Message in a Bottle

I can imagine liking this film a lot more than I did if the screenplay was given another pass. Sure the overall film is a melodrama built on cliches but Costner, Penn work well together. The overall vibe of the film is pretty much what you would expect. Newman is especially endearing as the crusty father figure. The ocean side scenery is quite nice for escapist fluff. Unfortunately, the final plotting is *terrible.*

The climax as not real connection-in terms of characters or ideas present in the story-to anything that occurs prior to it. It is likea duex ex machina only that it randomly complicates the plot instead of resolves it. It feels so very forced; a mere mechanical device to stick the story with a downer of an ending. This could have been something more.

The pace is set from the opening scene: the ocean with its consistent but gentle force splashing against the shore. `Message in a Bottle' follows this leisurely pace; it is not in a real hurry to give up all its secrets, but like the ocean, will surrender all in good time. So relax, and allow yourself to enjoy!

Paul Newman (Dodge Blake) and Kevin Costner (Garrett Blake) both deliver strong performances as father and son, initially content, though not really happy in their current existence. Both have lost their love, for one reason or another, and are each other's companion and support. Newman gets the fun punch lines, Costner gets the woman. `If I were about 150 years younger' starts one of Newman's lines – it must be different for him not to play the leading role. Costner seems right at home playing a ship-building sailor who is lost because of his lost love.

Robin Wright (Theresa Osborne) is equally strong, playing an independent and patient reporter, who follows her heart, and decides to find the author of the love letters from the ocean. She gives Garrett distance gently when he needs it, yet pushes back equally hard when she needs to.

Much of the acting relied not so much on the delivery of lines, as on the body language, on looks, on the strained silence between a couple who is unsure of each other, often unsure of themselves, yet strongly attracted to each other.

Both Garrett and Theresa seem to struggle at conversation, both uncertain of how to discover each other, yet each finding an attraction they can't seem to deny. Garrett is hanging on to the love he still feels for his wife, who died too early. Theresa is still recovering from a divorce, and the busy life of a single parent. Neither is sure they can be open to a new relationship, nor are they ready to say goodbye to something that is starting to feel so right.

The photography of the sailboats on the ocean were enough to bring out the romantic in me. What could be a more peaceful setting than a sailboat anchored privately in a small cove of the ocean in the Outer Banks?. We're given just enough peek into the unfolding world of a couple discovering love, without it feeling like an intrusion.

To talk more of the ups and downs would give away too many of the secrets that only the theatre, the bookstore, or the ocean will release.

I would normally avoid a film like this . I don't do romantic movies , especially overlong , Kevin Costner ones but I watched this because I'm going through the entire catalogue of Paul Newman films and unsurprisingly he is the best thing in this mushy , over sentimental chic flick .

A woman finds a romantic letter in a bottle washed ashore and tracks down the author, a widowed shipbuilder whose wife died tragically early. As a deep and mutual attraction blossoms, the man struggles to make peace with his past so that he can move on and find happiness.

In a way , this is the best character Kevin Costner could play . I moody , withdraw , sullen man which basically sums up his acting style. Robin Wright does a decent job but you have to wonder what her character sees in a miserable man , fifteen years older than her who wears beige slacks and a cardigan!

It's worth watching this film along just for Paul Newman. In one of his last performances he steals the show as the dad . He still has that twinkle in his eyes that we are so used to seeing .

The plot is ridiculous as they do often are in these kind of films.

One scene where Therese knows that Garrett is going to stay over night , she just happens to leave the bottle and letters in the bedside drawer right next to him . That's just dumb script writing.

As with nearly all Kevin Costner movies it's at least 45 minutes too long and the merciful ending is just typical of a Mills & Boon type novel .

Thank god for Paul Newman.

Spread the message and let everyone know that "Message In A Bottle" was an incredible sight to behold because it was the type of movie that cleared my mind of everything else and allowed to relax in my chair.

"Message In A Bottle" along with the writers as well as Kevin Costner, Paul Newman, and Robin Wright Penn swept me away to another place that gave me the chance to watch a brilliant film with no worries and enjoy an epic romance.

Costner, Newman and Wright Penn share the screen to tell the incredible, emotional and powerful story of one reporter's mission to locate the writer of three mysterious messages that turned up ashore.

The following events set off a tender and sweet romance between Garret Blake played by Costner and Theresa Osborne played by Penn. Also, mixed into this wonderfully crafted plot is Newman who plays Dodge, Garret's father who acts as a calming effect for his son when trying to deal with his newfound feelings about Theresa and those for Catherine, the object of the mysterious messages.

The performances by Costner, Penn and Newman seemed so natural it was enjoyable to watch actors not try so hard to do their best. I got the feeling that the actors truly cared about making this film the best they could for their fans because of the integrity and sincerity they brought to their characters.

"Message In A Bottle" was a powerful and inspirational movie to watch and will be treasured for years to come. In addition, it had two of my favorite actors and it gave me the opportunity to watch a brilliant actress come in to her own.

If you're a big Kevin Costner fan, then you will probably like this film. But, if watching Costner mope around on screen for nearly two hours is not your cup of tea, this film will probably be a very tedious experience for you.

Paul Newman is great. The film flies by while he's on screen. When he's not, the film drags. He deserves an academy award nomination for best supporting actor next year. But seeing as how this film is such a trifle, I doubt it will be remembered next week, let alone next February.