Purely Joyful Movie!

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

If you are planning on watching this movie. Do not read the book or you will be disappointed. Because I read the book first, I can't get past giving this movie a 5. It fallowed the book about 10% of the time. The book, in my opinion was way better.The book states that Garrett is younger then Theresa. However in the movie it is visibly noticeable that Garrett is older then Theresa. Which bothers me greatly.The movie, by itself, was a good movie. It is not top on my Nickolas Sparks movie list though.

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.

I had watched this movie 9 years ago when it was released. Then it was mostly one among the many movies to watch during the college days. I watched it again yesterday night with my wife and some family friends. I won't give you the story line and the characters since that's mostly available in all the reviews. What I want to talk about is what it left me with.Message in a bottle (MIAB)is a movie to experience the honesty of real life's twists and turns as we go along. Each characters is honest and sincere (to the extent of being unsure at times) in expressing their challenges. Garret (Kevin Costner) who is still holding on to the yesterday because that gives him comforts and completes his life, in a way. His father, Dodge (Paul Newman), displays his persistence in nudging his son to move along in life and find the courage to face the life (and its unpredictability) yet again. And we have Theresa (Robin Wright Penn), who has lost her love only to find it again. I couldn't help feeling a sense of peace in me after watching the movie. Not because it has some breath taking coastal frames (i would have love to click those shots on my camera; the framing is near perfect), but it allowed me to let go of the notion of holding on to someone to feel the love. Both the lead characters show how to love without boundaries--of time, distances, contrasting lifestyles,and possessing each other. Theresa falls in love with Garret for his love for his wife. For me, it was so pure and honest. She wants him in her life but at the same time respects his love for his wife (who is no more). Garret struggles between his present and past. He doesn't want to let go of either. Isn't it how you or I would have done. The vulnerability, frailty of human nature is very well depicted. Garret can continue to feel the love of his dead wife every moment of his life. Theresa can experience love every moment in her life by setting Garret free to choose between yesterday and tomorrow. As they say, 'If you love something, set it free. If it is yours, it will come back. If it doesn't, it never was!Not to mention the great performances by Kevin Costner, Paul Newman and Robin Wright Penn.Watch it for its honesty and purity. Cheers

This movie could have easily been another average romantic-drama had it not been for an above par performance from Kevin Costner and solid direction from Luis Mandoki."Message in a Bottle" is lavishly photographed and blessed with a reasonably plausible script and a believable, realistic ending; one I appreciated very much - not enough movies are brave enough to finish like this. Should touch the hearts of most audiences too.The screenplay from Gerald Di Pego is based upon the Nicholas Sparks novel.Saturday, November 13, 1999 - Video