The Notebook

[MacGuffin]

Trailer

Release Date: June 25th, 2004 (wide)

Cast: Ryan Gosling (Young Noah Calhoun), Rachel McAdams (Young Allie Nelson), Joan Allen (Allie's Mother), James Garner (Noah Calhoun), Gena Rowlands (Allie Nelson), Sam Shepard, Kevin Connolly, Heather Wahlquist (Sara Tuffington), Meredith Zealy (Maggie Calhoun)

Director: Nick Cassavetes (Unhook the Stars, John Q, She's So Lovely)

Screenwriter: Jeremy Leven (The Legend of Bagger Vance, Don Juan de Marco); revisions by Nick Cassavetes (cowriter of Blow, Unhook the Stars)

Based Upon: This movie is based upon the novel, "The Notebook", by Nicholas Sparks, who also wrote the novels that Message in a Bottle and A Walk to Remember were based upon. Sparks reportedly based the novel partly upon the experiences of his grandmother.

Premise: A retired salesman (Garner) visits an elderly woman (Rowlands) suffering from Alzheimer's disease in a nursing home regularly to read from a notebook on her shelf which tells the story of two young men (Gosling, Connolly) in North Carolina in 1946 who were both courting the same girl (McAdams), with the film "flashbacking" to that time as he reads the story. It soon becomes clear that she is the young woman, and he is one of the young men.

[El Duderino]

i like gosling a lot, ever since 'the believer' so i'll end up seeing this probably

[NEON MERCURY]

if i was 14, just starting to rid the "girls are gross" mentality, still get my mom to cut the crust off my peanut butter and jelly sanwiches, play rock/paper/scissors to see who gets to drink the grape koolade first, and still wear velcro shoes- i would be first in line......

[Stefen]

if i was 14, just starting to rid the "girls are gross" mentality, still get my mom to cut the crust off my peanut butter and jelly sanwiches, play rock/paper/scissors to see who gets to drink the grape koolade first, and still wear velcro shoes- i would be first in line......

hahaha velcro shoes.

[El Duderino]

if i was 14, just starting to rid the "girls are gross" mentality, still get my mom to cut the crust off my peanut butter and jelly sanwiches, play rock/paper/scissors to see who gets to drink the grape koolade first, and still wear velcro shoes- i would be first in line......

hahaha velcro shoes.

velcro shoes that light up when you step hard enough.

[Pedro]

if i was 14, just starting to rid the "girls are gross" mentality, still get my mom to cut the crust off my peanut butter and jelly sanwiches, play rock/paper/scissors to see who gets to drink the grape koolade first, and still wear velcro shoes- i would be first in line......

hahaha velcro shoes.

velcro shoes that light up when you step hard enough.

LA Lights?

[Stefen]

Ah good ole nostalgia.

[Ravi]

They've started showing TV ads for a sneak preview in Dallas.  The ads make it look like pure cheese.

[Thrindle]

A bunch of my friends saw a pre-screening of this movie last night, and it was general consensus that it was great.  Apparently everyone in the theatre was bawling at the end of it...  Sounds like a "Thrindle" film to me.  

Having said that, I don't know how seriously I take my friend's opinions...  many of them think that Romy and Michelle was the best movie ever made (not that there's anything wrong with that  :P )

[Thrindle]

Sometimes a story needs to be told.  It doesn't have to be told perfectly, and perhaps it benefits from intense sentimentality.  This movie was that type.  Beautiful love story.  Stunning.

And yes, I cried like no other.  

The performances were really great, and cheers to James Garner for a great job.

People... go see this movie.

[Finn]

Yeah, it's a wonderful movie. I can't say that I cried, but I did get really emotional a few times. It's very touching. Rachel McAdams was terrific too. She might have quite a career ahead of her. Ryan Gosling was good as well. Some of the dialogue at times was kinda clunky but the performances and cinematography make up for any flaws.

[MacGuffin]

My God! I have not cried like that at a movie in a looooong time. I was a blubbering fool well after. Sappy, yes, but not overly saturated. The chemistry between Gosling and McAdams was very natural and felt authentic, with McAdams doing a nice 180 role from "Mean Girls". Cassavetes's use of long takes (as done with the uninterrupted walk and talk at the beginning) was refreshing in just letting the drama play out and letting the actors express their emotions. Garner and Rowlands also did an excellent job in carrying over their storyline. Beautiful cinematography and the prod. design and wardrobe really made the time period come alive.

[Thrindle]

Oh Mac.  Thank god for you.

[Ghostboy]

I felt like a stone in the audience; I felt like the only one who wasn't crying at the end. But it was quite good; I was very pleasantly surprised and moved (if not to tears). I'm in love with Rachel McAdamas. I'm in love with Gena Rowlands more.

And I loved how Cassavetes and the screenwriters didn't play to the cliches that such a story might have (I have no knowledge of the novel, or interest in gaining any, so I'll pretend they made the narrative choices). I'm speaking mainly of the development with the war widow, which could have been used to add one more little hurdle to get over but instead developed into a surprising and meaningful scene. Also, James Marsden was really good, and played his part just right.

[El Duderino]

i took my girlfriend to it earlier tonight and i dont really cry in movies (except Philidelphia), but i was totally emotional afterwards. i have the biggest crush on Rachel McAdams and my girlfriend likes Ryan Gosling, so it worked that way too. she was balling hardcore.  anyway...this is a great date movie.