The Notebook 2004

Movie · 2h 3m

13+ Ages 12-14

Editor

Excellent

PG-13

Director: Nick Cassavetes

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, Gena Rowlands, James Garner, Joan Allen, David Thornton, James Marsden, Kevin Connolly, Sam Shepard, Starletta DuPois, Ed Grady, Jennifer Echols, Heather Wahlquist, Cullen Moss, Thunderbird Dinwiddie

Drama Romance

What's the Story?

An epic love story centered around an older man who reads aloud to a woman with Alzheimer's. From a faded notebook, the old man's words bring to life the story about a couple who is separated by World War II, and is then passionately reunited, seven years later, after they have taken different paths.

Content Ratings

What's in the title & why it matters

Language Mild

2/5

Profanity includes a couple of uses of "son of a b_tch," "bastard," "a_se," and "crap," along with a few uses of "damn."

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking Mild

2/5

Characters are shown drinking and smoking in some scenes. Anne and Allie do not smoke, despite the historical setting making it likely they would have.

Violence & Scariness Mild

2/5

A man has a heart attack and is hospitalized but recovers quickly. Allie slaps, hits, and shoves Noah on several occasions. A brief but intense war scene shows explosions in the background, two soldiers killed in a blast, and another character shown dead on the battlefield.

Sex, Romance & Nudity Moderate

3/5

The film contains nude sex scenes without explicit frontal nudity, showing the characters' bodies intertwined. A woman's bare back is shown on a few occasions.

Diverse Representations Mild

2/5

Flow & Focus Mild

2/5

Positive Role Models Mild

2/5

Products & Purchases Mild

1/5

Where to Watch

No streaming availability data yet for this title.

Photos & Videos

1 / 6

The Review

Written by Parent Guide Plus Editors

The Notebook stars Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling in a romantic drama. Reactions are mixed: some find the plot predictable and formulaic, while others find it moving. Critics are split on whether the emotional tone feels genuine or manipulative, though the film remains popular among fans of the romance genre.