Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, The Notebook is a cultural phenomenon for a reason—it makes people feel things. The dementia storyline is genuinely moving, and there's something powerful about a love story that spans decades.

But let's be real: this movie has aged about as well as that Ferris wheel stunt would go over on a first date today. What was sold as swoon-worthy persistence in 2004 now looks a lot like harassment and emotional manipulation. Noah literally threatens self-harm to get a date. That's not romantic, that's a red flag the size of South Carolina.

The sex scenes are longer and more explicit than many parents expect from PG-13, the war violence is genuinely intense, and the whole thing is designed to emotionally wreck you. It works—but it's manipulation, not insight.

For older teens who can watch critically and talk about healthy vs. unhealthy relationship dynamics? Sure, it's a piece of pop culture literacy. For adults who want to sob into their popcorn? Go for it. But this isn't family movie night material, and it's definitely not the relationship model you want your kids absorbing uncritically.

Age Fit

Best for teens 15+ and adults who want a good cry. The sexual content, war violence, and heavy themes of illness and death make this inappropriate for younger viewers. This is date-night-after-kids-are-asleep territory, or a movie for older teens who can handle mature content and discuss problematic relationship dynamics critically.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

62

The central love story models deep commitment and devotion across a lifetime, with the framing device of an elderly man reading to his wife with dementia showing profound care. However, the romance itself is complicated by unhealthy dynamics—the couple's early relationship includes aggressive pursuit, manipulation, and emotional volatility that wouldn't fly in 2025. The 'romantic' scene where Noah threatens to fall off a Ferris wheel unless Allie agrees to a date is coercive, not charming. The film does show lasting love and sacrifice, but the path there is messy and models some questionable relationship patterns.

Imaginative

45

This is a straightforward romantic drama with a dual timeline structure (elderly couple in present, young lovers in flashback). The storytelling technique is competent but not particularly innovative—Nicholas Sparks adaptations follow a familiar formula. The 1940s setting provides some period detail and visual interest, but the film doesn't invite creative thinking, exploration, or spark curiosity beyond the emotional manipulation of 'will they end up together?' It's designed to make you cry, not to make you think or imagine.

Safe

38

PG-13 rating includes extended passionate sex scenes with brief nudity, wartime violence showing soldiers being killed by bombs, themes of dementia and death, and emotionally intense scenes throughout. Per parent reviews, this is not appropriate for younger viewers who might stumble upon it. The sexual content is prolonged and fairly explicit for PG-13, the war sequences show graphic violence, and the dementia/death themes are heavy and potentially triggering. Parents would need to actively choose this for teens, not something to leave on in the living room.

Enriching

58

The film does offer some meaningful exploration of class differences, family expectations, and what it means to commit to someone through illness and decline. The dementia storyline shows caregiving and devotion in a way that could spark empathy and conversations about aging, memory, and love. However, the early relationship dynamics teach questionable lessons about persistence versus boundaries, and the film leans heavily on emotional manipulation rather than genuine insight. It's a weepy that makes you feel things, but what you learn is debatable. IMDb 7.8 suggests strong audience connection, though critics were mixed (54% RT, 53 Metacritic).

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely moving portrayal of lifelong love and caregiving through dementia—the framing story packs real emotional weight
Strong performances from Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams with undeniable chemistry (even if they famously hated each other on set)
Opens conversations about class, family expectations, and what it means to choose your own path
The kind of movie that makes you ugly-cry and feel things deeply, which has value for processing emotions
Period setting in 1940s South Carolina provides visual appeal and historical context

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What to Watch For

Extended, passionate sex scenes with brief nudity—definitely not walk-in-the-room-safe for younger kids
War sequences showing soldiers being killed by explosions, which can be intense
The 'romantic' pursuit includes coercion (threatening to fall off a Ferris wheel until she agrees to a date) and emotional manipulation that models unhealthy relationship dynamics
Heavy themes of dementia, memory loss, and death throughout—emotionally intense and potentially triggering
This is peak emotional manipulation cinema designed to make you sob, so be ready for that energy

Conversation Starters

"What did you think about how Noah pursued Allie at the beginning? Would that feel romantic or uncomfortable if someone did that to you?"
"The movie shows how Allie's parents disapproved of Noah because of his social class. Do you think that kind of thing still happens today?"
"How do you think you'd handle it if someone you loved couldn't remember you anymore?"
"What do you think makes a relationship last for decades like theirs did?"

Deep Dive

If you’re looking at that 53 Metacritic score and wondering why this movie is still the undisputed heavyweight champion of rainy Saturdays, you aren't alone. Critics found it saccharine, but audiences found it essential. It’s the quintessential example of a "mood" movie—one where the logic of the plot matters significantly less than the intensity of the pining.

The "Passion" vs. "Persistence" Problem

The biggest friction point for a 2026 audience is the first act. We’ve spent the last decade teaching our kids about boundaries and "no means no," and then the main character shows up. He literally hangs off a moving Ferris wheel to coerce a woman into a date. In 2004, we called that "passion." Today, it looks a lot like a mental health crisis.

If your teen is starting to explore romance movies for families, this is the perfect "teaching moment" film. You can appreciate the chemistry while pointing out that threatening self-harm to get a phone number is a massive red flag. It’s a great entry point for a conversation about the difference between a grand cinematic gesture and actual, healthy consent.

The PG-13 "Steam" Factor

Then there’s the "Notebook" trap: the PG-13 rating. This isn't a modern, sanitized romance. The central sex scene is lengthy and intentional. It’s not just a cut-to-black moment; it’s a "clear the room if your younger kids are around" sequence.

The movie also doesn't shy away from the reality of the 1940s setting. The war sequences are brief but surprisingly visceral—bombs, blood, and field hospitals. It earns its rating through grit and intensity, not just a few stray swear words. If your kid is sensitive to medical distress or sudden violence, those scenes will hit harder than the romance.

The Weight of the Framing Story

The part that actually holds up, and the reason we still talk about this movie, is the framing story. Watching an elderly man patiently read to a woman who doesn't recognize him is devastating in the best way. It’s a much heavier, more grounded look at memory loss than something like The Essential Parent’s Guide to 50 First Dates, which plays the "resetting brain" trope for laughs.

In The Notebook, the dementia isn't a plot device; it’s a meditation on what it means to keep a promise when the other person has already "left" the building. You don't watch this for a realistic depiction of historical class struggles or a healthy blueprint for dating. You watch it to get wrecked. Just make sure your teens know that the guy hanging off the Ferris wheel isn't the hero—the guy sitting in the nursing home is.

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