Introduction
For both romantic lovers and interested in history, The Notebook is something to savor. Directed by Nick Cassavetes in 2004, the movie stars Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling as young Noah and Ellie and Gena Rowlands and James Garner as elderly Duke (Noah) and Ellie. The Notebook is based on a highly praised novel by renowned writer Nicholas Sparks. The movie tells a story of an unfading, omnipotent, genuine love of a couple that lasts for ages overcoming all the obstacles and difficulties.
It should be stressed that the movie received ambiguous reviews: it was highly appraised by half of the critics; the others claimed The Notebook is corny, too sweet, and sentimental. From my perspective, it all depends on personal tastes and preferences but, on the whole, brilliant cast performance, moving play of protagonists, powerful film techniques make an amazing, emotional, thought-provoking film. One more argument in favor of this film being a success is that it was nominated on MTV Movie Awards, Teen Choice Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and won 7 nominations out of 11, which speaks for its own and doesn’t require any additional comments.
The Notebook is a brilliant example of actors’ and director’s work
The Notebook comprises many themes but the major theme that explicitly stands out throughout the film is the idea that love conquers everything. Furthermore, the film concerns itself with the theme of social inequality that stands in the way of love. In addition, one more important theme is emphasized in the movie: one should always follow his/her heart and make choices regardless of norms of behavior that are imposed on them by society.
The film opens up with the shot of an elderly couple, Duke, an old man, who reads to his partner a story of their love. The scene is placed in the retirement home where the old lady suffers from an incurable disease of Alzheimer’s. The story in the movie is presented on two levels or “cuts between the same couple at two seasons in their lives”: it is a variation of a story-within-a-story (Ebert). This effect serves the purpose to reinforce the main theme of the film.
Thus, reading the story, Duke tries to recall his partner of their love that probably could fight the appalling disease even if the victory is only for few moments of old lady’s sanity. The whole love story is presented from the point of view of young Noah and Ellie and also from the point of view of the sophisticated elderly Duke, i.e. Noah himself, who never left his beloved in need and stays with her till the end.
The mood of the movie is very sincere and emotional. The movie gives no definite impressions dwelling on both sad themes and victorious themes of love. What’s more, The Notebook leaves no spectator indifferent and everyone, inevitably, ends up crying over the sad and tragic scenes of couple’s reunion or separation. However, even despite the tragic final part of the story, the film is not perceived as a tragedy or drama; on the contrary, it inspires the feeling of all-mighty love that breaks all the boundaries.
These themes in the film are supported by actors’ professional skilled performance and the director’s great work. It should be mentioned that the costumes and decorations perfectly reflect the atmosphere of the time. The actors not only read the verses but it is clearly seen that they get the feel of their roles. Michael Wilmington reveals the secret of their brilliant performance: ”The director, Nick Cassavetes, is Rowlands’ son (Elderly Ellie) and handles his mother, and the other actors, with tenderness and humanity–and that’s the secret strength of the movie, along with the tension and poignancy of the parallel stories” (Wilmington 3).
The film abounds in heart-breaking scenes. I would like to focus on one of my favorite episodes in the film, the final scene. The final episodes of the film depict Noah at the bedside of Ellie’s bed, hand in hand, talking about their love and their feeling that they should end up in heaven. The next shot presents the image of an elderly couple who passed away giving a very peaceful image of two beloved and having no grave connotations. The following shot virtually sent shivers down my spine: a flock of white swans flying in the direction of a mansion, presenting an idyllic picture that enhances the idea of passionate and tender love, “certainly the retirement home at the end seems more of heaven than of earth” (Ebert).
It should be emphasized that the lightning in this scene supports greatly the idea of pure innocent love. The lightning is light, natural, and very soft. The photography by Robert Fraisse is striking in its rich, saturated effects (Wilmington). These film effects directly pertain to the main theme of the film.
It should be mentioned that the director resorts to various camera techniques. Close-ups are intended to show various emotions on the actors’ faces. For instance, at the scene at the carnival when Noah first time meets Ellie. He is so concentrated on Ellie, fascinated by her beautiful smile: the close-up shot depicts Ellie laughing with her amazing sparkling hair is waving. In fact, Cassavetes makes great use of close-ups, reverse shots, two-shots to emphasize the main idea of every scene.
Another theme that is highlighted in the film is the idea of social discrepancies that always get in the way of real love. What is implied by this is that no one should give up and follow their heart. “Allie had spent fourteen years in fear of hurting her family and friends if she deviated from the standard way of living for her social class” (Wilmington 11) but she had made a difficult choice between her beloved and her socially appropriate husband.
This theme is clearly observed in the scene when Ellie finds out that Noah had written 365 letters, one each day, and her mother kept them from her. The director puts Ellie and Noah under pouring rain at a shore making them soaking from top to toe revealing secrets and, consequently, the whole world seems to be weeping. Moreover, the scene is accompanied only by the sound of the rain that adds to the dramatic effect. Through appropriate lighting, sound effects, brilliant actors’ play the scene appeals directly to the spectators’ feelings tugging at their heart strings.
My only minor reservation is that the film lasts about 2 hours that might seem too long. However, despite this fact, the film is so absorbing and fascinating that 120 minutes fly by very quickly evoking in spectators ever-lasting impressions and leaving them with many things to think about.
Another observation that might be regarded as a shortcoming of the film is that it comprises a bit of the stereotype and might seem to someone to be hackneyed. When the couple is separated, Noah leaves for war and Ellie attends college. Normally, these twists of a plot would be developed and affect all the characters. However, in The Notebook the director doesn’t concentrate much on the scenes of war, allocating only three minutes of the whole film to them. What’s striking in this scene is that Noah only benefits from war i.e. get some financial means to buy a house for his accomplishments as a soldier. But furthermore, the motif of war is avoided.
Conclusion
All things considered, very absorbing and moving, The Notebook is worth seeing in the family circle. The film covers a classic theme of love and its conflict with social norms and coupled with brilliant and convincing actors’ play, convincing photography and film techniques, The Notebook is something to be strongly recommended.
Works Cited
Ebert, Roger. “The Notebook”. Chicago Sun-Times. 2004. Web.
Wilmington, Michael. “Movie Review: ‘The Notebook’”. Chicago Tribune. 2004. Web.