Breathtaking! Still on my mind.

Rating: 10/10 (28 June 2004)

This movie is just one of those types of films that when you tell someone about it its hard to put into words the effect it had on you. I found myself thinking about it the rest of the weekend and obviously today as well. Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling were perfection for the younger leads. They have an incredible amount of chemistry (and charisma) and in some ways their love is just simple, beautiful, and fun. It doesn't take long for you to start caring about these two wonderful people and just enjoy watching this romance bloom into a marvelous love story that never ever becomes boring. This story will take you back to a time when you were young and carefree and make you wish you could (or will) feel that happy and so full of absolute elation again. It will either make you long for those days again or look forward to those days if you haven't yet experienced your first true and real love. I suppose in some ways (if I were one of those cynical critics), if one must be a critic then perhaps the story it is alittle cliché (as one critic stated in a review I read) and saccharine sweet. But, you know, when I am in the mood for a good romance story... that's exactly what I do want! I want to get so involved and invested in the romance and the characters. I want it to be sweet and gooey and even borderline unrealistic almost. I want it to make me believe that a love like that is not entirely impossible or even improbable,but very real. When I walk out of the theater and I feel truly moved and touched then, to me, its a great film and this film did just that for me and will probably for anyone...almost anyone.
The cinematography is just glorious and the soundtrack is so smooth and lovely and just brings out the beauty of the story. Everything works here into one fantastic and eloquent package. Ryan Gosling plays Noah so perfectly and somewhat understated and Rachel McAdams is just ..a vision...well she just jumps out off screen. I think we will be seeing allot more of both of them. There isn't much pretense here either. I do get tired of the whole "not bring them together till late in the film and make them hate each other at first and gradually figure out how they feel" type mumbo jumbo we are so use to getting in so many love stories. Here you just watch them enjoy each other, have fun, and fall in love until they hit a couple of snags (which any couple would). You are always rooting for them and always smiling watching them. They almost make you experience it while they are. As much as I have great respect for Gena Rowlands (she is a wonderful accomplished actress) and James Garner when they would flash back to their storyline I was aching for the younger Allie and Noah to come back. But , nonetheless, their presence did add much to the film I have to say.
If I have any grievance at all with the movie it was that (SPOILER POSSIBLY) near the end I really wanted to see just a hint of their life together after Allie makes her choice of Noah (which you pretty much knew would happen)... a wedding picture, them having dinner together with their young children, something, but, it wasn't to be.Its a beautiful, breathtaking, touching movie...the acting is wonderful and powerful. This story completely and absolutely tugs at your heart and I can honestly say this is a well crafted/well acted love story..one I will always remember.