In 2004, author Nicholas Sparks' tearjerker of a novel, The Notebook, made its way to the big screen. Directed by Nick Cassavetes, the movie centers on the improbable romance between country boy without two dimes to rub together and a city girl with the world at her feet.

The Notebook opens in theaters on June 25, 2004. The film was a modest upon its release — it never cracked higher than No. 4 at the domestic box office — but made stars of Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams and, in the years since, has earned its spot as one of the most iconic and romantic movies of all time. As The Notebook turns 20, it's time to look back on the generation-defining love story.