Why Callum Turner Rates The Notebook Above the Rest

Callum Turner isn’t the type to lay all his cards on the table. One day he’s deep in a hard-hitting drama, the next he’s front and centre in a blockbuster, but whatever the gig, there’s a steady intensity to his work. It’s no wonder his name keeps popping up in the James Bond rumour mill. As his profile grows, it’s clear he’s not just coasting along. Turner’s got a sharp eye for quality, and the films he’s drawn to say plenty about what he’s after as an actor.

He doesn’t seem fussed about chasing the flashiest titles. In fact, one of his top picks is a film that often gets written off, even though it smashed it at the box office, struck a chord with heaps of punters, and became a pop culture staple. The Notebook is one of those flicks, a bit like Titanic, that’s copped its fair share of stick for being a romance or ‘chick flick’, despite its massive success. It might not have been as much of a juggernaut as James Cameron’s epic, but it’s still a household name and a cult favourite that helped launch one of the world’s most in-demand leading blokes. Now, at last, someone’s giving it the credit it deserves.

Turner’s Take on The Notebook

Turner, who’s currently the hot tip for the next Bond, spoke about his fondness for the film in a recent chat.

“I love The Notebook, it’s so good for so many different reasons,”

he said, as part of a series where artists talk about their favourites. While some reckon The Notebook is a bit cheesy or too sentimental, Turner sees it as carrying on the legacy of the legendary John Cassavetes. After all, the film was directed by Cassavetes’ son, Nick, so it’s not a huge stretch, even if most folks wouldn’t immediately link The Notebook with something like A Woman Under the Influence.

But Turner sees the connection clearly, explaining,

“It’s born out of Cassavete’s ideology of acting, who is the godfather of indie film… He was also an actor, and Gena Rowlands was his wife, who was in all his films.”

For Cassavetes, the actor was the heart of the story, and his films were carried by their performances. Gena Rowlands, especially in A Woman Under The Influence, is often cited as a major inspiration by actors, and in The Notebook, it’s the performances of Amy McAdams and Ryan Gosling that really make it work. Turner agrees, saying,

“They’re both incredible in that film.”

Performances and Legacy

Whatever people might say about the script, most agree the acting is top-notch, and Turner’s on the same page. The film was a launchpad for Gosling, who’s now one of the most sought-after leading men around. You might not be on board with every film he’s done, but there’s no denying the bloke can act, and he’s got a knack for lifting a film that might otherwise fall flat. The chemistry between Gosling and McAdams is a big part of what makes the film’s more sentimental moments feel genuine.

For Turner, a lot of what makes The Notebook stand out comes from its connection to John Cassavetes.

“It’s born out of that world,”

he says. Beyond the acting and Nick Cassavetes’ direction, there’s another strong link to his father: Gena Rowlands, Nick’s mum, appears in the film. She gives a gut-wrenching performance as the older version of McAdams’ character, Allie, which hits even harder when you know about her real-life love story with John Cassavetes.

Overlooked Merits

Despite all these strengths, the film’s positives are often ignored, which Turner reckons is down to its main audience being women and girls. It’s tough for romance films and so-called chick flicks to be taken seriously, no matter how big their following. Still, it’s good to see actors like Turner who can spot the craft and heart in a film that’s usually dismissed.