Product Details

• Actors: Kevin Costner, Robin Wright, Paul Newman, John Savage, Illeana Douglas
• Directors: Luis Mandoki
• Writers: Gerald Di Pego, Nicholas Sparks
• Producers: Kevin Costner, Denise Di Novi, Jim Wilson, Leslie Weisberg
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Original recording reissued, Special Edition, NTSC
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: February 1, 2000
• Run Time: 131 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (178 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0790748193
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #158,178 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

If, as they say, you're in a certain mood, Message in a Bottle can be just the ticket. Based on Nicholas Sparks's bestselling novel, this handsome but overly calculated romance tale stars Robin Wright Penn as Theresa, a Chicago Tribune researcher who finds a note encased in a green bottle that has floated onto a Cape Cod shore. The message within is a heartfelt, yearning declaration of love to a woman named Catherine, but the author is unknown until Theresa (rather improbably) tracks him down in North Carolina. He's Garret Blake (Kevin Costner), a taciturn builder of sailboats and a grieving widower whose late wife, poetically speaking, was the intended recipient of the seafaring note Theresa found. Theresa, a divorcée with a son, decides to meet Garret, only to find him as bottled-up as his message. Nevertheless, a romance blooms on the strength of quality time in a sailboat and lots of cuddling, though the script tosses in bits of conflict to keep their relationship spicy. Directed by Luis Mandoki (When a Man Loves a Woman), this love story is entirely by the numbers, with Costner inhabiting (rather than performing) a stock fantasy of a man perfect in every way save his broken heart. Penn brings more vibrancy to her equally predictable part, but fortunately for all, Paul Newman, John Savage, Robbie Coltrane, and Illeana Douglas are on hand in nicely textured character parts. Sometimes predictability is exactly what one wants when settling in for an evening of home video, and this movie fits the bill nicely. The appealing cinematography is by ace cameraman Caleb Deschanel. --Tom Keogh

From The New Yorker

Slop made respectable by the application of sombre good taste. Robin Wright Penn is a lonely Chicago newspaperwoman who, on a Cape Cod beach, picks up a bottle containing a letter in which a man apologizes fervently to his wife for not taking better care of her. It seems that this mournful-moony romantic is dotting the seven seas with his remorse. Wright Penn searches for him, and he turns out to be Kevin Costner, widowed and in retreat-withdrawn, surly, but shining with inner nobility. They commence a nuzzling, tepid affair that consists of much leaning against driftwood around campfires-they could be the impersonally handsome models in an ad for expensive sweaters. The director, Luis Mandoki, working from a dreadful best-seller by Nicholas Sparks, has entered the land of "women's films," but his picture lacks the emotional volatility and intelligence of work by such predecessors as King Vidor and Michael Curtiz. This movie is merely glum. As Wright Penn flutters nervously, Costner gives her nothing, letting her die on the vine. It's an extremely ungallant performance. With Paul Newman and Illeana Douglas. -David Denby
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE, January 14, 2000

By 

"ireneph" (AUSTRALIA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Message in a Bottle (Snap Case) (DVD)

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

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Treat For Romantics...and... Paul Newman As A Bonus!, November 26, 2005

By 

L. Shirley "Laurie's Boomer Views" (Huntington Beach,CA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Message in a Bottle (Snap Case) (DVD)

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 the audio book:Message in a Bottle
or curl up with:Love Story

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Jackets like that don't come along every week, you know...", April 21, 2005

By 

L Gontzes (Athens, Greece) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Message in a Bottle [VHS] (VHS Tape)

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