If you're a bird, I'm a bird. I like flying with the Notebook. It's a good movie.

Rating: 8/10 (29 June 2014)

Come fly with the Notebook. Directed by Nick Cassavetes and based on the novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. The movie is about Duke (James Garner) an elderly man, trying to re-spark the memory of his dementia suffering love one, (Gena Rowlands) by using a notebook about a young couple love affair during one summer in 1940. It's here, the movie flashback from present day to 1940, where we're introduce to worker man, Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling) and heiress Allie Hamilton (Rachel McAdams) trying to work out, their own relationship. While, it's not a healthy relationship like the novel. The chemistry between them are pretty good, when you get to see them as being a lovely couple. The movie still has more arguing and fighting then love scenes. It's a bit overwhelming, but without conflict, it would be a really boring chick flick. It kinda hurt the film, but kinda doesn't in a way. First off, both people really put each other in danger. The first bad sign was when Noah climbed up on that Ferris Wheel and threatened to kill himself by letting go if she didn't go out with him. Sure, it seems cute in the movie, but imagine if a guy did that in real life. You would be calling 911, thinking he's a psychopath. Honestly, he almost get her run over by a car by lying in the street. That's a sign of unstable, ladies. I have to give props to Ryan Gosling for making these scenes, more charming like a crazy lover, than crazy stalker. Also, Allie is no Southern Peach here, too. She's abandon him multiples times, beat him with slapping him in the face or punching his chest and cheats on her current boyfriend, Lon (James Marsden). At less, the movie doesn't make them too unlikeable. The relationship here, is way more realistic than the unrealistic cheese in the novel. The supporting cast is alright, but they're so clichés characters like the mother (Joan Allen). It's so generic, to have a mother that doesn't want her to date this guy in these films. At less, I have to say, Joseph Stalin mustache, Allie's dad (David Thornton) was pretty cool. Also, James Marsden has to be the most typecast actor for the role of woman cheats on her current boyfriend for a much hotter guy. This guy doesn't get a break! The writing is pretty clichés archetypical story of the Boy Meets Girl. Examples of this, are with establish scenes like kissing the rain, romantic boat rides, and others. Honestly, the things trying to pull them apart is ridiculous unrealistic and could had been solved. It felt really dumb. Like why Noah couldn't go to New York? He's alright with going to a new city with his friend, Fin. (Kevin Connolly), but not with Allie? Also, how on earth, Allie's mother, able to gather all her mail, if Noah wrote that much letters. You would thought, for one whole year, Allie might beat her mother to the mailbox, at less once. Also, it's not uncommon to people to call other people back in those days. The only thing that could make sense, is World War 2, but they really pan over it, quickly. It's ends as fast as it started in the film. Honestly, if they kept the WW2 part, going longer. It would make a way better pull apart conflict. Instead, the movie really misused that. The twist in the end, wasn't really much of a twist as the movie kinda hints at it, 2/4 in. The cinematography is pretty good for the film. Still, the director hits you over the head with a bird metaphor. It's everywhere, here. Enough with the birds! The movie really does look like it takes place in the 1940s, but like any movie in the places, there are some historic inaccuracies. I do love the references to 'Leaves of Grass' by Whit Whitman. It's themes of faith and fate in the poem, ""Song of Myself," are two topics serve to foreshadow future revelations in later parts of the film. Glad, it's not a throw-away line as it brought up multiples time in the film. Noah's love for poetry, music, and the outdoors all play important roles in The Notebook, not only adding interest to a number of scenes but also deepening Noah as a character. The biggest different between the book and the film is the fact, that Allie didn't write a notebook at all. It's seem like Noah wrote the notebook, but it's not really mention. The best thing that made this movie really good is the theme of love conquer all, when Alzheimer is a setback. This part, made the movie so watchable. While, the ending is bittersweet. It was a better way to end the movie, then the novel. The movie being PG-13, didn't really hurt the film. It does show that you can still show a great sex scene without one shot of nudity. The violence is pretty tame, as the WW2 years are passed over, quickly. I can say, this movie works better than a lot of modern young adult novels. Overall: The Notebook isn't anything new, if you follow chick flick movies, or know anything about romantic novels. The one thing that made this movie really good is the struggle of remembering love ones. That is the backbone of the story. It's the reason, why this movie works.