THE NOTEBOOK

[thompsoncory]

"Behind every great love is a great story"

http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/153/857340.jpg

Plot Summary: As a man (Garner) reads from a faded notebook to the woman (Rowlands) he regularly visits, his words bring to life the story of a couple (Gosling and McAdams) who are separated by World War II, then passionately reunited 7 years later, after they have taken different paths. Though her memory has faded, his words give her the chance to relive her turbulent youth and the unforgettable love they shared.

Directed by: Nick Cassavetes (John Q)

Starring: Ryan Gosling (Murder By Numbers), Rachel McAdams (Mean Girls), James Marsden (X-Men), James Garner (Space Cowboys), Gena Rowlands (Hope Floats), Sam Shepard (Black Hawk Down), Joan Allen (Pleasantville)

Written by: Jeremy Leven (The Legend Of Bagger Vance), Jan Sardi (Shine), Mark Andrus (As Good As It Gets), Madeleine Leven (debut), Lowell Ganz (Splash)

Rated: PG-13 (for some sexuality)

Running Time: 2 hours 1 minute

Release Date: June 25th, 2004 (wide)

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This looks like it has the potential to be really good. The TV spots have been exceptional, and Rachel McAdams is a talented new star on the rise. This could very well be a surprise hit of the summer. I think it looks great and I will try to see it in theaters.

[BorderEevilIII]

Just 2 words...............

RYAN GOSLING!

You just wanna just jump on the screen and kick that Rachel chick to the curb. But hay that just me. ;)

[Moviefan1234]

This looks like a good story with good acting. It normally isn't something I go for, but I seem to be interested in seeing it. Especially after Joblo's review.

[MadsenOMC]

I have a weakness for this type of movie. I laugh at the previews on TV when I'm with my friends, and then secretly go catch a matinee without ever telling anyone. I'm very ashamed of my behavior. I think this one looks pretty good.

[sharkstank]

boy, im surprised jo liked it so much. i may actually check it out tcause the trailers look good and it looks above averge.
plus it has rachel mcadams:D

WWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Fisting Ackbar]

Get the impression that a lot of it will be trite, but I might keep this in mind as a potential date movie.

But considering that I haven't had a date in 11 months, it might take a while before I see this

[Ed]

i'm gonna see this, i like the chick from Mean Girls (8/10)

[Adornado]

Blah, I hate romance movies in general and this one looks like nothing special so I won't be seeing this one.

[Jess]

I saw it last Friday at a sneak preview. It was okay, very typical of the genre. I swear I was the only person in the theatre not crying at the end due to, again, the typicalness of the story.

The good thing about The Notebook was plenty o'Ryan Gosling, with some shirtless moments and some angry, bearded moments as well. He was the best thing in the movie and not only is he super fine, he's also super talented.

Aside from that, The Notebook is blah and too typical for its own good.

4/10

[DareDevil]

huge Ryan Gosling fan here!!!!

The Believer was unbelievable!

soo im here for this movies ASAP

got high hopes!

[LoomisFan]

Call me a sissy, but I really wanna see this movie.

[Kim_EZ]

I do wanna see this. Can't be any worse than that awful A Walk To Remember. But you never know...

[Spock]

Not sure.

This seems to be a "chick flick" and even my wife doesn't like them. (Sorry to generalize matters, but you know what I mean.)

I myself do not like romantic movies, with one exception--Bed of Roses. For some reason, I enjoyed that one.

[mr_gamecube]

I saw this film today it wasn't to bad but the ending was very sad!

[Lindsey]

A MUST SEE FILM! Now I'm not the type of person who usually enjoys sappy love storys, hell, I'd rather see someone get hacked to pieces in a horror film! Me and my best friend went to see it tonight, because the previews looked good, and I'm a fan of Ryan Gosling (I loved The believer!). I must say that it's an excellent film. It's so beautiful and it's definitely filled with tons of emotions. I felt for each of the characters, and I had a smile on my face most of the time. It's definitely not your typical hollywood ending, that's for sure.

Oh...and you men who think you're too good for these types of films, half of the guys in the theater were tearing up! I myself was balling towards the end. I haven't cried so hard since the endind of Titanic! I definitely recommend this film to anyone and everyone. I think boyfriends should see it with their girlfriends, and mothers should see it with their daughters. It will bring them closer in a way, because of the great impact the film has to offer.

9/10

[Benny]

Another cliched Romantic Drama, ugh. I'll pass on this thank you very much. I'd much rather see Fahrenheit 9/11.

[Duke Nukem]

"The Notebook" is, in fact, a very good and moving romance film. It is not cliched. Of all things, it's romance films like this that we don't get too often. We only seem to get a true-down-to-earth goodie like this once a year. The last one I remember was the UNDERRATED "A Walk to Remember" in 2002. Can't remember one from 2003.

Also, this film is way better than Fahrenheit "fucking sucks" 9/11. That film is FAR from down to earth. It's simply a bullshitting one-sided crap that is not true at all.

I'll take movies like "The Notebook" over that anyday.

[Wildbilld]

Classic 4 Star Rating:
http://wildbilld.brinkster.net/pics/star.bmphttp://wildbilld.brinkster.net/pics/star.bmphttp://wildbilld.brinkster.net/pics/star.bmphttp://wildbilld.brinkster.net/pics/star.bmp

Letter Grade:
A

1-10 Scale Rating:
http://wildbilld.brinkster.net/pics/9.5stars.bmp

[MadsenOMC]

Duke, did you see Fahrenheit 9/11? And why would you bring it up here? Settle down man. Anyway, this is one hilarious movie. I am a sucker for this kind of movie. Chick flicks are a guilty pleasure of mine. But this is one cliched, predictable mess. I spent at least 50% of the movie rolling my eyes at the dialogue. The other half I spent laughing my ass off at the dialogue. I hope they got paid well. I don't know how someone can say lines like that and keep a straight face. Is there a single second in this movie that isn't cliche? It recylces every romance in the history of cinema. That isn't to say it's not somewhat enjoyable. I think the leads give great performances. Both are appealing throughout, and I wanted them to be together. They definitely keep it watchable. But man, the dialogue. Hysterical. One of the funniest movies of the year.

5/10

[Duke Nukem]

I think we have to keep in mind that movies like this (and really every kind of movie) have been done to death, and there's going to be cliches. Let's face it...























WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!!






















...We all know that the guy is going to get the girl in the end...





















SPOILERS OVER!!





















...It's all the matter of HOW that happens. Personally, I think "The Notebook" approached that obligatory notion with enough freshness of its own even within its cliches. It's all a matter of how fresh it the movie approaches the material. I think it does that and it moved me emotionally very much. Obviously, you don't feel the same way. That's where we disagree. Oh, well.

As for "Fahrenheit 9/11," benny brought it up, so feel I had a legitimate reason to discuss and compare it to "The Notebook." Isn't this a movie discussion thread?

The Notebook - very moving film - **** out of 4

[MadsenOMC]

Compare it to a movie you haven't seen? OK.

[Duke Nukem]

I don't need to see "Fahrenheit 'wrong' 9/11" to know it's and Michael Moore's ideas are wrong. Michael Moore is so incredibly mistaken to for bashing President Bush, its not even funny. There is so much more stuff going on that we don't know about. Does the media tell us everything? Not if they don't want to and they're not. Does Government tell us everything? Of course not, and in order to protect us. George Bush is not lying to America. He's doing his best (and by his best, he's not doing a bad job either), and trying to make Iraq a safe place again and stop the Al Queda.

But, stop side tracking these threads, Madsen. And, I will too. Get over the fact that you don't know everything that is going on within this whole political situation. And neither do I. There is so much more going on than we don't know about.

I loved "The Notebook," and obviously you didn't. And, I don't need to see that "other" movie to compare it to this. I love "The Notebook." I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it...

Moderator, it's okay. You don't need to chose this thread over this. Madsen and I will shut up now. It's over.

[Moviefan1234]

I went into this film thinking I'd like it, and I was right. It's not my usal cup o' tea, but there's something about it that just makes it seem like an old fashioned throwback film. It feels like a 1940's film, and what makes it work so well is the quality of acting and chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. I think everyone knows how it will end, but I didn't mind it being predictable. I just sat back and watched it bring a smile to my face.

8/10

[Duke Nukem]

Originally posted by Moviefan1234
I went into this film thinking I'd like it, and I was right. It's not my usal cup o' tea, but there's something about it that just makes it seem like an old fashioned throwback film. It feels like a 1940's film, and what makes it work so well is the quality of acting and chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. I think everyone knows how it will end, but I didn't mind it being predictable. I just sat back and watched it bring a smile to my face.

7/10

Totally agree.

[Lynn7]

I liked the romance in the beginning and thought it was going to lead up to something good but I was let down by what followed. The payoff wasn't as good as it should've been, IMO.Many elements seemed amateurish and heavy handed.

If I was going to make this better I would have made a better distinction between the two guys- i would've had her acting different with guy #2 than with guy #1. Maybe with guy #2 (Lan?) she should've been more refined and elegant and more crazy and fun with Ryan's character. I also would've stopped the movie way before it ended and it would've been better for it.

5/10
Despite the fact that I felt manipulated, I did cry at the end but I wans't sure why. I was a little disconnected from the characters in general at that point. Maybe it was just a feeling of sadness about that part of life in general.

I liked all the acting in the movie but the Gena Rowlands character seemed kind of flat and forced.

[thompsoncory]

http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/153/857340.jpg

Noah: "So it's not gonna be easy, it's gonna be really hard. And we're gonna have to work at this every day, but I wanna do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, you and me, every day."

It's hard to find a romance film that will truly stay with you after you have seen it. In most cases, you will simply go for two hours to be entertained, and then forget about the film a few days after. It is also hard to find a romance that actually makes you want to experience what the characters have. Most films just simply show you a fantasy, take you to a place where people meet at the snap of a finger and fall in love even faster. Their romance is not developed and therefore you are simply entertained by it and not really moved by it. There have only been two films that have truly shown me what love is. The first was last year's Christmas fable Love Actually, a brilliant film about the power of love in many different situations. The other is The Notebook, a powerful and moving drama about love conquering all odds.

Gena Rowlands plays Allie, an elderly woman sick with Alzheimer's who lives quietly in a nursing home. Her husband is a man named Duke (James Garner), who tries to cope with the fact that his wife has virtually no memory of who he is by telling her the story of their past. This is where we meet Allie Nelson (Rachel McAdams) and Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling), the film's two principal characters. They come from two different backgrounds, but meet by chance at a carnival one night. The two fall madly in love and have a summer romance full of passion and happiness. But after the summer ends, Allie's disapproving parents (Joan Allen and David Thornton) send her back home and off to college without a chance to say goodbye to Noah.

Years pass, and Noah writes Allie endless letters. She never recieves them, however, because of her mother's sneaky ways. Eventually, the two learn to live without each other. Noah goes off to war, and when he returns, he begins to build a dream house that Allie once said she wanted. Allie goes off to college and, while volunteering as a nurse during the war, meets Lon Hammond (James Marsden) a rich gentlemen who falls in love with her and ends up proposing. But fate steps in as Allie sees Noah's picture in the paper. She returns and the two begin to experience the feeling they had before and have not had since. But Allie must decide whether to follow her head, or to follow her heart.

The movie, as predictable as it sounds, actually doesn't take the easy way out and make characters unlikable. James Marsden's character actually doesn't turn out to be a bad guy and the parents turn out to be sympathetic close to the end. It takes time to develop characters, and truly makes you feel for the young lovers to the point that you will be crying once they get together. The scene that I quoted at the top of this review is where I lost it.

Although Garner and Rowlands both give good performances (especially Garner, who you will cry with in a scene when he breaks down), the movie really belongs to the two leads. Rachel McAdams, who played evil Regina George in April's smash hit Mean Girls, delves into another type of genre here. To say she pulls it off successfully is an understatement. She gives one of the best performances I have ever seen in a romance, and certainly the best female performance of the year so far. She is so utterly believable that you feel exactly what her character is going through. Her performance was, in a word, fantastic, and it proves that she is one young star who can actually act. Ryan Gosling, who I had only previously seen in Murder By Numbers also gave a great performance. He makes the role seem real and fresh, not a fake Hollywood character creation. He is a young actor who is going places. Also, the two stars have such believable chemistry that at times it isn't even like you are watching a movie. It feels that real.

Director Nick Cassavetes shows some real filmmaking talent here. The shots of the water are simply breathtaking, and the movie's scenery is truly beautiful. He deserves recognition for his strong work, as does cinematographer Robert Fraisse. Fine work indeed.

The movie does have some flaws. The story isn't terribly original and it's obvious from the beginning who Allie will end up with. But the story isn't important here. What is important is how powerful the film is, how strong the performances are, and how this movie truly makes you want to fall in love. I rarely cry in movies, but this film had me crying my eyes out, especially during the last 30 minutes. I will be seeing this movie again soon because I loved it so much. A definite must-see and one of the best of the year so far.

9/10 (A)

[flowrchild]

Originally posted by thompsoncory
"Behind every great love is a great story"
http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/153/857340.jpg


They have way more heat in that poster, than they do in the entire film combined.

[blacksnake]

The Notebook, is based on the novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. The film is about an elderly man who comes into a hospital to read to a woman from a book he has. He tells her the story of two teenagers who fell in love during the summer during the 1940's living in the South. The boy is named Noah Calhoun, and he works at a lumber yard and one day while seeing a girl named Allie, he develops a big crush on her and will do anything to get her to go out with him. Eventually, Allie does go out with Noah, and they have a good time together and they fall in love. Allie's parents don't approve of the relationship because Noah, isn't ritch like them. Allie's family moves away and years later they meet again to rekindle their love but this involves both of them to endure a lot of changes. The older man who is ready the book to the elderly lady at the hospital is Noah, and the woman is his wife Allie, who now has dementia and he is reading this to her so that maybe one day she can remember him and what happened during their love life and their past. The Notebook, has good direction, a good screenplay, great performances from everyone involved, good original music, good cinematography, good film editing, good production design and good art direction. Actor, Ryan Gosling who plays young Noah Calhoun, prepared for his role in the film by living in South Carolina, and he also rowed in the Charleston river in the morning and built furniture during the day. Although we somewhat knows how the movie will turn out and some might find the film a little too syrupy I thought it was touching, well made, well acted, good character developing and good character chemistry, the film is sweet, sentimental, entertaining, the film has real feelings and emotions that it generates, affecting, full of heart and a very effective film. Although the film was not liked by all I think the film and it's actors and crew get some sort of Oscar nominations come award time. This was a very good film and it is a tear jerker but it is a good one. One of the best films of the year.

[TheDeadWalk]

The book which I read in 1999, was Nick Sparks' tribute to his grandparents who held a similar love for one another. I was moved by the book, and thus it didn't take much coaxing to get me to see this film. It is rare for a book to impact me, seeing as I'm not so much a casual reader, and when I do read, its usually morbid stuff.

This film is not totally cliched, the plotline for the 'present time' was very unique and original. James Garner's role was extremelly superb, showing the effects of true love; something we don't see everyday.

The cinematography I found absolutely beautiful, especially 'the most beautiful thing I have ever seen'. However, the only downpoints to the film really were some of its performances by side characters, and of course "The old lady" who really played their roles down a bit.

The dialogue wasn't bad, but most important was the chemistry. I really got the jist shoved into my chest how much Noah loved Allie, and at times could almost feel his pain residing in my own sternum when one must endure the hardships of love.

The emotional impact this film gave me was something very remarkable. It is not paper cliches, it really felt like love.

I wouldn't change much in this film(Josh Lucas/Matt McConaughey as Noah would have been SUPERB), as it was a truly great film that I feel most people should give a chance.


9/10

And I cried like a little bitch.

[blacksnake]

I agree that James Garner, was very good in this role. In fact I thought all the main characters was but I do agree that the older Allie (played by Gena Rowlands) lacked a little. and, I did think Ryan Gosling was very good as well and didn't think the part needed to be played by anyone else. Rachel McAdams also does a great job and the cinematography is beautiful.

[EDsoulsurvive*]

after all the POW both on the boards and from friends/family, I'll be seeing The Notebook tonight and I can't wait.

[blacksnake]

I hope you enjoy the film.

[MadsenOMC]

You want to see a real romance? See Before Sunset. The two don't even compare.

[Sam Gamgee]

It's so beautiful...! i really love it. i'll see it again...!

Rachel McAdams is a good actress...! she's so different when she's in Mean Girls. Ryan and Rachel have the greatest chemistry this year! :)

[MadsenOMC]

Originally posted by Sam Gamgee
Ryan and Rachel have the greatest chemistry this year! :)

They have nothing on Ethan and Julie. It's kids stuff, playtime, compared to the sparks between those two.

[blacksnake]

Sam Gamgee, I'm glad you liked the film so much. It was beautiful. I also thought Rachel McAdams did a great job and the characters have great chemistry today. I haven't seen Before Sunrise or Before Sunset, but I love director Richard Linklater's films so I plan on seeing both soon. He has great scripts so I'm sure the characters will have great chemistry as well.

[ukcats]

my mom keeps telling me that i HAVE to see this movie...so i guess i will!