Message in a Bottle

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Message in a Bottle

PG-13

1999

2h 5m

Romance

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

32%

Tomatometer

37 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.

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Critics Consensus

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

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

The climactic events are shameless, contrived, and wildly out of tune with the rest of the story. To saddle Costner, Penn and Newman with such goofy melodrama is like hiring Fred Astaire and strapping a tractor on his back.

Rated: 2/4

Jan 1, 2000

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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

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John J. Puccio

Movie Metropolis

If it had just quit while it was ahead....

Rated: 5/10

Apr 18, 2009

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John Venable

Supercala.com

Leaves one feeling empty.

Rated: 4/10

Dec 31, 2005

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Jeanne Aufmuth

Palo Alto Weekly

Rated: 2/4

May 14, 2003

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John R. McEwen

Film Quips Online

Rated: 4/5

Feb 8, 2003

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Seth K

I like the cast but think that this story was overwrought and not the finest work of any of the cast members. A bit of a mess and disappointing.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

07/14/25

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Luis Mandoki

Director

Kevin Costner

Garret Blake

Robin Wright

Theresa Osborne

Paul Newman

Dodge Blake

John Savage

Johnny Land

Illeana Douglas

Lina Paul

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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

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