Wonderful old-fashioned love story

Rating: 10/10 (30 December 2004)

Having heard very little about this film, I ended up seeing it purely by accident, and was very glad that I did.
As 2004 draws to a close, I can say without doubt that it was the best film I have seen all year, if not ever.
Although it has been criticised for being unrealistic and clichéd, I don't find these accusations particularly helpful. It is true that it follows a fairly traditional and predictable romantic plot-line, but I think this is part of its charm. As you might expect from an adaptation of a novel, it's the story that carries the film, rather than special effects or comedy.
The actors were well-cast, and I liked the fact that the young stars (Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams) were relatively little known, compared to other, big-name actors - it made the story more accessible somehow. Balanced by the excellent Hollywood stalwart James Garner's scenes with Gena Rowlands, the overall effect is highly watchable and convincing.
The romantic drama of 'The Notebook' also makes a refreshing change to the stream of distinctly average "rom-coms" that have hit our screens in recent years. It manages to hold a poignancy and emotional impact where the run-of-the-mill money-spinners fail. Although films like 'Love Actually' have poignant scenes, they are but moments amongst the general light-weight schmaltz. It takes a lot for a film to move me to tears, but this one managed it.
It might not be a masterpiece in the eyes of a serious critic, but in terms of being able to tell a poignant, old-fashioned love story in a no-frills, beautifully shot film, this one wins for me every time.