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I would like to offer the following disclaimer before
beginning this review: I am a crier. I cry at movies. Romantic movies, chick flicks,
movies with happy endings, movies with sad endings…you name it, I’ll have at least a few
tears going by the end. That being said, only two movies have ever managed to completely
reduce me to a messy, sobbing wreck: Titanic and Steel Magnolias. Well,
thanks to author Nicholas Sparks and director Nick Cassavetes, I can now add The
Notebook to that very short list.
The general plot of The
Notebook is a story as old as the hills: Rich girl (Allie, played by Rachel McAdams)
meets penniless boy (Noah, played by Ryan Gosling), and they fall in love. Allie’s
parents don’t approve, and the brief relationship ultimately ends. Years later, Allie is
engaged to another man (Lon, played by James Marsden). Noah suddenly comes screaming
back into her life, and she’s forced to choose between two men that she loves
dearly.
What makes The Notebook stand apart from similar tales is
the way the plot is presented. The story of Noah and Allie’s love is told entirely in
flashback mode—an older Noah (James Garner) reads the story to an older Allie (Gena
Rowlands), who now suffers from Alzheimer’s. Since Allie is no longer able to recognize
Noah, much less remember the story of their teenage romance, Noah reads to her from a
notebook that encapsulates the story of their love. He reads to her every day, and on
“good days,” she manages to remember and come back to him for a short
time.
I definitely recommend stocking up on tissues before you sit down to
watch this film. I was unprepared the first time I watched it—I ran out of tissues and
ended up sobbing into my husband’s shirt instead. (He was remarkably understanding.)
The story of Noah and Allie’s romance—by itself—will evoke a few tears from some viewers.
But the real heartbreaking stuff lies in the scenes with James Garner and Gena Rowlands.
They’re both brilliant actors, and their scenes together were the parts that reduced me
to a sobbing mess.
The DVD is packed with lots of bonus features,
including two commentaries: one by author Nicholas Sparks and one by director Nick
Cassavetes. Also included are documentaries on the original novel and casting and
several deleted scenes.
I very, very highly recommend The Notebook,
as long as you take my advice: Be prepared with at least one full box of Kleenex (more if
you watch with a group of people), and don’t watch it alone. Have a significant other
over to cry with you, or make it a girls’ night in. Having a shoulder (or two or three)
to cry on will make all the difference with this movie.
