“The Notebook” is often celebrated as a timeless romantic drama, captivating audiences with its poignant love story. However, for parents considering whether this film is appropriate for their teens or younger children, understanding its content, particularly concerning sex and nudity, is crucial. This guide provides a detailed breakdown to help you make an informed decision.
Sex and Nudity in “The Notebook”: A Detailed Overview
“The Notebook” portrays intimacy between characters in several scenes. It’s important to note that while the movie is not excessively graphic, it does contain scenes that may be considered mature. Here’s a breakdown of the instances:
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Explicit Sexual Scene: One scene depicts a man and a woman kissing passionately, leading to undressing. The scene includes partial nudity, showing the woman’s bare breasts, back, and buttocks, and the man’s bare chest. Moaning and thrusting sounds are audible, suggesting sexual intercourse and culminating in sounds of climax.
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Suggestive Undressing: Another scene shows a young woman and man in a state of undress. The woman unbuttons her dress, revealing her bra and pettipants. The man removes his shirt and pants, shown bare-chested in boxer shorts. Further undressing is implied as she removes her bra and he removes his underwear (though not explicitly shown below the shoulders). This is followed by kissing and heavy breathing, suggesting imminent sexual activity.
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Implied Sexual Activity: A scene shows a man and woman in bed together, with the man bare-chested. The woman gets out of bed, revealing her bare back and the side of a bare breast, implying they have been sexually intimate.
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Passionate Kissing: The film includes multiple scenes of kissing, some more intense than others. These include:
- A young woman climbing on top of a young man in a car and kissing him.
- Extended kissing in a movie theater.
- Instances of embracing and kissing between couples.
- A playful kiss where a woman licks ice cream off a man’s face.
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Suggestive Dialogue and Actions:
- A young woman asks a young man to “make love” to her.
- A woman suggests “let’s do it again” after implied sex.
- A man touches a woman’s clothed breast during a kiss.
- A woman jumps into a man’s arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing him, repeated in another instance.
- A woman playfully unbuckles a man’s pants, causing them to fall and expose his boxer shorts.
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Brief Nudity:
- A woman is shown nude from the back and side, painting on a porch, revealing a bare breast and back.
- A scene depicts a room full of nude young men undergoing army physical exams, showing bare buttocks, backs, chests, and legs (private parts are covered by hands).
- Brief partial nudity is seen when a dancer’s skirt flips up during a dance dip, showing undergarments.
- A young man is shown bare-chested when taking off his shirt to jump in water.
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Revealing Clothing:
- Women are shown wearing low-cut evening gowns that reveal cleavage, bare shoulders, and backs.
- Swimsuits worn by young women reveal cleavage, bare abdomens, and thighs, while men’s swimsuits show bare chests.
- Young women wear low-cut, short tops revealing cleavage and bare abdomens, and short shorts exposing bare thighs.
- A woman’s dress hangs open, revealing bare thighs.
Conclusion: Parental Guidance for “The Notebook”
“The Notebook” features moderate sexual content, including an explicit sex scene with partial nudity, implied sexual activity, suggestive scenes of undressing, and numerous instances of kissing and suggestive dialogue.
While the film is fundamentally a romance, the level of sexual content might be a concern for some parents, particularly for younger viewers. Consider your child’s maturity level and sensitivity to these themes when deciding if “The Notebook” is appropriate for them. It’s advisable to preview the movie or seek further reviews from trusted sources to align your viewing choices with your family’s values.
