A Comment on THE NOTEBOOK

Rating: 10/10 (7 November 2006)

Allie Hamilton (played by Rachel McAdams) is the daughter of a wealthy, southern USA family. The time is 1946 and Allie's parents have moral and social codes common to that era in North Carolina. The parents and Allie are visiting their summer home on the coast for the summer. Allie is seventeen when the story opens. She meets Noah Calhoun (played by Ryan Gosling) a local young man, about the same age, of many good qualities. They date each other throughout the summer and fall madly in love. Allie's parents are alarmed by the young lovers relationship because Noah's family is poor and he has no likely prospects for improving his condition in the future. At summer's end Allie's parents force her to return to their regular home therefore separating the young lovers. Allie and Ryan are kept apart by the scheming of Allie's mother. They now begin separate lives; however, they meet again in seven years. Allie is engaged to be married to a prosperous southerner and Ryan, still unmarried because of his love for Allie, has improved his fortunes somewhat after numerous adventures. The resolution of their love for each other is always in question until the end of the movie.
Parallel to the story of the young Allie and Noah is the story of the aged Allie and Noah. The young and the aged scenes interlaced throughout. It is now 1994 and they are elderly. Their human condition finally reveals what happened to their lives and reveals the resolution of their "summer romance."
This movie is beautifully done via the wonderful book by Nicholas Sparks, the movie script by Jeremy Leven, the wonderful cinematography, and the super direction of Nick Cassavetes not to mention the great location for the movie. The acting by Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling is of "Oscar" quality. In this writer's opinion Rachel and Ryan are the hottest young actors in Hollywood. Rachel is absolutely one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen on the screen.