Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

Message in a Bottle

Play trailer Poster for Message in a Bottle PG-13 Released Feb 12, 1999 2h 5m Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
32% Tomatometer 38 Reviews 66% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
During her morning jog on the beach, journalist Theresa Osborne (Robin Wright Penn) discovers a bottle protruding from the sand. Inside it, she finds a heartbreaking, anonymous love letter. After her paper publishes the letter, Osborne tracks down the letter's reclusive author, world-weary widower Garret Blake (Kevin Costner), in the Carolinas. But, as Osborne finds herself falling hopelessly in love with Blake, she becomes wracked with guilt over the real impetus for her visit.
Watch on Fandango at Home Buy Now

Where to Watch

Message in a Bottle

Message in a Bottle

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Handsome-looking but dramatically inert, Message in a Bottle maroons a formidable cast in a trite romance that lacks spark.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View All (38) Critics Reviews
Owen Gleiberman Entertainment Weekly Rated: B Sep 7, 2011 Full Review Globe and Mail Rated: 1.5/4 Mar 22, 2002 Full Review Russell Smith Austin Chronicle Rated: 2/5 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Tim Brayton Antagony & Ecstasy Costner has a free pass to be as lazy as he can possibly be, and the result is one of the most smugly alienating romantic lead performances that I can quickly call to mind. Rated: 3/10 Apr 3, 2012 Full Review John J. Puccio Movie Metropolis If it had just quit while it was ahead.... Rated: 5/10 Apr 18, 2009 Full Review John Venable Supercala.com Leaves one feeling empty. Rated: 4/10 Dec 31, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (1000+) audience reviews
Alejandra F Amazing cast for a clever and moving script. A movie that rewards you for your attention with new ideas and deep insights. Must see if you like movies with substance and depth Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/03/25 Full Review Audience Member I have to confess that I have been a fan of Robin Wright from the Forest Gump era. I've watched it maybe ten times. While Robin was great in that movie, I have always wanted more. The recent news about the sequel had me searching for Robins past. Tonight I watched, Message In A Bottle. I'm an old softy and I had a tissue available for much of the movie. I cry for Joy, I cry for Love, I cry for lost chances and Beauty of Women, of Beautiful Vistas and Happy endings. This Movie has a warm coastal Backdrop and Beautiful Sailboats that are part of my childhood and of course this helped me fit right in to the story. I would have Loved for Kevin and Robin to walk off into the sunset at the end, but the plot wouldn't allow it. There are many times in this Movie to cry and smile and it left me with a hunger saying, Give me more Robin and Kevin and I'll be a happy old man. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/29/24 Full Review Katie D The ending was SO unsatisfying. The whole thing is ridiculous but the actors are so good in it. The ending ruined the whole movie. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 09/26/23 Full Review Fi S Dreadful adaption. Ironically set in a newspaper where words are everything, this a blank screen. Care factor -zero. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 09/22/23 Full Review philip m Beautiful, moving, well-acted and directed film. For once, a romance film without all the silliness. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member It was going well until the melodrama went bonkers in the home stretch. I don't know what I was expecting with the Sparks novel adaptation, but I was hoping for less orchestral music and more dialogue. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/12/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Message in a Bottle

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

View All Cast and Crew

Luis Mandoki

Director

Kevin Costner

Garret Blake

Robin Wright

Theresa Osborne

Paul Newman

Dodge Blake

John Savage

Johnny Land

Illeana Douglas

Lina Paul

More Like This

View All Best Movies to Stream at Home
Swept From the Sea 28% 76% Swept From the Sea Watchlist Music From Another Room 43% 67% Music From Another Room Watchlist Hope Floats 27% 72% Hope Floats Watchlist Deja Vu 65% 62% Deja Vu Watchlist 'Til There Was You 5% 35% 'Til There Was You Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More
View All Message in a Bottle photos

Message in a Bottle

Message in a Bottle (1999) Message in a Bottle (1999) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis During her morning jog on the beach, journalist Theresa Osborne (Robin Wright Penn) discovers a bottle protruding from the sand. Inside it, she finds a heartbreaking, anonymous love letter. After her paper publishes the letter, Osborne tracks down the letter's reclusive author, world-weary widower Garret Blake (Kevin Costner), in the Carolinas. But, as Osborne finds herself falling hopelessly in love with Blake, she becomes wracked with guilt over the real impetus for her visit.
Director
Luis Mandoki
Producer
Kevin Costner, Denise Di Novi, Jim Wilson
Screenwriter
Nicholas Sparks, Gerald Di Pego, Nicholas Sparks
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros.
Production Co
DiNovi Pictures, Bel Air Entertainment, Tig Productions
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 12, 1999, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 1, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA)
$52.8M
Runtime
2h 5m
Sound Mix
SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround
Most Popular at Home Now