Upamanyu Biswas
Directed by T.W. Peacocke, ‘Fall Into Winter‘ follows a candy shop owner named Kerry Murphy, whose life is upended after her brother sells half of the store to his old friend, Brooks McLead. Subsequently, she has to get along with Brooks as the pair decides how to run the business as a team. Unfortunately, Kerry does not see eye-to-eye with her new partner, as he used to be her tormentor in high school. Fearful of reigniting the bad spark, the protagonist keeps her distance, but it only makes things more difficult for the task at hand. The TV movie revolves around a cute but nostalgic premise of a classic romance between two enemies who slowly start to break the barriers of connectivity and rekindle their past lives.
Fall Into Winter is a Tale of Miscommunication
‘Fall Into Winter’ is a fictional story penned by Cara J. Russell that digs into the complexities of an adult relationship, especially when there is history between the characters. Although the two central characters, Kerry and Brooks, are at a precarious stage in their lives and have been single for a while, they constantly fall into the traps of misunderstanding that plague lovers of all ages, whether experienced or inexperienced. To that end, the movie showcases how compatibility and clear communication is often preferable over the alternative. However, first, it creates a sweet, light-hearted atmosphere that allows such weighty matters to crop up in conversation over time. Even if the movie utilizes some well-versed tropes, they work in favor of illustrating the simple yet complex nature of human bonds.
Primarily, the central aspect plaguing Kerry throughout the narrative is the childhood teasing she suffered at the hands of Brooks, who was older than her. She holds a grudge against him, not knowing his intentions or motivations for being cruel to her. Even into adulthood, she holds those accusations against him, which Brooks clarifies as something he did without ever thinking of the consequences. In reality, his actions were so trivial in his mind that he was surprised Kerry felt so aggrieved about it. This emphasizes how anxieties and fears about a person’s actions are exacerbated when the question is never posed to them. There can be a whole host of reasons behind someone’s behavior, most of which are centered on the person and nothing personal at all.
Fall Into Winter Revolves Around the Difficulties of Falling in Love
A level of groundedness and reality pervades the relationship between Kerry and Brooks, who often allow their insecurities to dictate their reasoning. Whenever the two interact honestly, they make some major breakthroughs in their connection and get closer, but it does not happen enough. It showcases how they have held themselves back because of worries that have nothing to do with their present situation but fears relating to their past or future. Even the core concept of running a shop together sometimes sows division between the pair. Understandably, in a professional setting, there is more reason to have arguments and fallout over business decisions, but in their case, it also stems from their personal situation.
Early in the story, Kerry reveals that Brooks stood her up during a so-called date when they were still teenagers. She felt humiliated when he did not come, internalizing the negativity as a flaw within herself and also directing it towards him. It’s not until later that she realizes he had not asked her out on a date – it had been a throwaway comment. Even Brooks is recuperating from her previous life in the corporate sector and running away from it with all his might. As such, running the candy shop with Kerry gives him a new enthusiasm for life and the next phase of his journey. She does not realize that he is simply exercising her newfound joy and not being a belligerent co-owner. Again, the lack of frank discussions leads to many problematic assumptions.
Fortunately, by the end, the characters resolve a number of their issues, partially due to a dedication to being more open but also to admit being wrong in assuming certain things anyway. The culmination of factors leads to a more well-rounded and detailed romantic relationship with a sense of immersion. As such, the inconsistencies and tripping over one another’s feet are reminiscent of how real people communicate at times, allowing a level of freedom when exploring the more sentimental aspects of the love blossoming between the two. It may be typical in its depiction, but its authenticity is still maintained when it gets it right.
Read More: Fall Into Winter: Exploring All Filming Locations
