

[aka-30266 · 4/10 · 21 January 2021]

I used to like Nikki DeLoach but after watching several of her movies I have tired of the snarky, know it all attitude she portrays. Maybe it's the Hallmark scripts that keep repeating the same theme. Hallmark needs to show more originality or risk losing their fan base. Rude acting is starting to turn me off.

Great cast

[Jackbv123 · 9/10 · 18 October 2020]

These leads are Hallmark's heavy hitters and they have amazing chemistry. This movie does it right by not diluting the story with too many threads but keeping the focus on Maggie and Dex. The writers truly go with the movie's strength - Walker and Deloach.

The story starts with a premise that's been done a few times - shared inheritance. There's the usual animosity between the leads. There's what might appear to be a twist at about 3/4 of the way but it was predictable if you follow enough of these movies. But it was a twist in how stupid it was. No professional with any brains would pull that stunt like that. As Maggie said "You're ridiculous" and that statement is totally true.

Then there is another more interesting twist just a bit later. Didn't see that coming. But things wind up more on the predictable side, but for a Hallmark movie, we wouldn't want the ending to be much different.

Rehash of another Hallmark film....

[jenrn-09722 · 2/10 · 13 June 2021]

I was disappointed with this one. I like both the leads, but the storyline was a dud. First, Nikki Deloach just did this story in 2019. Except she inherited a bakery then and a candy store in this one - they should have picked something she hasn't done before. The aunt she inherits from is apparently a psychic, who left stacks of letters for everyone and was able to guide everyone's lives from the grave - how she had time to write all those letters before her death, know exactly what to say at the time they read them, and run her candy store was puzzling... The story was very predictable and many of the scenes seemed forced and dragged out. The leads riding motorcycles instead of driving cars was just a bit too over-the-top for me, both characters seemed too cautious and particular to be "bikers".

Nikki Deloach's hairstyle was also very distracting, her face is too small for bangs - she was lost in her hair.

I think had this storyline not been used so recently, left out the motorcycles, and the letters had read like letters from a loved on instead of fortune cookie verse - I might have found this more enjoyable. But all were too distracting....

Disappointed

[rhonnie-43139 · 5/10 · 7 March 2021]

I really like Andrew Walker and watch his movies when they play on Hallmark but the lead lady is a HUGE bore. She has no personality or maybe she has the same personality no matter the storyline. I think I liked her performance in one movie but it wasn't on Hallmark.

I honestly don't understand why they keep pairing her with Andrew Walker. They have ZERO chemistry. I liked him with Lacey or Arielle.

The storyline here is a huge bore. Don't waste your time. I would have given it a 1 but I'm giving credit to Andrew Walker for the portrayal of his character.

Sweet autumn

[mitchellrharl · 8/10 · 18 October 2020]

Love Nikki DeLoach the hairstyle is awful she is so pretty.Her and Andrew Walker good Hallmark casting more movies with them

Autumn in Vermont and Maple Syrup candy.

[TxMike · 22 November 2021]

We found this Hallmark movie on DVD from our public library. It is set in Vermont in the Autumn but was filmed in Canada, as are most Hallmark movies. And, as with all of them, no violence, bad language, or sex. Well there was one or two kisses.

All in all it is pretty cheesy, the dialog is simple and the acting is adequate. The story is sparked by the death of Aunt Dee who ran a popular candy store in the town, her will left the store half each to her niece and the son of a good friend. Her motive all along was to be a matchmaker.

We found it an entertaining way to pass 80 minutes or so, quickly forgettable but interesting nonetheless.

Dull, lifeless, and egregious errors

[caseybones · 3/10 · 5 January 2022]

Won't even bother with addressing the story since it's the same tired retread of every other Hallmark mess. Vapid dialog, mediocre acting, formulaic throughout.

But the worst, to me (since I have mae maple syrup during Sugaring Days at the local nature center) is the utter stupidity of the premise that you tap trees in the fall. Sap runs in the spring when temps are below freezing at night and above freezing during the day BEFORE THE TREES BUD!. There are no leaves on the trees let alone ones with autumn colors. How desperate does Hallmark have to be to pump out this dreck that they can't check a few simple facts? Do their writers live in an underground bunker or something?

Wow

[KingSplatzzz · 10/10 · 25 October 2020]

This movie is a banger , will be watching it again

Badly written

[lunarobertson · 1/10 · 6 February 2021]

Terrible hairstyle or wig on Nikki Deloach. And the storyline is soooo boring and cliche. Couldn't watch the entire movie. 💤