| Director | Nick Cassavetes |
|---|---|
| Genre | coming-of-age film, drama film, romance film |
| Runtime | 123 min |
| Country | United States |
| Budget | $30 million |
| Box office | $118.3 million |
In the present day, the elderly Duke reads a romantic story from a notebook to a female patient in their nursing home.
It relates how, in 1940, at a carnival in Seabrook Island, South Carolina, lumber mill worker Noah Calhoun sees 17-year-old heiress Allison "Allie" Hamilton, there for the summer. He pursues her, woos her into dating him after an evening out, and they begin a romance.
Near the end of the summer, Noah learns that Allie will attend Sarah Lawrence College in New York in the fall, far from Seabrook. He takes her to Windsor Plantation, telling her about his dream to repair its abandoned house. They attempt to have sex, but a nervous Allie can't stop talking. They say that they love each other, but are then interrupted by their mutual friend Fin, who tells them that Allie's parents have summoned the police to find her.
When Allie and Noah return to her parents' mansion, Allie's mother Anne says she is against the relationship and forbids her from seeing him. Having overheard the conversation, Noah admits he does not see a future for them. A distraught Allie breaks up with him, but immediately regrets the decision.
The next morning, Anne announces they will be returning to Charleston immediately, one week earlier than planned. Allie rushes to the lumber mill to apologize to Noah, but he is away; she asks Fin to tell him she loves him. Noah rushes to Allie's home when the message is delivered, but is too late.
Noah writes to Allie every day for a year, but Allie's mother intercepts the letters. When the US joins World War II, Noah and Fin enlist and fight in the Battle of the Bulge, where Fin is killed. Meanwhile, Allie nurses soldiers in a hospital, meeting wounded Captain Lon Hammond Jr., a young lawyer who comes from old Southern money. After a few years, they become engaged, to Allie's parents' delight.
Noah returns from the war, to find his father has sold their home so Noah can buy the Windsor Plantation. Soon after, his father dies, and Noah begins repairing the house. Later, as Allie tries on her wedding dress, she sees a newspaper photo of Noah in front of the successfully renovated house and faints.
Allie's feelings for Noah resurface, so she travels to Seabrook alone before the wedding. There, she finds Noah living at the plantation. Noah tells Allie about the letters he sent her, and she realizes her mother kept them from her. They rekindle their relationship and have sex.
Days later, Anne arrives to warn Allie that Lon has come to Seabrook. She reveals that she once also loved a lower-class man and wonders what their lives would have been like had she chosen differently. She gives Noah's letters to Allie, which she has kept, and suggests she choose wisely.
Upon returning to the house, Allie argues with Noah, and he tells her to choose based on what she wants. She drives back to her hotel, sobbing and confused after having read the letters, and confesses her infidelity to Lon. He still wants to marry her, but she follows her heart and returns to Noah.
Back in the present, the elderly woman is revealed to be Allie, now suffering from dementia. Duke is actually Noah, who uses a pseudonym to not startle her in her disoriented state. The book he reads to her is her journal, detailing their romance and life together so he could help her remember him. Noah has kept his promise to read it to her daily.
Near the end of the journal, Allie recognises Noah and they embrace. They dance to their song, "I'll Be Seeing You", and she asks about their children. However, Allie's dementia quickly returns and she panics, seeing him as a stranger, so is sedated. Later, Noah has a heart attack, while Allie is taken to a dementia ward. After his recovery, Noah sneaks into Allie's room in the night. Allie recognises him and they kiss. The next morning, their bodies are found after they have both died in their sleep, holding hands.