If you’re seeking out more movies like The Notebook to tug on your heartstrings and have you reaching for the tissues, then you’ve definitely come to the right place.
One of the most beloved romance flicks ever made, Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling captured the imagination of fans the world over in Nick Cassavetes’ emotional rollercoaster.
Not every movie like The Notebook has to be adapted from a Nicholas Sparks novel, but a fair few of them are, and we’ve compiled ten suitable titles for anyone happy to bawl their eyes out for a couple of hours.
10 Tear-Jerking Romantic Movies Like The Notebook
1. Dear John (2010)
Another Nicholas Sparks adaptation, Dear John follows a soldier exchanging love letters with the woman who might just be his soulmate after he’s deployed to fight in Afghanistan.
The movie follows the same formula as virtually every movie like The Notebook by having two beautiful people make doe eyes at each other and overcome obstacles on the path to true love.
That being said, Dear John directed by Lasse Hallstrom knows exactly how to appeal to the target audience by going straight for the heartstrings.
2. The Best of Me (2014)
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before, but The Best of Me is based on a Nicholas Sparks novel and sees two people fall in love, as unforeseen circumstances do everything in their power to keep them apart.
James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan tackle the lead roles in director Michael Hoffman’s romance, and the end result delivers exactly what you’d expect from a setup focused on reunited high school sweethearts.
The Best of Me is a Sparks adaptation through and through, meaning it will definitely appeal to fans of movies of The Notebook, but not so much everyone else.
3. The Vow (2012)
Based on a true story, The Vow sees Rachel McAdams return to the world of romantic dramas to star opposite Channing Tatum in director Michael Sucsy’s feature film debut.
The central couple are involved in a serious car accident, leaving McAdams’ character with no recollection of her husband, meaning he has to make her fall in love with him all over again.
The two leads are as solid as you’d expect in a movie that unashamedly aims directly for the date night crowd, but The Vow remains a solid choice for those who want more movies like The Notebook.
4. Me Before You (2016)
In a shocking turn of events, Me Before You isn’t a Nicholas Sparks movie, but Jojo Mayes writes the script for the big-screen version of her own novel.
Emilia Clarke stars as the dream girl who enters the life of Sam Claflin’s paralyzed young banker, and tensions between the two slowly thaw, but Me Before You has a gut-punch ending you won’t find in many movies like The Notebook.
The leads generate sparkling chemistry in a major box office hit that manages to dance around some sensitive subject matter without stumbling.
5. The Longest Ride (2015)
George Tillman Jr. Became the latest filmmaker to tackle Nicholas Sparks when he directed the tale of a bull-riding champion trying to maintain his relationship with an ambitious college student.
Scott Eastwood and Britt Robertson fill the requisite attractive lead roles, in the sort of contrived and overly saccharine story that will directly appeal to those seeking more movies like The Notebook.
Clearly designed with Teen Choice awards in mind instead of Oscars, The Longest Ride definitely hits the mark on that front.
6. The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
Josh Boone directs one of the most tear-jerking movies in history as The Fault in Our Stars sees two teenage cancer patients fall hopelessly in love.
If you want movies like The Notebook, but feel like you didn’t cry enough watching it, then this is exactly the film you’re looking for.
Brilliantly acted, warm, funny, and heartbreaking without being patronizing, The Fault in Our Stars is an emotional ride from start to finish.
7. P.S. I Love You (2007)
Gerard Butler is best known as an action hero, but P.S. I Love You showed he was more than capable of being a romantic lead when the occasion calls for it.
Hilary Swank’s performance seems like it was brought in from the wrong movie as the widow receiving love letters from her late husband, but director Richard LaGravenese does capture some nice-looking location shots.
Riddled with clichés and thus perfectly suited for fans who want more movies like The Notebook, P.S. I Love You is glossy Hollywood melodrama at its finest.
8. Safe Haven (2013)
A small-town waitress is won over by the affections of a local widower before her past eventually catches up to her in Safe Haven.
It might be a Nicholas Sparks adaptation directed by Lasse Hallstrom, but Safe Haven is definitely not Dear John, with Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel heading up a cast loaded with very good looking people.
If you feel that not enough movies like The Notebook have a major plot twist that comes completely out of nowhere, then Safe Haven is the movie for you.
9. A Walk to Remember (2002)
We promise this is the last Nicholas Sparks adaptation on the list, A Walk to Remember sees an aimless high school senior fall in love with the local minister’s daughter.
Director Adam Shankman is more than familiar with the genre, and coats a story that’s as predictable as they come in a glossy Hollywood sheen that matches the sugary sweet nature of the story.
Mandy Moore continued building her reputation as America’s latest girl next door in a romantic drama that ticks all the boxes that movies like The Notebook should.
10. About Time (2013)
Movies like The Notebook don’t always have to be straightforward romance, and About Time throws time travel into the mix with phenomenal results.
Writer/director Richard Curtis delivers one of the best rom-coms and time travel flicks of the 21st Century in one fell swoop, anchored by two brilliant turns from stars Domhnall Gleeson and Rachel McAdams.
Schmaltzy, saccharine, sentimental, and all the better for it, About Time is all about sincerity at the expense of cynicism, which is a rarity these days.