Message in a Bottle (1999)

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Not gonna lie I watched this film for one reason and one reason only and that's Paul Newman. So, perhaps it is unfair that the main reason I really don't like the film too much (besides its asinine plot) is because Paul Newman is barely in it, which, I suppose, is fair enough because he doesn't appear on the poster, so it's not like a "Rumble in Hong Kong" regarding Jackie Chan sort of situation.

This is a well done romance genre that you may even be able to watch with a spouse or boyfriend. "The Notebook" was far too sentimental and trite. But this film has some good visuals, an unusual (if far-fetched) premise. And solid performances by Robin Wright, Kevin Costner as Garrett Blake, and Paul Newman in a cameo role as Dodge Blake, Garret's cantankerous father.Primarily Teresa Osborne is divorced, lonely, and on vacation finds a bottle with a love letter "Dear Katherine" The letter is a "mea culpa", an apology to a true love.Osborne works for the Chicago Tribune, and returns from vacation, motivated to create a story and research the true origins of the bottle and who actually sent this to whom. Yes, this requires suspension of disbelief. At any rate, the region is traced to an Outer Banks, NC location.The visuals, ocean and sense of loss are used repeatedly, beautiful and invoke a sense of longing and loss. Teresa at first meets Garret Osborne's father Dodge. He is humorous at times, drinks beer and tell his son (Garrett, who has been mourning the death of Katherine) that he needs to get on with his life.Garret Blake, who has spent an inordinate of time in mourning for his wife, is the author of the letter. Teresa tries to engage him in more conversation about his deceased wife. Eventually as this is a romance, she and Garret develop an intimacy. It is visual, candles, ocean and rain. But nicely done and not overly talky or trite.I will not spoil the ending as there is a twist to the ending in this story. It is an interesting story, and not overly mired in sentimentality. 8/10.

This movie is l o n g, too long, and insulting. Robin Wright is wonderful; Kevin Costner is Kevin Costner; Paul Newman is to be complimented for evolving into a character actor.Any resemblance to a worthwhile experience ends there. In its defense, this movie must have had to end the way it did; it's the adaptation of a book. Thank God it is not another, "The Scarlett Letter" adaptation that makes its own ending! The ending is laughable. I could not believe that the guy would not come wandering out of the waves. Plus...this flick had so many endings, it reminded me of Lord of the Rings, the Return of the King. It just kept going on and on with various endings. It was like a high Roman Catholic wedding mass to a Baptist; you think it's over, gather up your things, and it keeps going! The difference is that such a mass is beautiful; this movie is unbelievably boring.MIAB is actually a character study; best suited to no more than one hour. I think it is just poorly written; there are too many loose ends. Plus, it is HOKEY beyond belief! Anyone, including myself, who would sit through this turkey deserves better! I believe the production company went over its deadline and someone pulled the plug.Well, that's one more good thing...it could still be running.

The first time I saw this movie was about four years ago in the midnight at home. From then maybe I have watched ten times but never got bored or press forward button.It is a modern but at same time old love story between two lovely people. They live in their own worlds till the girl 'Teresa' (Robin Wright) finds a bottle by the seaside. From the first scene till the end I could not leave my eyes on her. Then I recognized I had seen her before from 'Forest Gump' and 'Last Castle' even she had just a little role in it. Anyway in this movie especially with the dress she wore at Garret's house (Kevin Costner) she was awesome, gorgeous. The house of Garret was so wonderful, a dream house. It is a home near the seaside. You may even listen the sound of waves from the kitchen. I won't tell so much about script of the movie. I am simply someone who is so affected of this movie. The sea, the waves, the yacht, the house, the girl...