unabashed sentiment--contains possible spoilers

Rating: 8/10 (4 February 2007)

I waited a long time to see this movie, because I'm not much for sentiment, in fact I can pretty much do without it. If I were to list my favourite movies for you, you wouldn't find a "real" romance in the bunch (Pulp Fiction, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Taxi Driver, etc.). However, what draws most movie buffs, and I'm no exception, is a deep love of narrative, interesting characters, and masterful writing. The Notebook delivers all of these, and much more.
The Notebook is the simple story of two lovers (Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdam) who meet in the late 1930s (the actual year isn't given), then break up, and meet again seven years later. It's offset by the narrative structure of a man reading to a woman with senile dementia (played by James Garner and Gena Rowlands). Although the star-crossed lovers are sympathetic because they're young and beautiful, I found it was the older couple who really drove the story. Even now, with so many big-name actors reaching their "Golden Years," it's still rare to see actors who look their age, acting age-appropriate parts. While second to the younger couple, Garner and Rowlands turn in two of the loveliest performances I've seen in years--tender and compelling, and over-the-top sentimental, yet still sadly, wonderfully human.
Be sure to keep a big box of tissues handy for this one, but it's well worth it.