Netflix Responds to 'The Notebook' Controversy After UK Users Complain About Alternate Version
There are some things you just don't mess with, and "The Notebook" is one of them. Netflix recently learned this lesson the hard way after it added the film to its U.K. catalog and then had to respond to backlash from viewers.
The problem arose when people watched the film and saw that it lacked the bittersweet ending seen in the original version. Viewers tweeted complaints, lambasting the streamer for depriving them of their chance to ugly cry over the joint death of elderly Noah (James Garner) and Allie (Gena Rowlands). The tweets got pretty heated, as you'll see below.
I'm not big into romantic movies but I have seen #thenotebook and @netflix what you did wasnt ok that ending was beautiful it's all I can ever hope for in my marriage so when I finally eat dirt I can go with the one I love dont you dare take that away! Put it back!
— Huggydaddy (@huggydaddy) February 25, 2019
What the heck @netflix? Why would you change the end of The Notebook?? It's so abrupt! And it isn't even the right scene! pic.twitter.com/kJJgWebOwK
— bradley m. (@bradleywithanE) February 27, 2019
also americans who don’t have the notebook on netflix, it’s coming march 15th with the same alternate ending that the uk currently has. it’s a lot less sad for first fime viewers but if you’re rewatching, this is a warning ?
— hayley loves cece (@gcmenight) February 26, 2019
Netflix is going down hill, first they remove all marvel tv series and now they cut the ending to the notebook!!!!
— JTgaming95 (@JTgaming95) February 27, 2019
Netflix didnt change the ending of the notebook, they just cut out the bit where the nurse finds them..they still died in each other’s arms, it’s still implied ??
— - rach - (@rvchcrook) February 27, 2019
Why wasn’t I consulted before Netflix changed the ending of The Notebook? ? pic.twitter.com/gGdY0q1301
— Funny Popcorn (@thefunnypopcorn) February 27, 2019
Its shocking....! Give us back our gut wrenching tears!!!!!!! @NetflixUK#thenotebook
— Michelle Frost (@chelliey) February 25, 2019
Enough people complained that Netflix felt compelled to respond. In a tweet Wednesday, the streamer assured people that no, it did not edit the film. Somehow, the service ended up with an alternate version of the movie, and it intends to "[get] to the bottom of it."
Things you should know…
– we did not edit the notebook
– an alternate version exists and was supplied to us
– we are getting to the bottom of it asap
– apparently some films have more than one ending?!— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) February 27, 2019
Ironically, the ending of "The Notebook" that U.K. fans saw was closer to the one in the book it's based on; in Nicholas Sparks's novel of the same name, the ending is ambiguous, and you don't see Noah and Allie die in each other's arms. In fact, you learn in Sparks's sequel, "The Wedding," that they didn't. (Sorry, but it's true.) Still, you can't argue with the emotional impact of the movie ending, and clearly, a lot of fans agree.
The Notebook
