Film Fetish: "The Notebook"

The Notebook (2004)
- directed by Nick Cassavetes

The story of a Summer romance sparked between two people from opposite sides of the tracks is read by an elderly man to an old woman suffering from dementia and memory loss. The tale of the two lovers recounts their first meeting, their Summer romance, their eventual break-up and their lives thereafter, coping with the loss.

Overall I enjoyed the movie. It would be hard to go too far into a proper review without spoiling much the story, so I won't. I will say that it's a few grades better than a typical romantic drama, although not one of the greatest ever committed to celluloid. I'm also a sucker for a film that spans considerable time in its telling, which this movie did. Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling were a real treat on screen. Their on-screen chemistry really made the story pop. A solid film overall. Perfect in you're in the mood for love.

7/10 A nice solid romantic drama that edges past the typical fare. A beautiful meditation on the idea of "the call unanswered" and "the left-hand path".




* Spoilers *

I think it would've been impossible to have heard about this film and not realize that the elderly couple in the beginning of the film were the same lovers in "the notebook". That being said, I did hear about this movie, and I knew this going in. It didn't ruin things, if anything it enchanced my experience. Sure... it does kill any tension we might have about wondering whom Allie will choose, but it makes the "b-story" all the more engaging. Seeing Allie in the grips of dementia is so heart-wrenching, and makes her momentary lucidity all the more uplifting. If anything, this movie is all about the last 30-minutes. Gena Rowlands is amazing. One of the greatest love stories ever.

DS333, (insert something cute & clever). :P