Plot: What’s it about?
For less than a decade, there have been 3 big screen adaptations of novels written by Nicholas Sparks. The first two were regarded as great best sellers, but when it came to translating to the big screen, both arrived with mixed results and they were seen as good attempts at a great love story. Last year, a project that had been passed by many came into the hands of director Nick Cassavetes. The project described a man who read a story to a woman depicting young love and the obstacles that come before them through the years. The man read the story from The Notebook.
A woman (Gena Rowlands) is in a nursing home and has no memory. Her one bright time in this home is when a man named Duke (James Garner) comes to her every day to read to her. The story he tells to her is about a man named Noah (Ryan Gosling) who falls for a girl named Allie (Rachel McAdams) one summer at a carnival and would do anything to take her out on a date. His first attempt is unsuccessful but is persistant to try again and with a friend, they double one night. Noah starts to realize that he fills a key void in Allie’s heart opening her up to newer things and sharing a few common interests. They would live happily ever after if it wasn’t for a mother (Joan Allen) who favored one in her class of people than the likes of Noah. While the older man reads this story to this woman, they start to have a connection of their own at the same time.
Going into this film, this viewer expected to see something routine, predictable and slow. On all three counts I was wrong. It certainly wasn’t routine not going into typical territory of past dramatic romantic films and had me intrigued for the two people at the two different times. It wasn’t predictable in that the movie would be repeating itself countless amounts of times. Finally, the movie wasn’t slow thanks to a steady pace and wonderful performances from all.
I haven’t seen much of Ryan Gosling’s work, but with this film I was happy that I didn’t because it gave this viewer a fresh look on this film. As Noah, he shows a determination with a genuine heart despite his circumstances. Rachel McAdams certainly won my heart as Allie. It doesn’t hurt to have a leading lady that is smart, connects well with the leading male, has a strength put up with Noah and is lovely at the same time (It also doesn’t hurt that her character shares a first name as this viewer’s special lady too).
The rest of the cast gives solid support to this wonderful story that hit a few chords with this viewer as the film progressed. I wanted to see what happened next with both of these couples being they both had strong chemistry
and were believable that none of them would let anything get in the way of their love.
Special note should be made of both the production designer Sarah Knowles and the director of photography Robert Fraisse as both of their work in this film is masterful as not only is The Notebook a beautiful story but the look of the film is also very beautiful. Nick Cassavetes put together a very entertaining film that finally does justice to a Nicholas Sparks novel. The Notebook is worth reading from beginning to end.
Video: How does it look?
The Notebook is given the Panavision treatment (Nick’s second) in the 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen process and the results on this transfer are most excellent. With the exception with one or two brief shots, the look of this film is flawless and there’s no major specks or debris evident on the print on this DVD. The colors of the skies never looked like a thing of beauty so brightly in this film which makes great use of silhouettes without any specks in the blacks and without any oversaturation or bleeding of color. This disc also has an inferior full screen version of the film on the opposite side of the disc.
Audio: How does it sound?
The EX 5.1 Surround track is a good one capturing the sound of the water in the beach without too many seagulls locked in as well as a great deal of the music of the film (wonderfully scored by Aaron Zigman). This is mostly a dialogue driven film with moments of music that provide nicely through all channels with the effects coming to the outer channels and the dialogue around the front and center channels. There’s not much in terms of having to turn the volume up on the television but all the dialogue, effects and score benefit nicely on this track. This disc also has a Stereo Surround Sound track along with English and Spanish subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
New Line has provided The Notebook with their Platinum Series treatment and it starts with two commentary tracks dealing with two guys named Nick. One is with director Nick Cassavetes and the other is with author Nicholas Sparks and both are worthy listens. There are two kinds of self appreciative commentaries. On one hand there is one that thinks everything is great and gets boring quickly. On the other hand there is the complimentary one that is informative at the same time and mixes it in nicely without getting too redundant and Nick Cassavetes commentary track falls into that category as he is an entertaining listen on his judgment on getting the film made and working with the cast (a reteaming of sorts from Face/Off with director Cassavetes and actress Joan Allen) as well as making one of the most honest statements about a director. The other track with Nicholas Sparks is another good one that tells the film from an author’s point of view of how the story came to him to what alterations were made in terms of translating to the big screen. Both together are very good and are great extras on this disc.
But it doesn’t end there commentary-wise.
There are 12 deleted scenes and they are optioned with commentary. However another participant makes way on here. The commentary is not of director Nick Cassavetes but of editor Alan Heim and his input into editing is solid even during the deleted scenes. I recommend using the play all function. There were one or two scenes that were interesting but all of them were understandable as to their omission in the finished film and Heim gives some solid comments throughout the commentary of the deleted scenes.
After that there are four featurettes that cover the author, the connection with Nick Cassavetes and family shooting the film as well as casting Rachel and Ryan and filming The Notebook on location. The actor’s input was good being that we didn’t hear from any of them on the commentary tracks and it keeps in the mood of the commentary tracks both passionate and a great love for the film.
Next up is the screen test that won Rachel McAdams the role of Allie and it’s easy to see why she won over many others that tried out for the role.
Finally, there is a promo for the soundtrack as well as the film’s theatrical trailer in 1.85:1
The Notebook turned out to be a surprisingly good read of a motion picture as it likewise turned out to be a surprisingly good DVD.
