The Notebook

Play trailer

2:13

The Notebook

PG-13

Released Jun 25, 2004

2h 4m

Romance

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

54%

Tomatometer

183 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

In 1940s South Carolina, mill worker Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling) and rich girl Allie (Rachel McAdams) are desperately in love. But her parents don't approve. When Noah goes off to serve in World War II, it seems to mark the end of their love affair. In the interim, Allie becomes involved with another man (James Marsden). But when Noah returns to their small town years later, on the cusp of Allie's marriage, it soon becomes clear that their romance is anything but over.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

It's hard not to admire its unabashed sentimentality, but The Notebook is too clumsily manipulative to rise above its melodramatic clichés.

Read Critics Reviews

Scott Tobias

AV Club

In a romance where paradise is a duck-filled pond, it helps to be mild-mannered.

Feb 2, 2019

Full Review

Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Dentistry in the Renaissance could not have been more painful than watching this.

Rated: 1/5

Feb 2, 2019

Full Review

Leslie Felperin

The Times (UK)

A honey-dipped love story with a surprisingly tart aftertaste, The Notebook is a better-than-you'd-expect adaptation of Nicholas Sparks's bestselling novel of the same name.

Feb 2, 2019

Full Review

Mary Kassel

Screen Rant

Romance might not be for everyone, but after more than 20 years, The Notebook holds an undeniable appeal that will convert every cynic.

Rated: 7/10

Apr 9, 2025

Full Review

Patricia Karounos

Refinery29

The Notebook is one of those movies that is so sad, you could break out into tears just thinking about it.

Oct 23, 2023

Full Review

Mark Jackson

Epoch Times

A tearjerker? It'll make you cry but it's not manipulative. A chick flick? It's just an inspiring love story that will touch your heart and make you believe true love can last a lifetime and conquer all. Isn't that what we all want?

Rated: 4/5

Apr 21, 2023

Full Review

Read all reviews

Shayla

Your review will help others decide whether to watch.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/25/21

Full Review

thiago s

Filme bacaninha, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são mais ou menos, a história é bacaninha, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, e o final salvou o filme.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

07/03/25

Full Review

Blu B

A Romance Classic. It's really well done all around. It effectively makes you get invested in the character romance/development through their lifetime to get you invested in the struggles of them older with Dementia and being seperated. Now that being said this is effectively two films. One about commentary on dementia and the other a period piece romance. I feel like you could almost take out the entire romance story and chop it down from say 90 minutes to like 5-10 minutes and do a montage simliar to what Up does in it's opening and really not much is lost. Because it feels like amybe only a step or two above a Hallmark channel type of thing the romance stuff and doesn't have the same impactfullness the present day dementia stuff does. It also can feel very over the top, cheesy/melodramatic, right out of the gate and pretty much stays that way the entire way. At least it doesn't have the cliche stopping her at the altar type of scene thank god but still. And it does overall feel like it does tug on the heartstrings to make up for a lack of substance with the romance. But honestly the present day stuff is so well done and the exection is great that it's still easy to get into it and be moved. Anyone who is a fan of romances, any actors in this, the director, or wants a tearjerker look no further than here.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/21/25

Full Review

Fari Y

I LOVE RACHEL McADAMS!!!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/16/25

Full Review

Brayden M

Movies don't usually make me cry but the pure romance that this movie brings is unexplainable. Definitely one of the most romantic movies of all time.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/02/25

Full Review

Stephen C

A successful romantic drama movie in just 2 hours and 4 minutes. Rated PG-13 for Some Sexuality!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/29/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Nick Cassavetes

Director

Ryan Gosling

Noah Calhoun

Rachel McAdams

Allie Hamilton

James Garner

Duke

Gena Rowlands

Allie Calhoun

James Marsden

Lon

Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights

23%

73%

Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights

Watchlist

Me Before You

54%

73%

Me Before You

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Me Before You

Daddy's Little Girls

25%

81%

Daddy's Little Girls

Watchlist

Love Happens

16%

37%

Love Happens

Watchlist

The Yellow Handkerchief

64%

60%

The Yellow Handkerchief

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

New on Netflix in September 2022

“Rotten Tomatoes Is Wrong” About… The Notebook

The 21 Most Memorable Movie Moments of the Past 21 Years: Vote for the Best Now!

The Notebook: Trailer 1

2:13

The Kiss in the Rain from ‘The Notebook’ | Rotten Tomatoes’ 21 Most Memorable Moments

2:23

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

In 1940s South Carolina, mill worker Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling) and rich girl Allie (Rachel McAdams) are desperately in love. But her parents don't approve. When Noah goes off to serve in World War II, it seems to mark the end of their love affair. In the interim, Allie becomes involved with another man (James Marsden). But when Noah returns to their small town years later, on the cusp of Allie's marriage, it soon becomes clear that their romance is anything but over.

Director: Nick Cassavetes
Producer: Mark Johnson, Lynn Harris
Screenwriter: Nick Cassavetes, Jeremy Leven, Nicholas Sparks, Jan Sardi
Distributor: New Line Cinema
Production Co: New Line Cinema, Avery Pix
Rating: PG-13 (Some Sexuality)
Genre: Romance, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 25, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 18, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $81.0M
Runtime: 2h 4m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Most Popular at Home Now