The Notebook

The Notebook is one of my all-time favourite movies. Its a constant, and classic love story that makes you feel as if you are there watching it.. as if you are one of the characters, which makes the impact of the story just that much more real. There really are no words to describe how this movie makes you feel, but one thing is for sure... It will make you feel. After watching it, i've often just.. sat where i am and just thought about it. It's just one of those movies that you will think about 30 years after watching it, and still get that same feeling in your heart.. and you'll know that it touched you in one way or another. If you haven't seen it, you really are missing out... Its a classic!

This story plays out as Duke, played by James Garner, reads a story about two young people in the 1940s who fall in love and endure life. The movie moves between present-day and the 1940s. It is structurally very similar to "Fried Green Tomatoes", which is also one of my all time favorite movies.

Unlike "Fried Green Tomatoes", this focuses on young love as it grows and endures through wars and parental dissent. Sure, the core is the "Romeo and Juilet" theme, but the way is plays out and the exceptional charisma that the actors bring to the screen make it feel fresh and not entirely predictable. This is a deeply romantic movie. If you are cynical at all about romance, timeless love and dedication to another person, you may find yourself rolling your eyes a bit. I am not that cynical about the emotional ties that bind us and I was thoroughly taken in by the story.

This is such a gentle movie. The characters are very human and very likable. All of the actors turn in engrossing and compelling performances.

Technically, this movie is exceptional, too. The scenes during the opening credits is absolutely breathtaking. The editing is very good. The story is compelling from the opening credits to the closing credits.

My wife and I don't always share the same perspective on movies, but we agreed on this one. We both loved it immensely. I am certain this will become part of our permanent collection.

This amazing love story can be enjoyed by all. The Notebook is not one of those cheesy chick flicks that often come out, it is a brilliantly written intriguing story about two young lovers that most people can relate to.

Even most males will agree that this movie pulls at your heart strings. Filled with fabulous quotes, and sentimental moments I found this movie to be one of the best I've seen. I got to know both main characters and found myself relating to each of them. Most of us remember our first love and that strong connection we had with them. This movie makes us think of what could have been and gives us a fresh look at the meaning of true love. I recommend this movie to anyone with a heart.

My wife and I watched this movie when it was first released and enjoyed it whilst acknowledging its manipulative aspects. I do get the bad reviews. We watched it again today while in lockdown due to coronavirus. We are now in our late 70s. For us the subject of the central relationship was very close to home both in the development of the love of the central characters and in the enduring nature of that love in their twilight years. It's easy to be cynical about a movie such as this but, boy, does it pack a punch when you've lived it.

Prior to watching "The Notebook," I was not familiar with the work of the actress Rachel McAdams. She made an indelible impression by sustaining an outstanding performance in this film. Her character Allie is the pivotal role in the film, as she must make the crucial romantic decision on which the story turns. There are few performers capable of evolving the complexity of characterization as achieved by Rachel McAdams.

The film recreated effectively the world of the 1940s in America, including the parental pressure exerted by the well-to-do family of Allie on whether to allow their daughter to pursue a young man from the other side of the tracks. As played by Ryan Gosling, the character of Noah could have revealed more emotional layers. There was only one scene in the film where he really showed that there was something at stake in his love for Allie. He apparently wrote her a passionate letter every day for a year. Especially in the film's early scenes, Gosling could have shown more of the passion.

The other cast members were outstanding, including James Garner and Gena Rowlands in the parallel story. In the two plots, "The Notebook" merits comparison with another outstanding romantic film, "The Bridges of Madison County." As the two subplots of "The Notebook" come together, one of the key characters is Allie's mother. As always, Joan Allen delivers a convincing and complete character portrayal, as the well-intentioned, but conflicted mother. In one of the most moving scenes in the film, the mother opens up to the daughter and tells her story of youthful love and a fateful choice similar to the one Allie herself must face.

My favorite scene in the film: a wonderful sequence where Noah and Allie are in a boat in the backwaters of South Carolina. The waterway is simply filled with white geese. It is a stunning and picturesque moment, among many in this well-crafted film. If there is such a spot in South Carolina, then I want to go there!