'Notebook' a noteworthy tearjerker

Every couple months a director feels the need to force a little love into our lives in one way or another. The love story is often a reproduced, clichéd attempt at a box office hit. And while many of them may indeed become acclaimed (if not critically than with women as a whole), it's not often a movie has actually moved me to find the Kleenex, until now.\nAs a fan of the Nicholas Sparks book the movie was based upon, I can say director Nick Cassavetes does the text justice. "The Notebook" gracefully finds a way to touch on elements of the love story and does what it seems it was meant to do -- open the tear ducts and make every person watching cry.\nMushier than rival movies "A Walk to Remember," "Message in a Bottle" and several Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan collaborations, Noah (Ryan Gosling) and Allie (Rachel McAdams) give wonderful performances as the perfect 1940s lovestruck couple with parents who disapprove of their relationship because of social/class differences. Allie's parents drag her off to Georgia where she hopelessly awaits letters which never come from Noah. It isn't until seven years later that Allie finds out her mother has been intercepting and hiding the letters from her. Eventually, when engaged to a predictably rich, handsome and successful man (who her parents obviously love) Allie runs into her long lost love, and it's easy to figure out where things develop from here. \nWhile the main plot line of the lovebirds' separation and attempts at other failed relationships are almost completely predictable, I can't help but let it slide by because of the creativity in the movie's narration and the way the characters come to life in each scene. It's hard not to feel emotionally attached to this couple who lights up even the smallest TV screen. \nJames Garner delivers a heartbreakingly wonderful performance as the narrator, who repeats the love story between Noah and Allie to Gena Rowlands' character, an Alzheimers patient. With the obvious attempt at keeping Garner and Rowlands' character names undisclosed it becomes obvious who they are, why Garner cares so much about Rowlands and why he hopes the story will rekindle feelings and trigger memories in Rowlands' mind. \nDespite slow moments and a less-than-loaded DVD (only the Sparks commentary proved interesting), "The Notebook" is an emotional and well-acted movie perfect for a rainy, romantic afternoon.