15 Best Movies Like The Notebook

Ah, “The Notebook,” the go-to romantic drama for date nights and Valentine’s Day. This 2004 tear-jerker about good-looking people dealing with love and heartbreak hits all the feels, right down to its surprising and emotional twist ending.

Starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, the story follows the love affair between Noah (Gosling) and Allie (McAdams) as told by an elderly man (James Garner) to a female patient (Gena Rowlands) in the present. Noah, you see, is a poor lumber mill worker, while Allie is rich beyond belief. Naturally, her parents object, then a war whisks Noah away long enough for Allie to become engaged with another man (James Marsden). Will our star-crossed lovers overcome the many obstacles and end happily ever after, or will life pull them apart?

Look, “The Notebook,” as directed by Nick Cassavetes, based on the novel by perennial tear-jerk king Nicholas Sparks, doesn’t earn points for originality — Honest Trailers dubbed it the “Olive Garden of love stories.” Still, it remains the perfect date night flick for anyone in need of a good cry. And hey, if you want to shed more tears, check out this list of the 15 best movies like “The Notebook,” all designed to leave viewers misty-eyed before the credits roll. 

If you remove the whole ship-sinking aspect of James Cameron’s classic “Titanic,” one would swear it used the same script as “The Notebook.” An old person recounts a story in the modern day? Check. Star-crossed lovers? Check. Societal constraints? Check. Historical backdrop? Check. Disapproving parents? Check. Deadbeat fiancé? Double check. Again, neither film traverses new thematic territory, but the key to their success lies in how each story is told.

In the case of “Titanic,” Cameron sets his romance aboard the doomed ocean liner, where young, poor Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) begins a romance with wealthy, snotty Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet), much to the dismay of her mother (Frances Fisher) and arrogant, controlling fiancé (Billy Zane). What starts as a weekend fling becomes more profound when the Ship of Dreams strikes an iceberg and slowly begins its descent to the bottom of the Atlantic — cue the tears.

An enormous financial success and winner of 11 Academy Awards, “Titanic” stands head and shoulders above all others in the genre. Cameron weaves a captivating tale about fate within a massive epic, utilizing eye-popping special effects, James Horner’s sweeping score, and career-defining performances by Kate and Leo. “Titanic” is pure cinema magic. 

Another film based on a Nicholas Sparks novel, “A Walk to Remember,” stars Shane West as a rebellious young man named Landon Carter, whose antics land him in after-school purgatory. To his good fortune, he meets Jamie Sullivan (Mandy Moore), a beautiful religious outsider who objects to Landon’s extracurricular activities. Together, this odd couple eventually falls in love while prepping for a play; sparks fly, and Landon’s life changes for the better.

Pretty cut and dry, right?

Well, this being a Nicholas Sparks story, it’s only a matter of time before we learn that Jamie has Leukemia, a sad turn of events that our leading man isn’t quite sure how to handle. There are tears aplenty, hugs, and heartfelt goodbyes. Lives are changed for the better, and time marches on. 

“A Walk to Remember” is memorable in all the right ways. Nothing particularly outstanding stands out about the film, but West and Moore have terrific chemistry, and the finale tugs at the heartstrings. Call it “The Notebook”-lite.   

If you thought the first two entries were sad, wait until you get a load of “The Fault in Our Stars.” Directed by Josh Boone, this 2014 weepy concerns two cancer patients, played by Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort, who meet and fall in love during a support group with predictably heartbreaking results. Rather than wallow in self-pity, the newfound lovers rush to Amsterdam to meet a famous book author (Willem Dafoe) and tour the countryside, learning more about their lives and each other.

“The Fault in Our Stars” is undeniably melodramatic, but never in a way that feels forced or unnecessary. Instead, Boone and his writers, Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, working from John Green’s novel, implement enough laughs to distract from the underlying sadness and give Woodley and Elgort plenty of opportunity to show off their bubbly chemistry and undeniable acting talent. There are certainly happier ways to spend a Saturday evening, but if you’re aching for heartache, “The Fault in Our Stars” is the perfect remedy.

Following their collaboration on the very good “The Devil’s Advocate,” Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron re-teamed for the better-than-expected “Sweet November.” Critics trashed this schmaltzy 2001 drama upon release, and while it is very melodramatic, the film also touches upon some deeper themes about life and love and ultimately caters to its audience with some genuine, hard-core romance.

Directed by Pat O’Connor, “Sweet November” explores the blossoming and unexpected romance that erupts between Nelson Moss (Reeves) and Sara Deever (Theron). At first, everything appears to be going smoothly, but then Sara reveals she has terminal cancer and essentially lives month-to-month. As such, she pushes Nelson away, not wishing for him to endure her death, but, as her one true love, he fights for her and manages to extend their time together, even with the inevitable outcome lingering just around the corner. 

Co-starring Jason Isaacs and Greg Germann, this tender drama hits the sweet spot.  

Musicals aren’t everyone’s thing. However, trust us when we say “La La Land” is a musical worth experiencing at least once. Whether you turn up for Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, the splashy musical numbers, or the doomed romance, this Academy Award-winning drama will surely knock your socks off. 

Sebastian “Seb” Wilder (Gosling) is a musician content to play in low-end nightclubs until he has enough money to open his own jazz club. However, his plans are put on the back burner when he meets and falls in love with an aspiring actress named Amelia “Mia” Dolan (Stone). Together, the struggling artists do their best to navigate the tumultuous world of Los Angeles, hoping to catch a big break that makes their dreams come true. But will their relationship survive the journey? 

Directed with style and flare by Damien Chazelle, “La La Land” is far from your atypical romantic drama. The film explores the challenges of being a true artist and the consequences that emerge from chasing an uncatchable dream. 

Another Keanu Reeves tearjerker, “The Lake House,” effectively mixes time travel with a meet-cute story and, despite a few bumps here and there, gifts viewers a winning fantasy.

Kate Forster (Sandra Bullock, reuniting with her “Speed” pal) has just moved out of her lake house and into the city. Before leaving, she writes a letter to the next tenant and places it in the mailbox. Magically, that letter winds up in the hands of Alex (Reeves), the previous lake house owner — two years ago. Kate and Alex begin a relationship, communicating through time. They share books, photos, and other items through their mailbox and eventually must determine whether they should meet in the present day.

Light as a feather, “The Lake House” serves up a delicious entree of romance and heart, sprinkled with fine performances from its stars and a whimsical tone that places it squarely in the realm of fantasy.   

Hollywood never quite figured out what to do with Hilary Swank or Gerald Butler, and so tossed them together for 2007’s “P.S. I Love You.” Oddly, the duo make a believable couple — he’s all rugged charm, and she’s clever and vulnerable — even with limited screen time.

Holly (Swank) and Gerry (Butler) Kennedy’s happy life as a married couple is suddenly cut short when he dies of a brain tumor. Distraught, Holly shuts herself off from the world, including friends and family. Then, a letter from Gerry arrives, written before his death, followed by another and another, all designed to guide Holly out of her depression. Her journey takes her to Ireland, into the arms of another man (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), and deep into her relationship with Gerry, who ends each passage with the phrase, “P.S. I love you.”

There’s a lot to admire here, from the talented cast to the hopeful, optimistic tone. While some may balk at its wide-eyed sentimentality, others will enjoy a worthwhile story about self-discovery and healing.

Jane Austen’s classic “Pride & Prejudice” has been adapted too many times to count. Still, few attempts are produced as lavishly as Joe Wright’s 2005 feature starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen.

You know the drill. Four sisters, Jane (Rosamund Pike), Elizabeth (Knightley), Mary (Talulah Riley), Kitty (Carey Mulligan), and Lydia (Jena Malone), live a quaint life with their mother (Brenda Blethyn) and father (Donald Sutherland) in Longbourn, England, where they pursue their dreams, often thwarted by their social status. One by one, each sister becomes entangled in a love affair, each arriving with their own set of problems that underscores the difficulties of the era, particularly for lower-class women. However, Elizabeth is more abrasive and unwilling to part so quickly from her independence despite calls from wealthy suitors. Into the fold drops Mr. Darcy (Macfadyen), a rigid fellow drawn to Elizabeth’s prickly demeanor. Unfortunately, he hails from wealth and is therefore ill-suited for his one true love. Can each shake their pride and prejudice long enough to ride off into the sunset?

Briskly paced, featuring an enchanting score from Dario Marianelli and luscious cinematography from Roman Osin, “Pride & Prejudice” breathes new life into Austen’s novel and rewards audiences with a powerful tale about love.

Emilia Clarke carries this heavy drama about Lou Clark, a young woman hired as a caregiver for Will Traynor (Sam Claflin), a tetraplegic intent on traveling to Switzerland for assisted suicide. Lou has but a short time to convince Will that life is worth living, regardless of your circumstances, and arranges a series of trips and adventures to prove her point. Naturally, the pair fall in love, making it harder for Lou to carry out his plans.

Co-starring Janet McTeer, Charles Dance, and Brendan Coyle, “Me Before You” struck many critics the wrong way, particularly in its handling of its complicated subject matter, prompting a not so stellar critical reception. We tend to disagree and view Thea Sharrock’s film as a potent, often rewarding, exploration of life, anchored by Clarke’s bouncy charm and Claflin’s stoic presence. No, it’s not perfect, but “Me Before You” is a solid drama that leaves a mark. Thankfully, it found new life on Prime Video.   

Even if you’ve never seen “Say Anything…,” chances are you’ve seen the iconic shot of John Cusack standing outside Ione Skye’s bedroom window with a boombox over his head — a powerful declaration of love only Cameron Crowe could conjure. Believe us when we tell you there’s so much more to the film than that single shot.

In actuality, this 1989 dramedy follows Diane Court (Skye) as she deals with everything from love with an underachieving dreamer named Lloyd (Cusack) to the uncertainty of life after high school and her morally bankrupt father (John Mahoney). A coming-of-age story, “Say Anything…” explores the importance of taking risks, following your heart, and finding your voice amidst a complicated world.

As is customary, Crowe spins his tale around a plethora of classic rock songs, notably “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel and “Cult of Personality” by Living Colour. He succinctly captures the exuberance and heartache of youth. “Say Anything…” carries enough depth to propel it past others in its genre, making it an outright classic.  

We promise this is our final Nicholas Sparks entry. Still, you can’t deny the man knows how to pen a compelling love story. In the case of 2010’s “Dear John,” the popular author goes for broke, touching on everything from the September 11 attacks to autism. While the film often feels a little too manipulative, it still offers a satisfying, even moving, tale of love and loss.

Directed by Lasse Hallström, who would also direct an adaptation of Sparks’ novel, “Safe Haven,” in 2013, “Dear John” follows the relationship between U.S. Army Special Forces Staff Sergeant John Tyree (Channing Tatum) and perennial do-gooder Savannah Lynn Curtis (Amanda Seyfried). After spending time together, the pair fall in love, but war inevitably pulls them apart. Will fate forever prevent our couple from experiencing a happy ending?

Featuring the usual assortment of genre tropes — passionate kisses in the rain, letters read via dramatic voiceovers, long, scenic walks next to the beach, and star gazing — “Dear John” aims directly at Sparks’ rabid fanbase and gives them everything they could possibly ask for.

On a more positive note, 2008’s “Definitely, Maybe” lacks the weepy drama of “The Notebook,” despite telling a similar story. Here, Will Hayes (Ryan Reynolds) explains to his daughter Maya (Abigail Breslin) how he met her mother. His story, seen through flashbacks and set in the good ole 1990s, introduces three women into Will’s life: April Hoffman (Isla Fisher), Emily Jones (Elizabeth Banks), and Summer Hartley (Rachel Weisz), and then shows his on-again, off-again relationship with each until its clear which one he chose. 

Reynolds shows a softer side here, setting aside the Ace Ventura-style antics for a more straightforward comedic approach. Fisher, Banks, and Weisz are all charming in their supporting roles, each bringing unique traits that make their characters stand out. Ultimately, Will could end up with any of them and still have a happy ending. The film acknowledges this, emphasizing that love is as much about timing as it is about attraction.

Richard Curtis’ powerful time travel tale sees a young man named Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) fall in love with Mary (Rachel McAdams, who had a very unique shooting experience on the film), get married, have children, and live happily ever after. Pretty basic, right? Not so fast. The twist here is that Tim possesses the ability to travel through time. He only needs to hop in a closet, think about his destination, and arrive. This unique gift allows him to experience various events in multiple ways. His courtship of Mary, for example, requires numerous attempts, and even his wedding day prompts a few tries to work around the rainstorm, threatening to derail the ceremony.  

Like many of Curtis’ films, every choice, innocent or not, comes with a price, forcing Tim to face more difficult problems head-on without the aid of his powers. Ultimately, “About Time” is less a love story than a story about love and how we all take our time with one another for granted. It’s a splendid film, with enough tear-jerking drama to give “The Notebook” a run for its money.

Jerry Zucker directed this 1990 Oscar winner about a banker named Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze, stepping in after Bruce Willis turned down the gig) who dies and returns as a spirit to protect his girlfriend, Molly (Demi Moore), from the people who murdered him. Teaming with Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg), a psychic medium, Sam must figure out the reason for his death and save the girl before crossing over to the other side. 

“Ghost” cleverly mixes comedy, horror, and drama into a mighty supernatural package, quickly becoming a box office smash and pop cultural phenomenon. The bit where Sam and Molly enjoy a romantic interlude over a pottery wheel to the Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody” is every bit as iconic as anything in “Casablanca,” while the performances of its three main stars, notably Goldberg, are considerably better than they have any right to be. It all comes down to a bittersweet ending in which our lovers must bid adieu, punctuated with early ’90s effects and Maurice Jarre’s eloquent score. Pure cinema.

Finally, few films capture the complicated nature of relationships better than Michel Gondry’s “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” Starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, this quirky and heartfelt tale follows Joel (Carrey), who turns to a mysterious agency called Lacuna to erase all memories of his ex-girlfriend, Clementine (Winslet), after their painful breakup. To do so, Joel must relive his experiences with Clementine in reverse, starting from their breakup and moving backward through their relationship. The more memories he experiences, the more Joel realizes just how much Clementine meant to him, sparking a desperate attempt to preserve her memory.

While not as straightforward as “The Notebook,” this fascinating film explores similar emotional beats, albeit in a more unconventional way. Like Noah and Allie, Joel and Clementine bring out both the best and worst in each other, creating a tumultuous relationship that looks problematic on the surface. Ultimately, they discover that their love runs deeper than their silly misunderstandings and arguments, and is worth fighting for.

With a stellar supporting cast that includes Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, and Tom Wilkinson, and an emotional, complex finale, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is an emotionally resonant masterpiece.