The Notebook

Love stories are not our normal cup of tea for movies - we tend to lean toward the horror, action, even comedies first. We saw everything (except Garfield) there was to see first, and even then debated going for this one but we went. We heard it was a tearjerker.

I don't know what conspiracy in the universe is after my title, but I was formerly The Person Who Never Cried At The Movies. Fahrenheit 9/11 changed that, and The Notebook has erased that title forever. Being told it's a tearjerker before going nearly guarantees there will be no crying for me. It's like being told I'm about to jump out and yell "boo" and you will be scared. But this one got me. And got me good.

Where to begin? Nick Cassavetes directed this gem. It's directed beautifully. But it's the story, and the actors who make this thing live. Nicholas Sparks wrote the novel, which is a surprise because he also wrote Message in a Bottle and it was lousy. Maybe something was lost in the translation, or the screenplay on that one.

The casting really made the movie. James Garner (who will forever be Rockford to me) is wonderful, as is Gena Rowlands (Taking Lives) Rachel McAdams (Mean Girls) plays Allie, and just blew me away. After seeing Mean Girls, where she is indeed a very mean girl in a crazy comedy - this character could not be more different and she pulls it off with ease. Ryan Gosling (Murder by Numbers - hohum - and Remember the Titans - hohum) just runs away with the role of Noah. I say hohum to those other movies because him in them was just hohum. Him in this role - amazing. He is perfect for it. He is amazing in it - he doesn't say or do too much of anything. He has a very strong presence that speaks volumes beyond words.

It's very hard to say what I want about the story because I have one firm rule and that's to NOT give away the story here. Suffice it to say, this story is funny where it should be, sweet where it should be, very true to itself and very deep. I think in all the love stories ever, this one is at the top of my list for the most endearing and the one that really truly defines what love is. That's a LOT to say for a movie, but this one delivers.

Robert and I were both very moved. We saw bits of ourselves in the characters and we were both deeply touched. What an amazing movie.

Overall rating - 5 Crazy, I know - it's a love story for cryin out loud! But it's a 5 in our book.

(Popcorn was GREAT!) Pueblo Tinseltown