The Notebook

“The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds. And that’s what you’ve given me. That’s what I’d hoped to give you forever.” — Noah to Allie

The Notebook might seem like a classic “rich girl falls for a poor boy” story, but when you take a closer look, it turns out to be much more than that. Yes, Noah is a poor quarry worker and Allie is a beautiful young heiress, and they’re separated by the classes they belong to. And yes, we do see how the power of their love brings them together in spite of that. We’ve all seen such stories before, right?

But The Notebook is much more than that. More than a fated love, this is a story about a choice.

The movie, based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks and directed by Nick Cassavetes, begins with an elderly man reading a story to a fellow nursing home patient. It’s a romantic story about Noah Calhoun, played by Ryan Gosling, and Allie, played by Rachel McAdams, who meet at a carnival and have a summer romance, before being separated by Allie’s parents. Years pass, World War II shakes America, and Allie eventually gets engaged to a rich, young lawyer. But then she meets Noah again, and everything around her seems to fall apart.

So why is it a story about a choice? Well, without spoiling the ending, the movie puts an emphasis on a couple that chooses each other, and fights against everything the world throws at them, as a team. In the beginning, this is Allie’s family. Later… we’ll let you see for yourself.

The chemistry between the main characters is through the roof. Ryan Gosling got to portray a character who grows up during what’s probably the most difficult time for a young man in the modern era. He shows the width of his range and plays Noah very naturally. Rachel McAdams on the other hand just shines with beauty and charisma, but also pure talent. She was just the perfect choice for Allie. We love both of them, and root for them through the entire movie.

Although, Allie’s fiancé was a pretty decent guy. It’s not something you commonly see in a romance.

We all know about the cult status of this movie. Is it deserved? We think it is. The cinematography is rich and colorful, and a really good representation of the era. It’s a little too sentimental at times, and there’s just a tiny hint of manipulation, but isn’t this why we love romantic movies? It succeeds in what it set out to do.

Let’s say you pick up a copy and start watching it, and then you think to yourself “this is way too melodramatic”. Go back to the beginning and remember that this is a story within a story. It’s allowed to be melodramatic because it was never meant to be a 100% accurate portrayal of reality. The feelings it evokes are all that matters.

You’ll see why. Unless you’ve read the novel, that is.

And that’s why we feel that, if you had a choice between watching this movie or reading its source material first, you should choose the movie. It’s such a good adaptation, with amazing actors and cinematography, directed very well. It’s cute, it’s romantic, and it will tear your heart out by the end.

Wait. That didn’t sound so good.

Let us end this review by stating once again that this movie just has it all. Even if you aren’t normally a fan of romance, this one is a good choice because you won’t see as many clichés, and by the end you’ll be left with a stack of emotions that will cement the movie in your memory for a very long time. Watch it with a significant other for maximum feels.