The Notebook (2004)
Behind every great love is a great 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.
| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 25 June 2004 |
| Genre | Romance, Drama |
| Director | Nick Cassavetes |
| Starring | Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams and Gena Rowlands |
| Runtime | 123 min |
| Rated | PG-13 |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 5.7/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 54% · Metacritic 53/100 · TMDB users 7.9/10 |
| Budget | $30 million |
Where to watch The Notebook
We could not find The Notebook on any of the subscription services we track in the US right now. That changes often; open it in Binge Boss and we will show you where it lands.
Where to watch The Notebook in 55 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Andorra | Netflix, Prime Video |
| Antigua & Barbuda | Prime Video, Max |
| Argentina | Prime Video $5199 ARS, Max $9590 ARS |
| Australia | Prime Video $9.99 AUD |
| Bahamas | Prime Video, Max |
| Barbados | Prime Video, Max |
| Belgium | Netflix €16.99, Prime Video €4.99, Max €10.99 |
| Belize | Prime Video, Max |
| Bermuda | Prime Video |
| Bolivia | Prime Video, Max |
| Brazil | Prime Video R$19.90, Max R$34.90 |
| Canada | Prime Video $9.99 CAD |
| Chile | Prime Video $6490 CLP, Max $9590 CLP |
| Colombia | Prime Video $24900 COP, Max $24900 COP |
| Costa Rica | Prime Video, Max |
| Denmark | Prime Video 69 kr DKK |
| Dominican Republic | Prime Video, Max |
| Ecuador | Prime Video $5.99, Max $8.29 |
| El Salvador | Prime Video, Max |
| Finland | Prime Video €6.99 |
| France | Netflix €14.99, Prime Video €6.99, Max €9.99 |
| French Guiana | Netflix, Prime Video |
| French Polynesia | Netflix, Prime Video |
| Guatemala | Prime Video, Max |
| Guyana | Prime Video, Max |
| Honduras | Prime Video, Max |
| Iceland | Prime Video 880 kr ISK |
| Ireland | Max |
| Italy | Prime Video €4.99 |
| Jamaica | Prime Video, Max |
| Japan | Prime Video ¥600 JPY, Hulu, U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
| Luxembourg | Prime Video €8.99 |
| Malta | Prime Video €5.99 |
| Mexico | Prime Video $99 MXN, Max $149 MXN |
| Monaco | Netflix, Prime Video, Max |
| Netherlands | Prime Video €4.99 |
| New Zealand | Prime Video $8.99 NZD |
| Nicaragua | Prime Video, Max |
| Norway | Prime Video 79 kr NOK |
| Panama | Prime Video $5.99, Max $8.29 |
| Paraguay | Prime Video, Max |
| Peru | Prime Video S/25.90, Max S/35.90 |
| Poland | Prime Video 25.99 zł |
| San Marino | Prime Video |
| South Korea | Wavve ₩10900 |
| Spain | Prime Video €4.99 |
| St. Lucia | Prime Video, Max |
| Sweden | Prime Video 69 kr SEK |
| Switzerland | Netflix CHF22.90, Prime Video CHF8.90 |
| Trinidad & Tobago | Prime Video, Max |
| Turks & Caicos Islands | Prime Video, Max |
| Türkiye | Prime Video ₺39.90 |
| United Kingdom | Max £9.99 GBP |
| Uruguay | Prime Video $U249, Max $U399 |
| Venezuela | Prime Video, Max |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
Nick Cassavetes directs a 123-minute romance that trades on the specific ache of memory failing. The film hinges on the tension between two timelines: a quiet, present-day reading room and a fiery, war-torn past. It is not subtle. It is loud, earnest, and unapologetically committed to the idea that love is a physical force. You will either find the staging heavy or you will find it necessary. It asks you to believe that a notebook can hold a lifetime. The script leans hard on that belief.
What the critics said
Rotten Tomatoes lists a 54% Tomatometer score as of August 2024. The consensus admits the unabashed sentimentality but finds the manipulation clumsy. Metacritic assigns a 53/100 Metascore based on 34 critics, labeling the reception mixed or average. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times countered the mediocrity, calling the photography "striking in its rich, saturated effects." The divide is sharp. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave it an average A grade. Critics debated the chemistry. Audiences just wanted the tears.
What came next for the cast
Gosling and McAdams arrived here from earlier credits, then pivoted toward later ones. The credits suggest a shift, but they cannot prove the romance caused it. Rowlands, already a legend, traded earlier credits for later ones. Garner moved from earlier credits to a final one. The timeline is a jumble of hits and misses.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched The Notebook.
Read more: Me Before You
Sources
- The Notebook on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q223374 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “The Notebook” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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