The Notebook
Yes, I accidentally saw "The Notebook" yesterday.How do you accidentally see a movie?
Well, I had been convinced it was a schlocky chick-flick full of unrealstic settings, people, dialog, situations, and emotions, ...and wanted no part of it. However, the wife was keen to see it, so she rented it and invited me to watch with her.
I'm a supportive guy, so I hung around the living room to keep her company while it was on, taking care of the baby, checking email, reading articles online, etc. I was watching it enough to follow the story closely. Actually, I was searching it for stereotypes, cliches, and holes that would allow me to mock it silently to myself.
And while I did find a few, ...the movie was actually interesting, held a few suprises, and got better with each scene. By the time I shut down the computer and the baby fell asleep, I was in deep enough that I had to finish out the movie.
Now, it's true that I am unable to walk out on movies. Once I start them, I have to finish. That's partly why I start so few of them. The only movie I ever wanted to walk out on was Dude Where's My Car, which is the worst movie ever made by anyone anywhere at anytime. It is completely with a single redeeming scene, phrase, word, or sentiment. I consider myself poorer for having seen it. That's how worthless it was.
Anyway, The Notebook does start out slow, in fact I think you could miss the whole first 30 minutes and not miss much. But it really picks up about 1 hour into it. Dual story lines shift between the present and the past. Half-way through you think you have it figured out, but suprises await in the final 45 minutes.
Without giving anything away, the movie builds to an emotional climax where the dual story lines collide with themselves and reality. As the viewer, you are forced to contemplate the implied sacrifices, resolve, and anguish behind the circumstances. The pieces of the stories fall into place like a shattered mirror in reverse, and the picture becomes clear and heartbreaking.
You cannot see this movie without shedding some tears. Now, I'm an easy mark for sad stories. A single tear is not hard to wring out of me with a good love story, but this movie nearly opened the floodgates.
It hits you hard, then it hits again, and again. It's almost not fair. You cannot have an emotional reaction to movie you don't care about. This movie took a hostile viewer like myself and forced me to care about the characters and their plight. It's impossible to resist because it forces you to look at your own life and your own relationships in a new way. Most love stories won't tred on this territory, which is why this movie is different.
So, if your girlfriend, wife, mistress, date, escort, or sugar-momma wants to watch this movie, ...go ahead tell her you'll do it just for her. Because it's not that bad. In fact, I liked it. It's well acted, has a couple of nice sex scenes, and isn't dripping with syrup like you'd expect. It hits hard, and puts a twist on a typical love story that is refreshing and powerful.
I pronounce these wilds fit for travel by the standard, superficial man. But bring some Kleenex.
<< Home