Older Adult: Film Analysis
The Notebook
The beginning of The Notebook opens with the gentleman, Noah in a nursing home facility. We soon learn that he is living at the facility to be close to his wife, Allie who has Alzheimer’s. Allie is introduced to Noah, and he offers to read her a story. They are in the sunroom at the nursing home, and unbeknownst to her he begins to read her a love story. Due to Allie’s disease she is unaware that the story she is listening to is her own read by her true love. Noah begins to share about the summer romance that began one night in the 1940’s at a carnival. We see Allie and Noah fall madly in love only to be torn apart by her parents that do not believe he is worthy of their daughter because of his place in society. Allie’s parents take her away from the love of her life to focus on school, and to find a socially acceptable husband for their daughter. Noah cannot forget Allie so easily and writes to her everyday for a year. When he doesn’t hear back from her we see them both move on with their lives.
Allie moves on with her life attending college, volunteering as nurse’s aide for wounded soldiers. While in the hospital she meets a solider that is acceptable to her parents, and they become engaged. Meanwhile, Noah has joined the Army, lost his best friend, and returned from war to find out that his father has sold his house. This allows Noah the funds to buy a run down old house that he has always wanted to restore. It was Allie’s dream that he would paint it white with blue shutters, and a room that overlooks the lake so she can paint. With Allie still in his heart and mind he completes the house only to be photographed for a newspaper article. Allie sees the photo of Noah with the white house with blue shutters. They reminisce about the summer that they fell in love. Ultimately Allie must choose between Noah, and her fiancé Lon. Allie has always known that Noah was her one true love.
Throughout the movie we flash back to the past then are brought back to present day. Allie and Noah’s children come to visit the nursing home to encourage their dad to move back home, but he refuses saying his life is with Allie. When Noah finishes reading the story to Allie she has a moment of clarity and realizes that the story that he has been reading has been about them. They share a few moments before Allie looses her memory again followed with a sun downing moment. In the end their love has kept them together and they peacefully die together holding hands.
Fried Green Tomatoes
This is a story of two women, Evelyn Couch and Ninny Threadgoode who meet in the waiting room of a nursing home. Ninny begins to share the story of Idgie Threadgood and Ruth Jamison who ran the Whistlestop Café and became life long friends. This is a story of having the courage to be comfortable with who you are, and the courage to stand up for what you believe.
Evelyn Couch is a housewife who is overweight, and unhappy with her marriage. She...