About The Notebook...

By Emil Claire

So if you read the title of this masterpiece, you’re one of two people- number one a fan of this ‘classic Hollywood film’ or second, a person who like me, thinks that it was an experiment by the government and that’s what brainwashed an entire generation into liking it. Or you’re just curious bout what a stranger wrote.

Either way, in this rant that I will convince myself is an ‘essay’ I’m basically comparing ‘The notebook’ in the two forms it was conceived and loved by the media. The book and the movie.

I will be talking and referencing moments from both of works, so there will be a lot of back and forth. And mentioning the differences in many scenes and characters as well.

Okay, so the movie begins with a lot of shots of a man rowing a boat with a sunset in the background which is actually a nice way to begin the film. And then we are introduced to one of our main characters ‘Duke’. He’s a patient in an old age home who is just going about his usual routine of taking pills and doing checkups to make sure everything’s peachy. And then he goes to see another patient, a lady, who is at the moment trying to be coaxed into walking outside by a nurse. Duke has come to read a story to the lady who agrees to listen after some encouragement by the nurse. And immediately as they get seated, Duke begins the story.

In the book it’s pretty much the same except there’s some heavy foreshadowing so the ‘mid-story plot twist’ isn’t really a plot twist, it’s actually pretty obvious so the movie did that right by not completely spoiling it.

The story begins in a carnival where Noah(Ryan Gosling),the male lead meets up with his best friend Finn and noticed Allie(Rachel McAdams),the female lead with her friends and dude. So this scene is okay-ish like he’s attracted to her and kinda-sorta flirts with her. Here’s where the movie went from a 0 to 100 real quick. Allie goes on a ferris wheel with a guy(who I guess is supposed to be a date)and Noah with all his wisdom climbs on the ferris wheel, while it’s moving, get’s to her seat and clings on the handle bar. Even though she screamed out of shock and fear, this man(I guess he’s 17 but I don’t care) has the audacity to ask her out on a date. She of course with no other choice says yes because if he stops clinging on the bar he would get badly injured or maybe even die.

First of all, this is a huge slap in the face to all the women who have been in situations like this and have shamed for being scared when they had every right to. Directors, stop romanticizing toxic traits into ‘Aww he likes her so muchhh’ because you’re spreading the wrong message to people. And the thing is, this scene was never there in the book mainly because Noah was set up as a shy guy so this would make zero sense. So the writer chose to add that scene which is just a straight-up no for me. And all the other characters are like ‘Aaw shucks, look at Noah being a goof, Allie just say yes, silly!’. Thank the stars that it wasn’t there in the book. And Allie seeing that he’s in such a compromising situation decides to remove his pants. Because remember kids, it’s okay for a person to put through a traumatic accident if you get him back in ‘funny’ way. Loving the characters so far.

The next day, Noah sees her again and asks her on a date and she basically does the 90’s version of rejecting someone: politely say ‘yeah I don’t think so’. But due to unforeseen circumstances or the magical device I like to call plot convenience they end up together as the result of blind double date. None of this happens in the book, it’s actually pretty straightforward to dating after their ‘meet-cute.

And it’s basically a right of passage to have a montage of happy scenes of the new couple and book kinda does that too but in the end of the paragraph it mentions how she left at the end of the summer because she came for like a vacation of a sort.

But of course, the movie doubles down by adding family drama but before talking about therefore making it real(like my problems ^^), Allie meets Noah’s dad and talks about how he had a stutter so his dad made him read to improve his problem. The thing is they shove it off like it’s nothing when in fact it has a lot to do with the way Noah was written as a character. Noah as a whole was basically created adhering to the late 90s and 2000s need for a sensitive man. A guy who’s sweet and caring and cries. In short, a man who doesn’t let toxic masculinity be his personality trait, at least in theory. He reads poetry and is shy, essentially what a lot of women found ‘attractive’ back then and till date. The whole reason that Noah even reads poetry and is very thoughtful is because of his dad and they really should built that relationship as it could’ve been even more sad when he eventually passed away. Oops spoiler lol.

Anyways back to reality, Allie takes Noah to meet her parents+random people I don’t know. They subtly(not really) throw shade at Noah and his upbringing showing the classism they had back then(it was way worse back then than now)and it was a nice touch. Mom does NOT approve. Color me surprised. In the book, the author actually try’s his shot of being inclusive by adding a black neighbor whose house is near to Noah’s( who is now in his mid 30’s) which would have been okay if he wasn’t just introduced to let Noah remember he still loves Allie.

Speaking of which, Noah and Allie almost do the devil’s tango in an old house that’s busted and dusty so that’s gross and unhygienic but romaaance. She ends up reaching home late so her parents decide, within Noah’s earshot, that this ‘fling’ has gone on too long and it wasn’t smart of Allie to get into a relationship knowing that they were staying only for the summer. Noah, after hearing all of this thinks that it’s better if they break up. Allie is of course devastated on all accounts but then decides that shoving him and yelling ‘I hate you’ is a smart move. Obviously she’s upset and that’s okay but getting physical and shoving his back to a truck is not the way. Yet another sign of toxicity and unnecessary actions. The book didn’t have any of this it was more like ‘we dated during the summer and she left’.

They suddenly decide to leave and go back home, making Allie take her anger with her mom on the plates. Yes, she throws a plate on the ground in anger. Allie clearly like getting physical (she would be great friends with Dua Lipa who wrote a whole song about getting physical)and has anger issues. Book does not have this scene because Allie is not aggressive she’s a smart, independent but confused woman who likes art.

Noah writes letters to Allie every single day but doesn’t get a response and eventually stops and we ,the viewer, find out that Allie’s mom keeps the letter from reaching Allie. So evil. Noah joins the army during World War II and Finn his close friend ends up passing away. Meanwhile, Allie a 3rd year college student was working as a nurse’s aid helping wounded soldiers of the war. There she meets Lon Hammond(James Marsden), the star of the movie if you ask me. He ‘courts’ her and eventually ends up with her heart and her hand in marriage because her parents approve as he is well-off and successful. Noah comes back from the war and his father gifts him a new house like one does. And Noah decides to fix the house because it reminds him of Allie(it was where they almost did the dirty deed). There are so many moments were both of them see things that remind of the past and it happens way too many times to count.

One day, Noah, on his way to Charleston sees Allie pass by and follows her to see her with Lon. Obviously he can’t deal with it because ‘true love’ and maybe he just can’t move on. His father passes away and he finishes fixing the house and is on the newspaper with his picture taken too for god knows what reason. Plot convenience but let’s pretend like we don’t know that. He got a lot of buyers for the house but he just wouldn’t sell it and to drive home the point that he can’t move on he drinks and makes a sad puppy face and grew a beard. The holy trinity of sadness for men in movies. Oh sadness!

Then they add another woman! She’s sadly the rebound and also a part of this weird love square. I’m sorry Martha Shaw. In the book, she’s actually in a relationship with Noah but ends up breaking up him because she understood that he clearly has someone else on his mind. But in the movie, she’s a war widow, and she say to him, and I quote ‘Sometimes when you talk to me, you don’t even see me.’, but ultimately she’s pretty useless other than way to promote the ‘Noah and Allie’ show so meh.

Allie goes wedding dress shopping with her mom and friends to ultimately see the newspaper with Noah in it, and I kid you not, she faints. So much for be engaged and moving on. In the book, its in her home when she sees the paper but she does the same thing which is go to see Lon. And lie to the poor guy’s face by saying she needs breathe and is going to Seabrook(Noah’s hometown)and he like the nice dude he is says okay. But it’s not okay.

Allie then appears at Noah’s house, confusing him, mumbles about how this was a huge mistake, gets in her car and drives into his fence. Noah after seeing all of this invites her to come inside and she agrees.

Going back the Duke, our storyteller, and the nameless lady, he pauses reading and the lady tells him that she like the story and that she feels like she’s heard it before. Duke has to leave to do a medical checkup but promises to return to finish the story. Here we learn that he has the heart condition and has had 2 heart attacks in the past month. The doctor then asks him why he reads to Ms Hamilton(the lady)as he thinks that it does not help someone with senile dementia while Duke claims that because he reads once in a while she sometimes remembers.

We cut back to Allie and Noah and Allie’s talking about Lon and tell him that he would like Lon too. Noah asks Allie if she loves Lon and she responds saying she does and he says that they should be friends and she agrees. He asks her f she was to stay for dinner and she accepts. While drinking and flirting a wee bit Noah finds out that Allie’s engaged to Lon. They ten reminisce about how that’s the room they almost ‘bayanged’ in. While reading poetry to her, Allie ruins the ‘moment’ by just randomly saying that they really did love each other. They end the evening with Allie driving back to her hotel and a plan for tomorrow. The book was mostly similar except there was a lot of of crab cooking explanation which was unnecessary but at least now I can make crab for two.

Duke’s children come to visit and the lady doesn’t minding ‘meeting them’. She leaves after meeting them and the kids who are in their mid 30s with their kids beg him to come back home because mom won’t remember him. So Miss Hamilton and Duke are an old couple it seems. In the book, the kids re mentioned by they never visit.

Allie reaches her hotel and gets a call from Lon and lies to save her weird friendship mission with Noah. In the book he gets suspicious of her because she picks up at a late timing and later doesn’t answer his calls.

She goes to Noah’s and they go on a boat ride and end up being swamped by ducks and she feeds them with the bread Noah brought. It begins raining quite heavily and she tries to cover her dress from getting wet as it’s a see through pale blue dress. Which the book made a big deal of as it was the less sluttier option. But to her avail, she gets wet and they both giggle like schoolchildren reminding you of their mental age, behavior and personality. She then decides when they are both soaking wet is the perfect moment to ask why he didn’t write her back then. He tells her that she did and the two amateur sleuths put two and two together to find out it was the mom, at least they have common enemy now. And because of the undeniable tension between the two they have coitus. Twice.

Then Martha the rebound shows up also solves the mystery of Allie’s appearance and bids Noah goodbye. So much for her to tell him off for stringing her along even when Allie was there. And then they do it again. Then he surprises her with a canvas to paint with and she paints naked which reminded me of Titanic which I could’ve been watching instead of this. People dying, actual stakes and romance instead of whatever this is. Oh she paints but the movie doesn’t care so neither do I. The book actually focusses on her art, career and how she eventually lost her passion for it before Noah restarted it again.

There is a knock at the door and Allie opens the door to see her mother. She warns Allie by letting her now that Lon is on his way because he knows about Noah and wants to see her. Allie upset at her mother, lashes out causing her mother to explain that see wanted her to move on and shedid what was best for her. Same as the book, another ‘villain’ that was not NEEDED. Three cheers to mom for having a good head on her shoulders something the other characters other than Lon couldn’t care to have.

Allie, confused, decides to go to Lon but Noah tells her that she shouldn’t being doing something because it’s the ‘right thing’ which is good advice but from his mouth it’s desperate hot garbage. He tells her he loves her and couldn’t bear to lost her again, making this more about him than her but sure. He tells Allie to do what she wants not what other want her to do, which makes sense but knowing his intentions I ain’t on team Noah. Allie drives to her hotel, teary-eyed almost crashed into another car.

Safety tip even though I don’t drive: Don’t drive tears in your eyes because tears make your vision blurry. And if you’re not in a position to be driving then please don’t. These only apply if you are the dramatic main character of a movie, show or television series. If not then go to jail for endangering other people or just drive safely like one does.

Allie stops to read the letters Noah wrote that her mom gave her as one does when they have to pick two men cuz love triangle things.

Duke reassures his wife but letting her know that even though she is lost she isn’t alone and takes her to her room where it looks like a candle-light dinner has been set up for them. While drinking some wine, the lady asks Duke who Allie chooses.

Allie is now facing a very confused Lon who, despite everything still loves Allie. So either he is really dumb considering she cheated on him twice or he loves her so much that he’s okay with giving her a second chance same as book Lon.

Duke says that they then live happily ever after not specifying who but if you read the book it’s even more obvious. Ally when meeting Lon essentially liked him back after months of courting only for her in the end feel like he wasn’t spending enough time with her. And she lies to him twice and is obviously not over Noah because she CHEATS ON HIM.

We don’t promote cheating y’all.

But let’s once again pretend like we’ve never seen a rom-com and don’t know the end result of every love triangle in the 2000’s.

Allie goes back to Noah’s and the two make eye contact.

The lady says she remembers now and tells him that it was them. Noah crying and overjoyed hugs Allie and after some talking they dance but after a while she forgets and yells at Noah who tries to explain everything but to no avail. The nurses come to calm her down and Noah leaves.

Later at night, Noah comes to visit her and she remembers him and they end up sleeping not knowing that even in death it was together.

The book makes a lot more sadder and you could actual shed a tear or too. My mom did so I give you permission too. In the book I liked both version of Noah and Allie, Younger Allie was tolerable. But the movie made the younger more easier to love couple somehow insufferable especially Allie. I liked the older couple and they are nothing like their ‘past selves’. The book is at best a 2.5 out of 5 but the movie is carried by the older couple and that says something about the writing since rom-coms are typically targeted to teens and people in their 20s looking for looovee.

So to conclude, all of you who liked this movie t’s not your fault for having terrible taste because it was all a ploy by the government.

Have a nice day

And hopefully people stop making this movie out to be masterpiece because it isn’t. Watch enchanted and don’t worry it’s a Disney movie so the plot doesn’t make a whole lot of sense half the time but it’s nice and I like Amy Adams and Idina Menzel.

Butter

By Emil Claire