The Notebook Movie Review
Ramona Rauh
November 13th 2008
The Notebook (2004) is the ultimate, timeless love story about a boy, Noah Calhoun (played by handsome Ryan Gosling), and a girl, Allie Hamilton (played by beautiful Rachel McAdams who had previously made her fame in the hit comedy Mean Girls), in the 1940’s from different social classes who fall in love. It is narrated by Duke (James Gardner), an older Noah, reading to an older Allie (Gena Rowland, who also is the director’s mother) cursed with Alzheimer’s to try to trig her memory by reading from a notebook with the love story that is their life written in it. The young teenagers had to let their love grow around the fact that Allie’s parents were disapproving of her one true love, saying that he distracted her from the important things in life, like her schooling. The expected and inevitable separation, the fight for each others attention, and the attempt of happiness with others are more of the obstacles that flourish from that one summer romance.
This movie is based on a novel written by Nicholas Sparks in 1996. The modern adaptation by, Jan Sardi, and screenplay, by Jeremy Leven, bring to life scenes from the book that fans of Nicholas Sparks’ will not be disappointed to see. The scene with the thousands of geese in the lake is truly beautiful. People who have not read the book will be delighted by the added scenes of how the affair came to be, for example the comedic scene at the carnival where they first encounter each other. Costume design makes the ladies look devine in some truly beautiful dresses. Music (by Aaron Zigman) gives a very happy peppy feeling, by using classic swing and porch music of the 40's. Director Nick Cassavetes does a fine variation of a very predictable, classic love story that has no doubt made young girls around the world cry their desperate, girly little hearts out. There is no way to avoid the cheesiness and mushy-gushy feeling throughout the whole thing, but if you are in to that exact kind of genre of cliché romance movies and books, than this movie is definitely for you. However people on the less romantic side may find the very believable passion between Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams comforting and exiting. The famous kiss in the rain scene will have some reaching for the klenex and others running towards the bathroom door. Either way, the two hours will not be wasted time by any viewer who will almost imediatly recall the now very popular importat quotes. The Nootebook is the perfect makeout session, date movie.
No comments:
Post a Comment