The Notebook | | Cast : | Gena Rowlands, James Garner, Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams | | Director : | Nick Cassavetes | | Studio : | New Line Home Entertainment | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen | | Released Date : | June 25, 2004 | | DVD Released Date : | February 08, 2005 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled) | | Audience Rating : | PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 09, 2005 | | Summary | Raw Emotion | Content
 | I purchased this item not knowing what to expect as i had never seen this film before and also had not heard many reviews about it...don't let this fool you. This is a fantastic film about love and true devotion. It is rare for me to get emotionally involved in a film, and this film definately brought that out of me, crying most of the way through. For more than one reason. The passion and love is literally felt when watching this film. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 06, 2005 | | Summary | Romeo and Juliet Live On | Content
| When my fiancee and I first met, one of the things we found out about each other is that we loved to read. We couldn't decide on exactly WHAT to read, so we went to our local bookstore and picked up one of the newest novels we could find (mind you this was a few years ago). And it just so happened that we picked up Nicholas Sparks' novel, The Notebook. Definitely a "weeper".
So when we saw that a film had been made about the first book we'd read together, we decided to give it a go.
Like the book, the film dips us into the lives of Allie and Noah, two star-crossed lovers (excuse the cliche') living in the South who are Romeo-and-Juliet worlds apart. The movie moves us between their much older, present-day lives living in a care facility, and their young-love days during the 1940s. Allie now - in 2004 - has Alzheimer's and Noah reads her a story (their story) day after day, repeating it as often as he can, and, sometimes, Allie's mind comes back to him and they can bask in the glory of their love and lives ...but only for a few minutes before Alzheimer's rips her back into oblivion.
We also get to see how difficult it was for them to come together as youngsters. Allie comes from a life of privilege and money, while Noah doesn't have two nickels to rub together. Allie is educated in language, the arts, and music, while Noah works at a saw mill factory. But the one thing they DO have is an unbridled love and passion for one another that neither of them can forsake. Not for family. Not for money. Not even for time and a memory stealing disease.
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The most impressive things about this movie are the on-location sets and the acting of Gena Rowlands and James Garner. The plantations, in all of their pristine glory, were spectacular to behold, as was some of the cinematography which used a multitude of beautiful white geese.
But if there was one thing that held my attention (and kept the tissue box near at hand), it was the performance of Garner and Rowlands. They played so excellently together that it was easy for me to believe that these were once two people who were very much in love. And when the older Allie comes back to the older Noah towards the end of the film, I doubt that there will be a dry eye anywhere in the world during that scene.
Although all of the above was near perfection to watch, I did have some problems with the movie. For instance, when the young Allie (Rachel McAdams) finally comes back to the young Noah (Ryan Gosling), the film - with regards to their young lives - ends abruptly. I know WHY they did this, but it still felt stilted.
Also, Alheimer's patients fail to maintain their faculties in a linear fashion, quickly losing their most recent memories, while retaining the older ones. So the fact that Gena Rowland's character recognized her nurses in the care facility but didn't recognize her husband, her story, nor her children, rang a bit hollow for me (I'm in the medical field by the way). But most people probably don't know this, so it wouldn't be that big of a deal to them.
Even with these problems, it's a very decent film. I loved the performances (including Sam Shepard as Noah's father), and the 1940s sets were pulled off quite well. It's a movie well worth seeing but, like many others have pointed out, keep the tissue box close by. You'll need it! |
| Rating | | | Date | August 02, 2005 | | Summary | The Notebook | Content
| This movie really touched my heart. The story line was awesome but the ending was a little bizarre. I have recommended this show to everyone I know as a real "rainy day show" and to definitely have a tissue close. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 01, 2005 | | Summary | Noteworthy Notebook | Content
| Having seen Rachel McAdams in Mean Girls, and loving the trailer for this movie, I was really looking forward to seeing it.
I was not disappointed. Our two leads (older and younger) were breathtaking. I did feel The Notebook could have been edited some more since it is quite long and slow in places but I give the director the benefit of the doubt. Since The Notebook is based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, I do compare it to A Walk To Remember, and I do think A Walk To Remember is a better movie, but this is a close second. Recommended for the romantics. And even more recommended for the non-romantics since we need more romance in the world.
Watch out for the Rachel McAdams screentest on the DVD where you'll really get to see how much of a beautiful and awe-inspiring actress she is. 4 stars for the movie and other special features. 5 stars for the trailer and Rachel McAdams screentest. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 30, 2005 | | Summary | I HAVE LITTERALLY FALLIN IN LOVE W/ EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS MOVIE | Content
| I watched this movie 100xs by myself with family and friends and i have cried each time its not a depressing movie, if you are or not in love that is what people need or want in thier relationship that endless romantic love,racheal mcadams and ryan gosling make this movie so real with thier chemistry between each other, rachel(allie) is so beautiful and ryan(noah) is so so sexy ,also not to forget gena rowland and james garner are also one of my favorite actresses and actors as well both spectacular. i keep trying to picture other actors and actresses playing these parts and i can honestly say there would be NO OTHERS i would have like to have seen. I thinkg the director and producer did a wounderful job picking the right people to play these parts th characters of the notebook is just so... beautiful from the begining of this movie to the end is just so beautiful, IF U HAVENT SEEN THIS MOVIE PLEASE GO BUY IT. .. THIS MOVIE WILL BE AND IS A CLASSIC.
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