Lifelong love a powerful symbol of good

Rating: 6/10 (22 October 2010)

Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams are great in this romantic film about a love that lasts a lifetime, crossing a huge divide between two families. From the very start, Ryan Gosling, who plays the role of Noah, falls head over heels for the girl who becomes the love of his life, Allie, played by Rachel McAdams. The two go their separate ways when their summer love affair comes to an end, with the intervention of her parents, who are unable to accept the fact that their daughter has fallen for someone who only earns 40 cents an hour in a lumber job, at the dawn of World War II. The broken-down house that Noah dreams of building into a home becomes a driving force and with some help from his father, Sam Shepherd, and a lot of work, the dream becomes a reality. The ever-competent Joan Allen, Allie's mother, hides the letters that Noah writes while he is overseas during the war, effectively snuffing out the romance, but only for a while. They reconnect seven years later and find themselves drawn again to each other. Despite her engagement to a man she cares deeply for, Allie finds herself in a bind and is forced to decide between the two. Her mother confesses to a similar relationship that she was involved in and abandoned her first love for a secure future but she does return the hidden letters. In a parallel story, an older couple played by two veteran actors - James Garner and Gena Rowlands, whose talents shines in this film, show the tenacity of their love as they reach old age. As an aside, the director of the movie is Nick Cassevetes, son of Gena Rowlands and John Cassevetes. He has made a very beautiful and sentimental movie that shows the power of true love. As with many love affairs, adversity makes the bond of love even stronger. A great love story is always a powerful symbol of good in our universe.