NOTEBOOK! I have not read Nicholas Sparks' The Notebook, but I have heard good things about the novel. Even though I have not read it, I listened to its story from my friends so much that I am as if I read.Sadly, the elements that made the book special did not survive the transition to the screen. The Notebook, as adapted, comes across as an ordinary romantic melodrama with an ineffective climax. It's the kind of story for which no term seems more appropriate than "soap opera" for me.
The film unfolds in two time frames featuring the same characters. In the modern day scenes, Noah is played by James Garner and Allie by Gena Rowlands. In the sequences that transpire around World War II, the leads are Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. It turns out that Allie is suffering from dementia, so, to stir her memories, Noah reads from a notebook that recounts their improbable romance. They met as teenagers in pre-WWII America. For Noah, it was love at first sight, 
but it took him a while to convince Allie. Almost immediately, the disparity of their social classes became an issue. Actually, she came from money and he was a laborer. The disapproval of Allie's mother (Joan Allen) led to their break-up. But fate brought them together after the war, and before Allie married her soldier darling.
but it took him a while to convince Allie. Almost immediately, the disparity of their social classes became an issue. Actually, she came from money and he was a laborer. The disapproval of Allie's mother (Joan Allen) led to their break-up. But fate brought them together after the war, and before Allie married her soldier darling.(Nevertheless, the scene on which Allie and James are dancing is marvellous. On that scene the song "I'll Be Seeing You" is played as they dance in the street:) )
When Noah returns home from the war, he finds out that his Dad has sold their house. Before long, Noah's father passes away. When traveling to the city to get a building permit, Noah sees Allie embracing Lon, and decides to rebuild his dream house for Allie. Actually, he and Allie had visited it in their earlier years and he had promised Allie he would one day rebuild it. Noah works like a madman, believing if he could rebuild the house, Allie would come back to him. Noah engages in a brief affair with a war widow named Martha Shaw.
While trying on her wedding dress, Allie reads about Noah completing the house in a newspaper and faints. She decides to visit Noah in Seabrook, and the two spend a bit of time together, talking about what has been happening in their lives. Noah invites Allie to see him again the next day, and they both go for a ride in a rowboat. Not long later, Allie confronts Noah and asks him why she had not heard from him for all those years. Noah tells her he had sent her 365 letters and the two discover that Allie's mother ha
d hidden them from her young daughter. All emotion becomes clear as Allie reveals she never got over losing Noah, crying
d hidden them from her young daughter. All emotion becomes clear as Allie reveals she never got over losing Noah, crying "It wasn't over for me!". Noah releases all his emotion and feels grief and says, "It wasn't over....It still isn't over!" Finally, Noah and Allie reconcile with each other.
After a two-day affair, Allie discovers that Noah fulfilled her wish of a house which she expressed when they visited the house. Allie's mother comes to see her daughter and learns about what has happened. Anne warns Allie that Lon knows something about her activities and is on his way up to talk to her. While going for a drive with her daughter, Anne explains to Allie how she, before marrying
John, had fallen in love with a man who was not in her social class. She takes Allie back to the house, tells her daughter she hopes she makes the right choice, and hands her the 365 letters Noah had written seven years ago. Noah and Allie talk and get into a brief argument, where Noah continuously asks her what she wants in life. Allie then leaves the heartbroken Noah.
John, had fallen in love with a man who was not in her social class. She takes Allie back to the house, tells her daughter she hopes she makes the right choice, and hands her the 365 letters Noah had written seven years ago. Noah and Allie talk and get into a brief argument, where Noah continuously asks her what she wants in life. Allie then leaves the heartbroken Noah. The film goes back to the elderly couple, and Allie asks Duke who Allie chose. She realizes the answer herself, and the scene, briefly, goes again to years earlier, where Allie goes back to Noah again, and they both embrace in reunion. Allie suddenly remembers her past and she and Noah joyfully spend a brief intimate time together, Allie then suffers a "sundown" (described in a deleted scene when Allie has no recognition of anything or anyone around her) and panics. She has to be sedated by the attending physician. This proves to be difficult for Noah to watch and he breaks down. The next morn
ing, Noah is found unconscious in bed and he is rushed to the hospital, but he is later returned to the nursing home's intensive care ward. He walks in Allie's bedroom that night, and Allie remembers again. They talk, and Allie asks him if he thinks their love could take them away together, to which Noah replies, "I think our love can do anything we want it to." They fall asleep holding on to each other, and the nurse comes in the morning to realize that they had died in each others arms.
ing, Noah is found unconscious in bed and he is rushed to the hospital, but he is later returned to the nursing home's intensive care ward. He walks in Allie's bedroom that night, and Allie remembers again. They talk, and Allie asks him if he thinks their love could take them away together, to which Noah replies, "I think our love can do anything we want it to." They fall asleep holding on to each other, and the nurse comes in the morning to realize that they had died in each others arms.Although it has a common story, the movie is worth to watching. Nevertheless, I advise you to read its book first:)
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