The Notebook
*spoiler alerts*
Ah The Notebook, a film that you can associate with the following words: heartbreak, the one, first love, forever and RYAN GOSLING!!!
Now, I am not going to lie to you, this is not the type of film that you simply pick out to watch on your own, because let’s face it why would you want to watch it alone? I mean yes, I have watched by myself but it was not the first time I had seen it and I was emotionally prepared for what was about to unfold. Although saying that I still cry. Every. Single. Time.
I would deem this film as a must watch if you are a hopeless romantic . I also think it is it’s quite a good date movie. Now I am not talking about like a third or fifth date because I mean why would you want to put that kind of pressure into the world. No smart guy is going to introduce the girl he is dating to the exceptional being that is Noah. Because we all know that now the girl has expectations and reads into the meaning of watching the film. Girls can be so lame. (I know this, I have done this). Ok so this is a sort of film you watch with:
A. Your girlfriends because you are particularly sad and you feel there are no good men out there so obviously why not drool over an amazing fictional one
B. Someone you love (sorry that was vom worthy)
C. With your parents because sometimes TV channels like to broadcast this film way too many times and you know all of a sudden you find yourself sitting next to your dad who looks like he is tearing up and then it just gets awkward at the sex scenes so you think that’s just the right time to go pee or you know make yourself a drink.
D. A person you are dating , but can’t really bothered to be making that much effort about so reckon watching such a film will make them think you are romantic and cute and thus will shut them up for a while.
Anyway, I love this film so this review is going to more of an appraisal. I mean face it, somewhere deep inside you, if you have seen this film you secretly like it. Even if it is super cheesy or whatever. I mean even that little dude from Horrible Bosses watches it inside the car and cries.
I think profoundly aside from the amazingly cast actors, it is the beautiful story that gets to us. It is a charming portrayal of young love, which captures the notion of first love to a tee. Whilst it is clichéd in its subject this does not undermine the beauty and vulnerability of the love story depicted. We are presented with the perfect innocent and beautiful yet wildly passionate girl and a kindhearted working class guy who just wants to be with the girl he loves.
If you are familiar with the story you will know that the story of the Notebook is actually narrated to us. Personally, I think that the old man reading it adds a sense of authenticity and much like Honey (sweet old lady) we are also being told a love story. In addition, the constant break in structure moving back and forth from present time, to when the story takes place gives us time to absorb all that is happening. In turn allowing us time to connect and truly become engaged in the drama. The manner in which the characters are portrayed is further reinforced by the narrator’s voice. As we watch the progressing and developing love story, Noah’s voice over allows us to gain a further insight into the character’s feelings. If you like, we are being guided by the story itself, by the narrator and by the characters’ actions. All of these I find are effective techniques to truly draw us deeper into the story and provoke a strong sense of emotion in us.
Like any dramatic love story there of course must be obstacles and as we expect no worthy true love story goes without experiencing struggles. When Noah (portrayed by Ryan Gosling) and Allie (portrayed by the beautiful and talented Rachel McAdams) first meet, we could feel their instant passionate yet with friction, connection . But come on it is Gosling, I pretty much think even a chicken looking at him would lay an egg then and there.
Anyway, their love can be summed up in the words of Shakespeare: “ no sooner met but they looked, no sooner looked but they love, no sooner loved but they sighed, no sooner sighed but they asked one another the reason, no sooner knew the reason but they sought the remedy”. Tum tum tummmm (A sound effect indicating the occurrence of drama and also to indicate that Shakespeare’s quotation was cut short). So, just as we knew that when these two characters met something amazing would conspire , we also knew something would go sour. And boom just like that their love is torn due social ranking and status. Despite all this the story lets us know that these two have not forgotten about one another and although they seem to have moved on they haven’t truly done so. Although, when Allie agrees to marry Lon I must admit my heart broke a little. But as the aim of the film is to promote the concept of first true love, something of course happens to draw her back to him. The realists amongst us may call unlikely Hollywood drama, the others (me) call it fate.
So whilst we are trapped in the whirlwind of emotions during the film, we do ask ourselves: who in the name of lord are these old man and woman? Ah , if you are clever then you already knew didn’t you? you saucy little minx.
Yes you guessed it they are the future Noah and Allie. Or well they are just the present version recalling their love story. Whilst we are not officially told that it is they, we know, because well there are many subtle and unsubtle hints. Yet despite this, I personally still find the story heart wrenching because although we know they end up together eventually we are still caught in a storm of distress. Switching back and forth from past and present for some reason makes us feel further anguish. And it is because we see what their love was and a love so great should not be forgotten. I think this affirms that whilst this story may not be perfect in cinematic terms, it is effective in evoking deep emotion within the audience. We care for them, we feel like we know them, we know their story. Like Noah, we do not want Allie to forget, because although we know it happened and the story confirmed it happened, the fear of being forgotten is there. Whilst Allie mentally deteriorates she forgets who she is and with it she also risks forgetting Noah: The ultimate loss. Nonetheless, in true a romantic Hollywood fashion it portrays that first epic love triumphs and that “love can do anything we want it to”.
Ultimately, the story shows that whilst the mind forgets, the heart never does.
In case that was too cheesy here is a little something to cheer you up