Message in a Bottle Reviews

• MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE

  
  By A2MYQXRR3L8Y1V on 2000-01-15
  I found this movie absolutely fascinating;the story was a typical romance. It explored the human emotion and curiosity that we all feel when we find an insight into another person's relationship. Kevin Costner was your typical man of the sea and portrayed a man not ready to move on with his life after the tragic loss of his partner. It took someone like Robyn Penn Wright to stir the deeply hidden emotions but even then she could not compare to his lost love. She gave him inspiration and made him dig deep to find his true self. Paul Newman was superb as the crusty kindly father and without his inclusion in the film, be it as a supporting role, a lot of the emotion would hasve been lost. The pain suffered by the inlaws at the loss of their daughter was so true to life when someone they love dies so tragically. All in all the scenery was superb and the DVD is recommended
  
  

• A Treat For Romantics...and... Paul Newman As A Bonus!

  
  By A2ZSC81MXLBELX on 2005-11-26
  This review refers to the DVD widescreen edition of "Message in a Bottle(Warner Bros)...
  
  
  "Dear Catherine....You Are My True North...." Sigh...Who wouldn't want to hear those words?
  
  The story is touching, romantic and spellbinding.Teresa is a single mother, doing her best to raise her son, still stinging form the infidelities of her ex-husband. She has a promising career as a journalist and her days are filled with work, and her young son. She isn't trying to find the love her her life, but perhaps it has found her. While jogging on a beach in Cape Cod, Teresa discovers..yes..a message in a bottle. She is so touched by the beautiful words of the sender, that she can't help but to try and locate him.(It helps being a journalist, and having lots of resources at your fingertips).Little did she know that finding the author of this beautiful letter would change her life forever.
  
  "Message In A Bottle" is not only a beautiful story of real love, but one that is also a journey of self awareness, of opening up to the possibilities that life has to offer.It is one that you will probably need a hanky or two as well.It is for the lover of really romantic stories. It may be a little tough, for someone who is not into tear jerkers to sit through. It's Great film for a girl's night together... and some, like me, may enjoy it for the beckoning scenes of the sea and the sail.
  
  A fabulous cast of course. Kevin Costner and Robin Wright Penn have a wonderful on screen chemistry. Illeana Douglas and Robbie Coltrane add their talents, and can you ever go wrong when Paul Newman Shows up in any film? He, has always been and still is my True North, and was the bonus feature for me!
  
  Warner has made a very nice presentation on DVD. Sharp, clear, excellent colors. The water looks very inviting. It is presented in widescreen, and has great sound in dol Dig 5.1. Surround.Features include commentary by Director Mandoki,and if you navigate around the features menu, every once in a while, a bottle will pop up, click on , these are 5 "Easter Eggs", hidden special features about the making of the film.
  
  Enjoy....Laurie
  
  also recommended for a long drive:Message in a Bottle
  
  
  

• An unexpected surprise!

  
  By A3KXFQQFBPJTQE on 2001-02-14
  This is a movie I bought primarily for my wife, I thought on first impressions when reading the back cover it would be a chick-flick. How wrong I was. This movie is best enjoyed on DVD for its seaborne settings more than anything - the Maine locations, doubling up for South Carolina are a joy to look at and add to the movie's many delights. But most of all, the performers are superb. Robin Wright-Penn plays Thresea, a divorcee and reporter who stumbles across a message in a green bottle addressed to one Catherine. She tracks down the sender to South Carolina - boat builder Garret Blake, played brilliantly by Kevin Costner who proves he's not typecast in action roles all the time! Blake is mourning his dead wife Catherine . . . and before you know it, time spent on his yacht and a bit of opening up his feelings brings out the romantic in both of them. But all does not run well in love as the plot takes on an interesting twist when he visits Theresa and her son in Chicago.And the ending, although a wee bit predictacle, is a real crusher, but then life has its ups and downs as well, one may say. Overall, this movie, like the also thought-provoking and brilliant WHAT DREAMS MAY COME, is one which you must watch with a wife or partner. I definitely agree with other reviews - it will make you appreciate each other a lot more and not take him or her for granted. Also watch out for Paul Newman as Blake's father - another very talented performer! Also, you get to hear a great soundtrack, including a song called I WILL KNOW YOUR LOVE by the beautiful and talented Beth Nielsen Chapman! A must see.
  
  

• "Jackets like that don't come along every week, you know..."

  
  By A3KB1H0S7T6JX1 on 2005-04-21
  Message in a Bottle, brings to the screen the love story between a recently widowed man from a small fishing village in North Carolina and a divorced journalist out of Chicago.
  It is a film about human relations, hope and second chances, but most importantly about trust, love, and inner strength.
  Kevin Costner, Robin Wright Penn, Paul Newman, and the rest of the cast, have truly outdone themselves with their performances, which are exceptional to say the least! All the actors, without exceptions, give it their 100% and it really shows (the chemistry is AMAZING)! Very well written and very well presented, the movie is without a doubt guaranteed to provide a few laughs, not to mention a few tears. The film is simple enough, but does a great job of describing people's every day lives and the problems they face. It just goes to show that simplicity is often far better than complexity, when trying to present issues of a human nature.
  The only setbacks are in relation to some weak lines that Robbie Coltrane's character has to say, and also in relation to the little boy; is there really any reason why the boy has to look like a girl???
  The setting, the plot, the dialogues and the music are all wonderful!
  In short, Message in a Bottle is a movie definitely worth watching and one to seriously consider adding to your movie collection! 4½ Stars
  
  
  

• A Beautiful, Haunting Film

  
  By A2OWO9BTMWRHCN on 2000-04-07
  Right from the very first scene, the viewer senses something extraordinary is about to take place...and it does. Unlike most films today, this one centers upon genuine love - not lust - between two lonely people. Kevin Costner portrays Garrett Blake, a seagoing boat renovator and a widower of two years who cannot let go of the past. Robin Wright-Penn plays Theresa, a research specialists for the Chicago Tribune and a divorcee with a young son. While taking a few days holiday she discovers Garrett's message of love to his deceased wife in a bottle that washed up to shore. Haunted by the letter, she uses her research skills, along with the help of the Chicago newspaper staff, to track Garrett down. The shy awkwardness the two characters exhibit when they're together is refreshingly charming and very realistic. In spite of their lack of finesse, a sensitive, beautiful love story begins to take hold that is destined to pierce the viewer's heart. With the memory of his late wife, Catherine, constantly overshadowing their relationship, Garrett and Theresa continue to draw closer to one another and fall deeper in love. Their story concludes, however, with a surprising twist. Paul Newman, who portrays Garrett's father (Dodge), remains a master of his trade. Coarse, and brutally honest, Dodge's love for his son, and approval of the new woman on the scene, is heartwarming. Newman's character proves to be a necessary anchor for the two lovers. With an exceptional supporting cast who enhance the tale, and beautifully filmed on the coast of Maine, "Message In A Bottle" is a sad love story, but it sends a powerful message to us all. May we never forget it.
  
  
• Sappy love story? Maybe so...
  By on 1999-11-10
  You've come to see a love story and this is exactly what you get.

  Robin Wright is really good in this one. The chemistry between Costner and Penn's terrific! That's as soon as Costner starts opening up to her.

  This should get any person that's sensitive enough teary-eyed. If it doesn't do that for you then nothing will!
  
  

• It's possible to love a person (or a movie) with flaws
  By on 1999-09-16
  I first saw this movie on an airplane a few months ago. The usual interruptions occurred throughout -- my neighbour lifted the blind to see if it was still daylight at 2 pm, an infant a couple of seats away started squalling, and so on. However, when the pilot asked us to fasten our seatbelt (in two languages), a lot of people groaned audibly. Later on, when he interrupted a crucial moment in the movie to advise us that on our right you could see some town or other of 32,000 people, several passengers actually yelled for him to shut up. Tellingly, when the film was over, a lot of people including myself were wiping their eyes.

  I love films, see a lot of them, and think I know good ones from bad. A lot of this film's flaws have been discussed here and elsewhere, and I agree with much that was said, but somehow, in spite of the weaknesses, Message still refuses to leave my consciousness. There is something about it that rings true, at least to this unabashed 61-year-old romantic.

  I rented it a second time recently and liked it even more. It was on that occasion that the close connection with the novel Wuthering Heights came into focus. (The novel is specifically mentioned in the movie, the first wife is named Catherine, and most importantly, she and Theresa are identified with opposing external worlds. Even more than Catherine, Garret is a part of the sea, not Chicago, and must ultimately be claimed by it (or Catherine, if you will) when his ties with the ocean begin to be loosened. Far from being gratuitous, the ending is absolutely necessary to the film's structure.

  If Garret had been allowed to follow his father's advice and move on, we all would have felt better when it was over. It undoubtedly would have done better at the box office. But in the process, it would have lost most, if not all, of its deeper meaning, and remained a medocre feel-good movie. As of this writing, Kostner is involved in a quarrel with his latest film's distributors over the movie's final form. He apparantly has lost that battle. Thank goodness Hollywood sometimes does the right thing.
  
  

• Wright-Penn, Newman and Costner too good for this garbage
  By ANHGGQT4HTEK0 on 2000-10-02
  Wow. I have a real dilemma here. I'm sitting here trying to figure out a way to say as delicately as possible that this movie is a real piece of crap. I could start in on some sarcasm, because I really enjoy being sarcastic at the right moment....something like, go ahead, watch Message in a Bottle if you are on death row and have nothing better to do. Before I get too nasty, maybe I should explain.

  First off, no, I didn't read the book. Maybe that would've helped. I think practically everyone I've ever known who read the book before seeing the movie, still said, "The book was better." So, knowing that, I say the book HAS to be better because the movie was so bad.

  Message in a Bottle begins in a somewhat interesting fashion. Theresa, played by Robin Wright Penn, is jogging along the beach and finds a message in a bottle. It appears to be a love letter of sorts to a woman named Catherine. Theresa is so intrigued with this letter that she shows the lady at the inn, her co-workers, that dog of the neighbors that bites everyone....sorry, this sarcasm just takes over my body sometimes.

  So, Theresa does research for a Chicago newspaper and a columnist for the paper decides to print the letter. It's content is intriguing to everyone, so, since she found the letter, she starts researching its origin. This is one of few things I found sort of interesting. The methods employed in tracking down the author of the message in a bottle kept me interested. But unfortunately, that part of the movie lasts about 5 minutes tops. Then, I was instantly bored again.

  So, she tracks down the origin of the message, and goes on a mission to exploit, I mean FIND, this Ernest Hemmingway of bottled messages. Kevin Costner, who plays Garet Blake, churns out his usual monotone performance. Don't get me wrong. There are some Kevin Costner movies I really like. Honestly, I do. But, those have been the movies where the storyline fashioned itself around his calm, everyman demeanor. This movie moves too slowly and has too few other characters to support his usual "no acting is good acting" method. Kevin, buddy, just for fun, put some emotion in your character the next time.

  I'm no psychologist, so I really don't know the professional theory on whether it's men or women who hold grudges longer. I think everyone will agree no one can hold a grudge longer than a teenage girl, but I'm talking about grown men and women, and their relationships with each other. However, talking about forgiveness, there is a really nice moment of forgiveness between two men in this film. Like I've said before, you love those moments in movies when your heart stops, just slightly. This is one such moment, even if every other moment stinks, this one is good.

  For those of you reaching, hoping for something to love, you can love Paul Newman. He is the only reason to watch the movie, if you really feel you have to. He plays, Dodge, Garet's grumpy, surly father. You may be pleasantly reminded of the old codger in your life. So, it's kind of fun to watch movie characters who remind you of someone you already know. His role, though small, is practically the only redeeming part of this film. There's not much more I can say regarding plot, what little there is anyway, without spoiling the movie. I think this movie was supposed to be a chick flick, but, being a chick, I could hardly stand it. There isn't one shred of testosterone in this movie, so for those of you who enjoy a healthy dose of that, you've been duped. The whole movie could have been avoided if, instead of retreiving the message, the character of Theresa watches Martha Stewart and turns the bottle into a fabulous Christmas gift. Or maybe she could skip the creative stuff and just put some liquor in there and drink herself into a stupor instead. The plot moves along at a snail's pace and Robin Wright Penn and Kevin Costner deliver subpar performances. If I could put a message in a bottle about this movie: Forget It!
  
  

• Interesting Love Story
  By AFITDZEWKJKAM on 2001-01-14
  I rented this movie because my wife wanted something that she would enjoy (as opposed to all the war/action films that I have rented lately). I mainly chose this movie because of the actors, not because I had read the book. Overall, I thought it was a pretty good film. A bit predictable at times, but a good story.

  I thought the story concept worked well, and I really enjoyed all the scenes shot at the Outer Banks. We used to vacation there, and it is a wonderful place to go and relax. The only part of the movie I didn't like (and my wife didn't like it either) was the ending. It seems like the director looked at his watch, noticed the movie was already over two hours long, so he decided it needed to end in 10 more minutes. The ending just doesn't do a very good job of putting all the pieces together.

  Like some of the other reviews, I recommend renting this movie instead of buying it. It is a good movie to watch with your significant other, or possibly even a good "date movie". It does talk about some pretty heavy topics (like death of a spouse, and divorce), so be warned....not everyone is happy in the end.
  
  

• Sappy story but somehow lackluster
  By A1ARA52HB238HT on 2003-01-31
  Kevin Costner and Robin Wright Penn, along with Paul Newman and Robbie Coltrane star in this stomach-turning film based on Nicholas Sparks's titled novel. Penn plays Theresa Osbovue, a woman who falls in love with a man she has never met. A single-mom following a heart-breaking divorce, Theresa retains custody of her son Jason. On a solitary vacation while Jason visits his dad, Theresa is jogging along a remote stretch of coastline when she picks up a sand-immersed bottle containing a passionate letter signed G. The letter turns out to be a heartfelt soliloquy to Catherine. After Theresa's boss publishes the sappy note on the newspaper, Theresa unexpectedly receives a plethora of responses and oddly more letters of the same letterhead turns up at her office. The bittersweet poetry from the letter pulls Theresa's heartstrings and prompts her to search for this man known as the initial G. The movie has adopted from Sparks' novel and seen minor modifications such as the locations of places and the much. Theresa's search for Garret Blake is somewhat cut short in the movie. So if you're interested you should read the novel before watching the movie. Other than that the movie sticks with the original plot:still sad, poignant and heartbreaking, and a bit stomach-turning. Kevin Costner and Robin Wright Penn make an interesting couple to watch. I have to compliment on the beautiful cinematography. The movie, however, is not a bad selection for those who want to enjoy a cozy quiet evening at home. 37/50 3.7 stars.
  
  
• A MUST see if you have a spouse
  By ANWPIQOVIH0YQ on 2000-03-01
  This movie is the perfect movie to take your spouse to. The movie deals with a husband (Costner) who took life with his wife completely for granted. Dealing with grief is a hard enough issue to convey in a movie. Costner and Newman are purely magical when you witness how a man deals with grief and moving on with life, with Newman's character pushing the healing along. Wright - Penn, a single mother meets Costner and falls head over heels for a man who is still holding a torch for his deceased wife. The chemistry between Wright-Penn and Costner is powerful enough to keep any man or woman who may be skeptical about a second chance at love glued to their seats, leaving them teary-eyed and a little more appreciative of their spouse by the end of the movie. An intersting observation when I saw this movie in the theater. There was not a single couple who had a dry eye in the movie house. I witnessed more hand holding and door holding open for women than I have ever witnessed in a theater. The movie moves the heart, soul and spirit of movie-goers that much. Enjoy the movie. It is well worth the investment in these "too-busy" days when people forget their priorities in life.
  
  
• Two thumbs Up!
  By on 2000-01-22
  This was definitely a 5 tissue movie! I absolutely loved this movie! I watched and rewatched the video numerous time during a long three day weekend. If you could dog-ear a video, this one would have been dog-earred from so many rewindings. Who cares what the critics say, I thought the chemistry between the two characters, the romance, the setting, the music, everything was perfect. Like other reviewers, I would have preferred "the happily ever after" ending, but I can understand why the movie ended the way it did. After watching the video, I bought the book. I enjoyed the book, but I actually enjoyed the movie better. For a 2+ hour movie, it was definitely worth the time. I actually wish it were longer, so I could have seen the scenes they cut out. For people who love a good romance, then this is a definite must-see, but bring tissue because this is a major tearjerker.
  
  
• YOU MUST TELL YOUR LOVE
  By APVLSKQ1HVOQ9 on 2000-03-23
  TO EVERY PERSON WHO DON'T SAY I LOVE YOU ENOUGH ; WATCH THIS MOVIE & YOU'LL SEE HOW IMPORTANT THESE WORDS ARE ...

  ALSO EVERY PERSON WHOM LOST A LOVED ONE SHOULD WATCH IT...

  I AM NOW READING THE BOOK ; A LOT OF PEOPLE TOLD ME TO READ THE BOOK BEFORE BUT HEY....

  IT WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL MOVIE & I RECOMMEND IT
  
  

• Fantastic Movie!!! Almost as good as Titanic.
  By on 1999-10-25
  This movie gave me mixed feelings. The beginning of the movie was both slow and a little to fast. The relationship of the couple developed quickly, however the story line was wonderful. The ending was a little unsettling, then again it could not work out any other way. I recommend this movie highly.
  
  
• An extreme waste of time!
  By on 1999-08-23
  I am shocked at the number of good amazon.com reviews this movie is getting. Kevin Costner just about ruins the show with his high school drama club acting. He is painful to watch -- SUCH a lousy actor. Count how many times Robin Wright Penn covers her face and giggles. THIS is acting? Paul Newman on the other hand does a decent job .. but this movie is SO poorly done it is a crime. This could have been a beautiful movie -- with different actors, different producer, different director. HUGE disappointment and it is just sad to see how many people are settling for less. Would somebody please bring on the real talent!
  
  
• A moody love story begging for redemption.
  By A16EZ4MT9BFF2R on 1999-12-19
  This is the story of a journey of the heart for Theresa Osborne, a researcher-writer for the Chicago Tribune and a divorced mom with a young son, Jason. When Jason's dad takes him for a summer visit, Theresa's journey begins at a deserted beach on Cape Cod where she finds a message in a bottle.

  The message Theresa reads quite obviously tugs at her soul as she proceeds to share it with her hostess at the bed and breakfast where she's staying, with her co-workers back at the Tribune where she returns one day early, and with her boss, who does her the favor of sharing the message with Chicago.

  Theresa sets out on a mission, with the paper's encouragement, to find out who the message was written by and the story behind it all. Using her job's resources, she tracks down the author in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. He is Garret Blake, a terse ship-builder and restorer whose discomfort with the world around him is alleviated only by his passion for the sea.

  Kevin Costner (Blake) does well with roles that don't require a lot of overt emotion and he does well here. Robin Wright-Penn as Theresa was very good as the reporter who gets all too caught up in her story. A special mention of Paul Newman here doing yeoman character work as Blake's father Dodge, who understands his son's pain all too well and who tries to help all around him keep their emotions in check and headed in the right direction.

  The movie's downfall comes from a meandering plot from screenwriter Gerald DiPego ("Phenomenon") and a decidedly downbeat denouement. However, the acting, locations, and direction of Luis Mandoki are good, bordering on excellent.
  
  

• The ending spoils the whole movie
  By on 1999-12-08
  At the end of this movie, I felt ripped-off and betrayed. I had invested 2 hours of my time and emotion on an excellent movie, only to have it spoiled by an awful ending that came out of nowhere. To me the ending of a movie can make or break it. If you agree, don't bother with this movie. If you disagree, see it. The rest of the movie is wonderful - good acting, believable and interesting characters, good story, good pacing. The director should have quit while he was ahead.
  
  
• Evil movie.
  By A1AJVK8BZKQY3K on 2002-05-25
  This is an evil, evil movie. I sat through over two hours of dull, psuedo romantic crud only to encounter this vile, wretched, tacked on ending. What a load!
  Okay, I admit, the two lead characters are attractive and likeable. Its watchable, for the most part. But the vile, putrescent ending ruins everything. This movie exists only for fans of true sappiness. I still feel dirty. Think I'll take another shower.
  
  
• Love is simple/ Love is complicated
  By ASJE4K5N6BS94 on 2005-03-09
  I thougt the movie was extremely powerful and if I can say.....very informative for women. Men and women spend so much of our lives trying to connect and understand the opposite sex that we often "miss the boat". This movie gives great insight into how men love and feel about women. Why they close themselves off and give confusing messages about what they're feeling. And how we as women, receive those messages. I absolutely loved this movie! It gave me a very peaceful feeling too.
  
  
  
• Mesmerizing movie
  By on 2005-11-02
  What a movie! I loved the interaction of Kevin Costner and Robin Wright Penn. This story just broke my heart and days after first viewing this, I am still thinking about it. I must be softie becuase beautiful love stories between men and women seem to be lacking on the big screen. I truly enjoyed this movie as I did The Horse Whisperer. Both are stories about hope and trust, love and caring. There is nothing wrong in desiring to be loved and to love deeply. I only wish that the movie had gone a little further in developing the trust and love and bringing into the mix more interaction of the supporting cast. The ending of the movie is hard to take and I cried over it. My heart ached over the love found and then lost. I give this move 4.25 stars out of 5. Where was I when this movie came out in 1999? Well done! very well done!
  
  
• You can almost smell the sea....
  By A17D77DFID0GZG on 2000-01-07
  First, there are some really fine reviews of this movie spinkled in here, especially the reviews from Mikeymkm of Dec. 19th, and Robert's of Sept 15th. They are in disagreement over the ending, but reading their reviews will give you an excellent idea of what this movie is all about.

  Like Robert, I too saw this movie first on an airplane, and the reactions of the passengers were identical (maybe we flew on the same plane). As our plane landed and people disembarked, those of us who were watching the movie stayed until it was over--and that has to say something!

  Personally, I tend to view the ending more in the vein of Mikeymkm's review, but not because it was downbeat, more in that it seemed like a typical Hollywood-style ending. If they had stayed truer to the novel in this respect (as mentioned by the North Carolina reviewer of June 12th--caution, DO NOT read this review if you haven't seen the movie), I would have been much more satisfied.

  All in all, "Message in a Bottle" did a lot of things right. It kept me in my seat and I was attracted to both the theme and the actors, and the cinematography seemed to sweep me to Outer Banks (or Maine, where one reviewer said it was filmed). Still, I came away feeling a little unsatisfied, even a little manipulated. Between 1 and 10, I give "Message in a Bottle" a marginal 7. It is a movie I enjoyed, and will probably view again, but it missed on the level of being a truly memorable film, at least it did for me.
  
  

• Disappointing
  By on 1999-08-09
  There's a couple things that bothered me about this movie. For one, the argument between the two main characters when the man discovers the woman's secret is so dumb. With all the happiness they seemed to have found, for an honest fumble like the woman's to make the man walk away didn't seem believable. It's not like she was being viscious; she was afraid to lose him, and this explanation was so believable that the man should have accepted it and even marvelled at the fate that brought them together rather than get as angry as he did. But what I hated most was the way this movie ended. It left me feeling empty. In some movies, a sad ending works; in this one it didn't. Sometimes death means something, and sometimes it's just senseless. I live in a world where senseless tragedy abounds; I watch movies to escape that reality. I watch movies to visit a world where events no matter how tragic make sense. I don't buy any counterarguments that's that what made this movie so great, the reality edge it had in it. If that's what you're looking for, watch this movie; but, if like me, you like happy endings, or sad endings that at least seem worth it in the grander scheme of things, stay away like the plague, because you'll feel cheated out of what might have otherwise been a decent movie.
  
  
• NOT a must-see...
  By on 1999-08-24
  This movie is NOT a must-see. It will leave you with a "nothing" feeling and you will find yourself saying," I can't believe I sat here for over two hours watching this!". After I watched it I kept saying, "What was the point?!"

  For one thing: the ending. What an stupid way to complete a movie! I strongly suggest a you don't see this movie. If you do, be prepared for a let down.
  
  

• YYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWNNNNNNNNNN
  By on 1999-11-05
  A very disappointing bore. Sitting through two hours of this torturous drivel set my teeth on edge and made me lose the last vestiges of faith I had left in Kevin Costner. The only bright spot in an otherwise drab and predictable story was Paul Newman as Dodge. Leave this one on the shelves, folks.
  
  
• Don't Waste Your Time or Money....
  By on 1999-11-27
  I am so happy that I read the book first. That way, I was able to truly enjoy the way the author of the book, Nicholas Sparks, wanted this truly amazing love story to be portrayed. This movie did not do the book any justice. I did not feel the chemistry of the main characters the same way I felt it in the book. I also believe that the director strayed too far from the actual basis of the story. I could not wait for the movie to be over.
  
  
• Poetry in Reality
  By A2P4AKDAI7ERSE on 1999-09-30
  Thank God for films that do not follow the standard form of what is disgustingly called "chic flicks".(Sorry, ladies, but it's the hard and highly-biased truth). This movie is poetry in motion--by which I mean Shakespearian Love Sonnets,Keats, the Brownings and Shelley. The poem begins with breath-taking cinematography of the Maine coastine, reaching out toward the Atlantic. I believe these scenes are repeated throughout the movie to remind us that this is a seaman's story, which has, as many a coastline villager of any country will tell you, both poetry and pain. The film moves along at an easy, mellow pace, giving the viewer time to guess what really is going on in the characters' minds, and where the next fork in the 'road of life' will go. When you learn to love someone who "is your true north", and then lose them, think what that must feel like--total, utter abandonment, a sick-feeling in your gut that you are really, really ALONE. It doesn't surprise me that Gerrett is as open as he is toward Theresa; hugs are good for things like this, as are the things that go along with hugs. But Catherine is still there, much like Michelle Pfeiffer as Gillian in "To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday. There are some heart-breaking and gut-wrenching decisions to be made, as there are in real life. Those who 'pooh-pooh' the ending and Gerrett's death, would be better off reading Cinderella or eating chocolate. It's your right to be upset when you don't like a film's ending, but don't blast the whole movie because of it. I believe the acting of all three main characters to be flawless and well in-tune with what I believe the director and producers intended, a poignant, bittersweet tale of love lost, love gained and love lost permanently. If you have ever seen "Love Story" starring Ryan O'Neal and Ali Magraw, there are some striking similarities, including the ending. LIFE IS NOT FAIR!! but while you're living it, enjoy the environment around as best you can, enjoy the people around as best you can, and may God grant you the grace and friends you need should your "North" be taken from you.
  
  
• Very Touching Adult Love Story.
  By A1ZIWZTK0OS0HD on 2002-04-13
  ********************NO SPOILERS HERE***********************.

  This film tells a very good story of love, fate, loss, and hope.
  It deals with the complexity of grief very well and anyone who has loved will empathize with the 2 central characters in this film. You generally give a toss for the characters, so heres the story in a nutshell.

  Theresa (played by Robin Wright Penn ) is out jogging on a beach one morning and finds a bottle embedded in the sand, in the bottle contains a heartbreaking letter of someone who knows his partner is about to die, Theresa is so infatuated by the heart wrenching contents and poetry in the mans letter she dedicates all her time into finding him and when she does a love story develops and if I go any further I'll spoil it for you.

  Now I'm a man and love Boys movies and hadnt cried in 3 years until I watched this film , its THE most beautiful coherent and honest love story told, without pulling any punches, no meaningless sweaty love scenes or whipped cream flying around, just an epic tale of romance , great characterizations, consumate acting from Kevin Costner, Paul Newman (very underplayed and moving) and Robin Penn all very good.

  If you like films in the shape of 'City Of Angels', 'The English Patient' , 'Beaches', Terms Of Endearment etc this will be in your collection and the soundtrack is also awesome check reviews for that too.
  
  

• Left feeling Empty
  By on 2003-12-22
  I like romantic movies. I want the ending to leave me feeling happy, not depressed. Life isn't the fairy tale, thats why I watch movies, otherwise I wouldn't waste my time watching them. I want the fairy tale, the things that could and would never happen in real life. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS MOVIE, until the end, I even stayed up on a work night until 1:30am. If they created this ending to make the movie "more realistic" they failed miserably. I thought I found a new romantic chick flick to add to my collection, I was sorely disappointed.
  
  
• Message in a Bottle, DVD
  By ADA24T3D3VHWD on 2005-07-22
  One of the most beautifull movie productions I have ever seen and the same for the story! An excellent example of what Hollywood can create when they try.
  
  
• Must see
  By A3NJRIV5BUMFSB on 2000-01-31
  I'm not one for 'chick flicks' as this definitly fits that catagory. However, it was done with much flair and style. The characters were believeable and easy to identify with. Don't attempt to watch this without some tissue handy. A must see.
  
  

• The Notebook (New Line Platinum Series)
• A Walk to Remember
• Pay It Forward
• A Walk to Remember
• City of Angels