Chick flicks with Chris #1: The Notebook

This isn’t any typical movie review. This is a review on chick flicks, from the perspective of a brutally honest guy. It’s about time we guys share our opinions on the movies we are forced to watch by our female friends.

My name is Chris. In this new series that I call Chick flicks with Chris, I will be reviewing popular movies with sappy, unrealistic plots that make most girls bawl their eyes out.

For starters, I will be reviewing one of the highly acclaimed romantic movies of all time: The Notebook.

At a modern day home for the elderly, Duke reads a story from his notebook to another patient. The story he reads is set in the 1940’s. Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling) falls in love with Allie Hamilton (Rachel McAdams) after seeing her in a carnival.

After the two get together, Allie’s upper class parents starts to disapprove of the relationship as Noah isn’t as wealthy as them.

The next morning, Allie’s mother announces their immediate move to New York. Allie is sent on her way before she could even tell Noah. Noah writes to her every day, but he gets intercepted by Allie’s mother.

Soon after, he joins the army and continues writing to Allie, not knowing that she’s isn’t receiving his letters. Allie then falls in love with another man and is engaged. When Noah returns home from the war, he and Allie meet again, only to fall in love once more.

The first thing that came to mind when I saw Noah was how creepy he was. He may be good looking, but he seemed overly desperate to go out with Allie despite the numerous rejections.

What really got me scratching my head was the way Noah went head over heels, just because Allie looked pretty. He even hung from the bar on the carousel, threatening to jump if she were to reject him. He’s just ludicrous.

In Singapore, we guys would get slapped if we ever pull off a similar stunt.

Even after Noah got the green light to date Allie, I still think that he is mad. I can never understand why he is always shouting at her over small things, like jumping into a pool. Clearly, someone needs to take a chill pill.

It doesn’t stop there; the deranged couple is then seen lying on the road for no practical reason. Ladies, no guy in the right mind would ask you to lie on the road beside him. If he does, that’s when you start to run.

However, I respect Noah’s commitment to write a letter every day for a year. What bugs me, though, is the fact that he missed the memo – why isn’t he suspicious about not receiving any replies? And isn’t it creepy that Allie’s mother is probably reading all his mushy letters to her daughter?

Halfway through the movie, it’s revealed that (spoiler alert!) the old couple was indeed Allie and Noah.

I kind of expected it, knowing that she has dementia. Why else would this old man, whom you’ve never met, read you a love story?

All in all, The Notebook is a movie that is the epitome of cliché. While some might end up in tears while watching this movie, I couldn’t stop cringing at most scenes.

I’m sorry. Actually, not really.

Cringe rating: 3.5/5 (Guys, only watch this if you’re running out of sour sweets and desperately need to scrunch up your face for some reason.)