All hail #ThrowbackThursday and the 2004 chick flick The Notebook. This soppy tear jerking effort by Jeremy Leven, Jan Sardi, and Nicholas Sparks was directed by Nick Cassavetes. *Nick is the son of Gina Rowlands and the late John Cassavetes.
It is about life
Chick Flick is, perhaps, a misnomer. Although The Notebook is full of tearful moments, this old geezer almost had to pull out the kleenexes, it is more about life. That certain time in life. Oh it is about love, the true and almost smothering kind.
The older couple in the movie, played lovingly and sincerely by James Garner and Gena Rowlands, go through a young couples life. Garner, who never reveals his name to “old”Allie, reads a book. Narrating, if you will, a story that follows an affair of the heart.
The trials and tribulations, the false starts, the decisions and recriminations of that first real love. And as we all know, love and life walk hand in hand. But sometimes that walk is a rocky one. Life does not favour young lovers, but as the old Richard Rogers song Hello Young Lovers (Pick your favorite singer here, I prefer Perry Como but will take Bobby Darin on the fly.) The song is about an older man remembering the flight of love, with all its ups and downs. So perhaps The Notebook is about love after all.
it is all about love
Ryan Gosling was thrust right into star status after this film came out. He had worked in quite a number of features as second banana or bad guy, et al. The Notebook changed all that for the Barbie actor. As Noah in the movie, he is that perfect vision that all girls seem to get breathless over. Slim, muscled yet gentle and this guy can even quote Walt Whitman, extensively. The feeling, as they say, is mutual. Noah falls head over heels in love with:
Allie (Played to giddy perfection by Rachel McAdams.) falls for the “summer vacation romeo.” In a tale as old as life itself, she is the rich girl. Allie falls in love with the boy born on the wrong side of the tracks AKA the poor guy. *Another trope in Chick Flick world, and every romance novel ever written. On a side note: McAdams got her brass ring grab in the Lindsay Lohan vehicle, Mean Girls.
It is spellbinding
The movie, despite being 20 years old, plays well. The late James Garner lends his special gravitas to the proceedings with ease. Rowlands plays “old” Allie to perfection. Putting these two older actors together on screen was what the old timers called “lightning in a bottle.” Just think Fried Green Tomatoes. We will not lie to you here, tears were shed.
The Notebook is streaming on Hulu and Max if you have a subscription. So stop messing around with this new stuff on offer, think of #ThrowbackThursday and watch this 2004 effort. Usually we recommend popping a bowl of popcorn before watching a movie. This 5 star effort certainly warrants one. Just be careful, it may become a little soggy.
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