The Notebook (2004)

Love Will Find A Way

- The Notebook (2004) brings nothing that is particularly new to the romance film genre - the Romeo and Juliet story gets yet another version of itself - but it is a perpetually satisfying film.

"Big day today."

Duke (James Garner) always says that - and he says it with such conviction that you do not doubt for a second that he means it. This morning Duke is visiting an elderly woman (Gena Rowlands) who suffers from crippling memory loss and reads to her the story of poor country boy Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling) and Southern aristocratic rich girl Allie Hamilton (Rachel McAdams). Starting off as young lovers during a hot-lovin' and hot-tempered summer fling, life wedges its way in between Noah and Allie. Allie's parents zealously disapprove of the entire romance from the get-go and, always destined for big things, Allie goes off to college in New York, leaving Noah behind in the small Southern town. Allie begins to move on after a few years, even taking a fiancé, but when life ends up bringing Allie and Noah back together she now has to choose between the two men.

Nothing is particularly impressive about The Notebook until the final act but everything about it from beginning to end is very entertaining and enjoyable. The film's script delivers both a fun and tear-jerking romance and every actor involved with the film delivers a fine performance - particularly McAdams, Gosling, and Garner. Overall, The Notebook adds up to equal a very satisfying film experience and is a perfect film to watch with someone you love.

CBC Rating: 7/10