It's indeed the season in the movie: heavy rains and leaves falling. But it's also the feeling I got after watching it. It'a bit dull: the locations are beautiful, the cast is talented but the sauce doesn't get drenched. Maybe it's because i can't believe that we can't fall in love like this and that Minnie's trick for testing her relationship is impossible. Hence, i never related to the drama, that is above all very limited: it's Minnie pleading all the time for the come-back of her lover. By luck, there are some funny moments but it's not enough and the movie would have been more interesting with focusing more on the British / American differences.

Okay, before I go on I must confess, the movie doesn't deserve a 7 star rating. Maximum I would have given it is a 6.5. But then I saw it's IMDb rating, and I thought hey, the movie isn't that bad. And I kind of wanted to raise it's rating a little bit.And it isn't. Yes, the plot isn't terribly original. Yes, the romance doesn't melt your heart. Yes, the comedy doesn't make you roll on the floor laughing. But it does make your smile. The little game that Heather Graham and Colin Firth play, beating about the bush is cute and the chemistry between them is pretty good. The plot is pretty predictable but Heather's portrayal of the vivacious and bubbly Mandy does liven it up. In the end, it's not a terrible waste of time. You won't regret having seen it.

My girlfriend has this movie on Video and has hammered on at me to see it for some time. Last weekend I finally watched the shambles that is "Hope Springs." The Plot is fairly straight forward, English artist (Colin Firth) has his heart broken by his fiancée so goes to a small American town in the middle of no where to get over his pain. Once there he meets a care nurse of sorts (Heather Graham) and they begin to have feelings for one another. Then.... the ex turns up (Minnie Driver) and the "fireworks" begin.To echo previous reviews, I think this film fails on every level. The story is so achingly simple that with the right actors and a sharp, witty script this could have been a hidden gem. However, it just plays like a movie that should have been shelved by the studio. Its that bad.Colin Firth seems to still be "dining out" on the fact that he made an impression in the publics mind as Mr Darcy in the BBC version of Pride and prejudice in 1995. He keeps playing the same half arse bumbling Brit no matter what role he appears in. The audience is supposed to believe that Minnie Driver and Heather Graham are desperate to snag this man. Ridiculous. The afore mentioned ladies do a reasonable job with what they're given, Driver coming across as smolderingly sexy in a few scenes which stands out amongst the other very average performances.Mary Steenburgen and Oliver Platt are absolutely wasted in their supporting roles which is criminal given that they would both have been capable of saving this mess with more to do. The editing is poor, certain plot points are introduced and left dangling without resolution and the continuity is puzzling. The events that unfold feel so stage managed and preposterous that you'll be left shaking your head in disbelief.I wish I could find something positive to say about this film, but how can you praise a "romantic comedy" that neither tugs at your heart strings nor inspires laughter.

I was seriously disappointed with this film which I felt lacked in romance and comedy. However, this man, though fighting some issues lives out every man's dream... two beautiful women fighting over him both of which are eager to just strip and jump all over him, without the man having to do any persuading and he actually asks them not to (very unrealistic and definitely NOT romantic). And the one who the "romance" is suppose to occur with asks this depressed man, recently broken up with his fiancé' to go somewhere to help as a friend then proceeds to down an entire bottle of alcohol like it was water then drive him high speed through town running stop lights and the like to return to his apartment where she quickly strips to dance naked and "free" in front of him.... wow! Oh yeah, they only met the day before this (How Romantic!!NOT!!) And the whole movie is just as odd! I am so glad that I only rented this movie!