The Notebookfollows Duke (James Garner) an elderly man who frequents a nursing home where he reads a love story to one of the residents (Gena Rowlands). The story contained within the pages of the book transports viewers and the patient back to the 1940s when a young man named Noah (Gosling) meets and falls with a young woman named Allie (McAdams). The pair are from incredibly opposite societal and economic standings, and have multiple road bumps standing in the way of their love. Jumping across multiple years, the intricate tale keeps pulling Noah and Allie back to one another against all odds.
Joining Gosling and McAdams as the supporting cast ofThe Notebookis a stacked ensemble featuring the likes ofJames Marsden(Jury Duty),Sam Shepard(Baby Boom),Joan Allen(The Bourne Ultimatum),Kevin Connolly(Entourage) andDavid Thornton(Home Alone 3). The project was under the direction ofNick Cassavetes, further cementing his status as a genre-crossing helmer, previously dipping into thrillers and dramas throughUnhook the Stars,She’s So LovelyandJohn Q.
‘The Notebook’s Gargantuan Success
While both McAdams and Gosling had been working in the industry for years prior to their leading roles inThe Notebook, they each have the movie to thank forlaunching them to superstardom. And, for the former, 2004 was an even better year career-wise thanks to the arrival ofMean Girls. Meanwhile, New Line Cinema was beyond thrilled with the romantic drama, as they took $115.6 million to the bank following its run in theaters, which more than covered the movie’s production cost of $29 million. While the critics ofRotten Tomatoesonly gave it a 54% rating, the audience reaction of 85% shows just how popular the story continues to be now, more than two decades later.
Head over to Hulu now before the last page turns onThe Notebookon February 1.
The Notebook
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