7 Ways 'The Notebook,' Which Just Turned 10, Created Unrealistic Ideas of Romance
On the movie's 10th anniversary, look back on its best, and craziest, moments.
— -- intro: When "The Notebook" premiered on June 25, 2004, fans everywhere sobbed and applauded as Ryan Gosling's Noah and Rachel McAdams's Allie found true love together. However, some have also criticized the film for setting the bar on romance slightly too high. Here are a few ways "The Notebook" might have ruined modern-day romantic overtures -- but if we're wrong and you've experienced a romantic declaration of love, leave it in the comments.
quicklist: 1title: The Way Noah Asks Out Allietext: After Noah spotted Allie on the Ferris wheel at a local carnival, he ran toward it and grabbed hold of a bar as the wheel began to turn. He threatened to let go, and thus fall to his death, if she didn't agree to go out with him. You know what's exciting these days? A phone call.
quicklist: 2title: How Noah Wins Allie Overtext: As their relationship blossoms, Noah and Allie lie down in the street, before he asks her to dance there, without music. Naturally, he begins humming a song, which she loves, despite telling him, "You're a terrible singer." In real life, this would be difficult to accomplish without getting hit by a car.
quicklist: 3title: Noah's Persistent Attempts to Keep Allietext: While he was away at war, Noah wrote Allie 365 letters and, upon telling her this, kissed her passionately in the rain. Does anybody write letters anymore? Does anybody even know how much stamps cost?
quicklist: 4title: Noah's Attempt to Get Back Into Allie's Lifetext: To get back in Allie's life, Noah made good on his long-forgotten promise to restore the Windsor Plantation, where he took her on one of their first dates. He worked tirelessly to make it look exactly as she'd described it and obviously, it worked. Now, most people find it romantic when their partners remember an anniversary.
quicklist: 5title: Noah's Many Surprises for Allietext: Not only did he run out to get breakfast, but he also set up a painting room for her with arrows leading the way. Yes, he set that up while she was sleeping. Has that happened to any of you?
quicklist: 6title: Noah's Articulate Way of Winning Allie Back For Goodtext: While trying to convince Allie to stay with him, Noah went on a tirade about how perfect they are for each other. (As it turns out, he's an "arrogant son-of-a-b****" and she's a "pain in the ass.") At no point does he stutter or utter a "like" or an "um," and his speech concludes as follows: "It's not gonna be easy. It's gonna be really hard and we're gonna have to work at this every day, but i want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever. You and me, every day, forever." And then she cries.
quicklist: 7title: All of Noah and Allie's Adorable Datestext: On various dates, Noah teaches Allie to drive. He rows her in a boat surrounded by swans. He lets her ride on his handlebars while bike-riding. In reality, first dates tend to be drinks. Maybe dinner. Maybe.
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