Touching and somewhat original.

Rating: 8/10 (6 March 2005)

I must admit I'm not a huge fan of romance movies, in fact I don't even remember the last time I've seen one that I haven't fell asleep through or laughed at. But after dodging my wife's request to watch with her after she rented it a week ago, I finally yielded so I can move on with my life and ended up being somewhat impressed.
"The Notebook" is really a two-sided story regarding an elderly man (James Garner) in home that reads a love story to another elderly woman on a daily basis. The love story itself is about two love birds in the beginning of adulthood and troubled by various obstacles in life like her overbearing parents and his lack of "successfull" lifestyle. Noah (James Gossling) plays a free-spirited, blue collared lumber yard worker that is smitten by Allie, (nicely played by Rachel McAdams) a rich, southern belle with strict parents looking to break out of her mold. Yes, it's somewhat a "Dirty Dancing", bad boy/good girl tug-of-war relationship, but the movie delves deep into their lives and you soon forget the typical clichéd baseline.
The acting is pretty good, and quite exceptional for Rachel McAdams whose has played career draining, teen queen roles in the likes of "Mean Girls" and another Rob Schnieder flop "Hot Chick." Seriously, she must have one of the best agents in the business to pull for a deep role that required acting, and pulled it off. Gossling does a somewhat notable job as the nomad lover and of course James Garner is James Garner. The story of Gossling and McAdams, coupled with the relationship between Garner and the other elderly woman is what really puts this movie together. The ending is pretty predictable along with most of the plot, but in the end it all pays off.
If you're not a romance fan and totally dismiss movies like this I don't blame you. But, at least give it a chance when you're totally burnt out of other movies or if your significant other is jonesing for a chick flick, pick this one up.