Hallmark For All Seasons

Fall Harvest

Sweet Autumn

Well, just like that Fall Harvest is over and it’s on to the Countdown to Christmas. But first, let’s talk about “Sweet Autumn,” which starred Hallstars Nikki DeLoach and Andrew Walker in their third movie together. The film was helmed by Gary Yates as director, and featured Stan Spry as one of the producers. Knowing those four names were involved, I had very high hopes for the movie. It was filmed in Winnipeg, Canada.

In a nutshell

What a way to end Fall Harvest on Hallmark Channel! They certainly saved the best for last, as “Sweet Autumn” has become my number 1 Hallmark movie of the year thus far. The movie isn’t perfect, but my goodness I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Plot for “Sweet Autumn”

Maggie (DeLoach) returns home for the will reading of her beloved Aunt Dee, only to discover she inherited a 50% stake in her aunt’s popular maple candy business. Her co-owner? Aunt Dee’s maple syrup supplier, Dex (Walker). During the week of the Sweet Autumn Fest, Maggie and Dex search for the reason behind her aunt’s final wishes. As she and Dex spend time together, Maggie must decide if the life she built is the one she wants.

Actors/Chemistry

DeLoach and Walker have already proved they are a good pair. They are perfectly paired in this one, and didn’t disappoint one bit. I also liked the remaining cast, who blended in seamlessly despite the leads being the focus of the movie. I literally need to say nothing more.

We already know Nikki DeLoach’s “North Shore” connection to Kris Polaha (in addition to them being real-life friends from long ago), and due to their extensive Hallmark history, Polaha and Walker are also linked in many many ways.

Did I Hear/See That Right?

As I said earlier, the movie wasn’t perfect, despite being extremely enjoyable Here are a few nits I’m picking:

1. Franchising pumpkins? The movie opens with Maggie attempting to land a deal in which a pumpkin-based family run business. The pitch not only branching out with product types (coffees, cereals, dog treats, etc.) but franchising the actual business. Ummm…how will that business be successful if the ONLY focus is pumpkins? That’s kind of a seasonal thing. Not a year-round thing.

2. The will reading. There were two other couples at that will reading. I always assumed that if you are called to attend a will reading it is because you are getting something in the will. But apparently, those couples that were invited were left in the cold because Aunt Dee did NOT leave them anything.

3. The letters. As a storytelling device, I get it. Aunt Dee wrote the letters in order to get Dex and Maggie on the same page not only with the business but with each other. However, randomly leaving letters in a box and assuming they’d both start reading the letters at the same time? Risky. A better way to have the letters be part of the story would have been to have Maggie’s sister give her the letters, and Dex’s dad to give him the letters, with strict instructions to have them start reading on the same date. That’s not something you can leave to fate if it’s that important to you.

I’ll leave it at those three. I had a couple of others but they are really nitpicky and not worth going into since they did not ruin the movie or take me out of the story other than a passing moment (such as the candy competition being judged by not one, but TWO people closely tied to Maggie and Dex, blind tasting notwithstanding).

Tropes in “Sweet Autumn”

For a fall movie, there were so many great tropes. A shared inheritance is being added to the mix since there have been several movies with that plot device (my favorite being 2015’s “All Of My Heart”). Other tropes included the pumpkin client wearing the circle necklace that is very popular. There’s also the family-run business, the Big City Girl returning to Small Town for a Festival, a baking montage (in this case, a candy-making montage), and the two leads didn’t initially like each other very much.

Feelgoods

I smiled BIG when Maggie walked into the candy shop because I immediately recognized it from another movie. Turns out that movie is Lifetime’s “A Christmas in Tennessee” which also featured Andrew Walker.

Favorite line in the whole movie: “I’m just gonna grab these two jars that I definitely don’t need.” Zach said this when he overheard Maggie and Dex bickering in the front of the shop. So, so funny. I wish more Hallmark movies had these laugh out loud lines.

The unexpected kiss! So great! No interrupted kiss, just an intimate, I’m-as-shocked-as-you-are kiss.

And while I cannot point out any other specific things that made me have feels during the movie, the fact is that I had a nice, warm, fuzzy feeling at the end. That’s the epitome of feelgood, in my opinion!

Re-watchability

The fact is, this was a good script in the hands of a good director and production company, with a great cast. I would totally watch “Sweet Autumn” again. The movie was so obviously fall-focused – but without the need for the color washing that was done in the Follow Me to Daisy Hills from a few weeks ago.

The Ranking

“Sweet Autumn” is solidly in the number one spot, and it’s going to take some really GOOD Christmas movies to topple it from the top spot.

Sweet Autumn (air date: Oct 17) – 693 pts – weighted score: 118.5 (83.1%)
Matching Hearts (air date: Feb 8) – 640 pts – weighted score: 109.0 (76.5%)
Winter in Vail (air date: Jan 4) – 623 pts – weighted score: 108.8 (76.4%)
Wedding Every Weekend (air date: Aug 15) – 639 pts – weighted score: 108.3 (76.0%)
Love in Store (air date: Feb 22) – 637 pts – weighted score: 108.2 (75.9%)
Hello, It’s Me (air date: Sept 27) – 628 pts – weighted score: 107.8% (75.6%)
Love on Harbor Island (air date: Aug 8) – 634 pts – weighted score: 106.9 (75.0%)
The Secret Ingredient (air date: Feb 15) – 617 pts – weighted score: 105.2 (73.8%)
Country at Heart (air date: Oct 3) – 611 pts – weighted score: 104.1 (73.1%)
You’re Bacon Me Crazy (air date: Apr 4) – 591 pts – weighted score: 104.0 (72.9%)
My Best Friend’s Bouquet (air date: Oct 10) – 599 pts – weighted score: 103.4 (72.5%)
Fashionably Yours (air date: Apr 11) – 594 pts – weighted score: 102.6 (72.0%)
Follow Your Heart (air date: Oct 4) – 585 pts – weighted score: 101.6 (71.3%)
A Valentine’s Match (air date: Feb 1) – 562 pts – weighted score: 99.8 (70.0%)
Love On Iceland (air date: Jan 18) – 563 pts – weighted score: 99.4 (69.7%)
Hearts of Winter (air date: Jan 25) – 561 pts – weighted score: 98.2 (68.9%)
Just My Type (air date: Mar 28) – 565 pts – weighted score: 95.4% (66.9%)
Bad Date Chronicles (air date: Feb 28) – 520 pts – weighted score: 91.0 (63.9%)
Love in Winterland (air date: Jan 11) – 508 pts – weighted score: 90.7 (63.6%)
Nature of Love (air date: Apr 18) – 520 pts – weighted score: 90.3 (63.3%)
Amazing Winter Romance (air date: Jan 20) – 487 pts – weighted score: 85.6 (60.1%)
Love Under the Olive Tree (air date: June 20) – 473 pts – weighted score: 85.0 (59.6%)
In the Key of Love (air date: Mar 14) – 470 pts – weighted score: 82.5 (57.9%)
Love in the Forecast (air date: Jun 13) – 440 pts – weighted score: 72.5 (50.8%)
Midway to Love (air date: June 26) – 410 pts – weighted score: 69.0 (48.4%)
Falling at Look Lodge (air date: Sept 26) – 350 pts – weighted score: 64.0 (44.9%)
Romance in the Air (air date: Aug 1) – 367 pts – weighted score: 63.2 (44.3%)
Follow Me to Daisy Hills (air date: Sept 19) – 337 pts – weighted score: 62.8 (44.1%)
How to Train Your Husband (air date: May 16) – 350 pts – weighted score: 62.5 (43.9%)