MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE RATING: 6.5 / 10 --> So-so
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Forget the three-hour supposed mess that was THE POSTMAN. Forget the fact that he left his wife of 16 years to cuddle up to some supermodels. Forget the fact that he once called a Madonna show live in concert "neat". Kevin Costner is back in top romantic form, in his Dockers and comfortable shirts, soft-spoken nature, and everything else the Valentine-less women might be seeking over this lover's weekend.
PLOT: Man loses a wife. Man writes her letters in a bottle and tosses them into the ocean to ease his pain. Another woman finds the messages and sets out to find the man behind the beautifully honest words. Once found, the two share each other's pains and experiences, and find some solace, and more, in each other's company.
CRITIQUE: An ironic adult story of love and mourning. This movie is a bit slow, has some nice romance, bordering on sappiness, some solid acting performances, and a hokey ending. For all those who go to see this film expecting to find a wonderfully romantic time at the movies, well, you might be quite disappointed. This movie does have some tender moments, along with some romantic touches, but over and above it all, it caters to a story line drenched in the incapacity of a man to move on with his life, after his loved one has passed away. This film might even be a success in the hearts and minds of all those people whose lives have suddenly halted after the loss of someone dear to their hearts. Don't get me wrong, there is an obvious love story that brews up between the two leads here, it's just that I didn't expect the grieving undertones of the film to be as accentuated as they are.
The actors are all very good with Costner pulling off another vulnerable, nice, tough and rumble everyguy with his eyes closed and his hands tied behind his back. Wright Penn is also decent in her role, but nothing to write into a bottled letter and drop into the ocean. Newman on the other hand seemed stereotyped from what I had seen of him in the previews, but actually zings it up as the gruffy ol' dad, reminiscent of his wonderful performance in NOBODY'S FOOL (8/10). Mood-wise, the whole "feel" of the movie is very comfy and authentic, especially during the wooing sequences over the first half of the movie. If you're a sea lover, you might love this film even more, since the water does seem to permeate these peoples' lives quite deeply. Overall, the cinematography is nice, the actors are all very good, but I found the whole piece to be a little too slow and uneventful for my taste. It seemed to be much more of a cathartic picture rather than romantic, but all in all, not an awful movie. And yes, Mrs. JoBlo and I did catch it on Valentine's Day!
Little Known Facts about this film and its stars: Kevin Costner auditioned three times for the role that eventually went to Nicolas Cage in the wonderfully, outrageous RAISING ARIZONA (8/10). His role in THE BODYGUARD was originally written for Steve McQueen. He played the dead body in THE BIG CHILL. He stands 6'1". Robin Wright Penn backed out of the role of Maid Marian in ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES, starring Kevin Costner, after getting preggers with Sean Penn's kid. She played the role of Jenny in 1994's award-winning FORREST GUMP (7.5/10) opposite Tom Hanks. Her first acting gig on TV's "Santa Barbara" soap opera garnered her three Emmy nominations. Actor John Savage, whose real name is John Youngs, may be best remembered for his portrayal of the character Steven in 1978's classic THE DEER HUNTER (7.5/10). He also spent 6 years, from 1988 to 1994, in South Africa, working with Nelson Mandela for the anti-Apartheid movement. In respect to actor Paul Newman, by the time the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honored him with its Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1994, he had raised over $80 million in support of various charities through his many philanthropic activities (and his own food product line called "Paul Newman's Own"). He is an avowed lifelong beer lover. He has six kids and has been married to actress Joanne Woodward since 1958. His only son Scott Newman died of a drug overdose in 1978. Actress Illeana Douglas dated famed director Martin Scorsese for a few years during the 90s. Actor Robbie Coltrane is British. He played the newspaper columnist in this picture. Director Luis Mandoki is not a stranger to melancholic, romance stories. He also directed Meg Ryan in WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN, and Susan Sarandon in WHITE PALACE (8/10). Mr. Mandoki hails from Mexico. Producer Denise DiNovi has collaborated on five of director Tim Burton's projects.
Review Date: February 14, 1999 Director: Luis Mandoki Writer: Gerald DiPego (based on novel by Nicholas Sparks) Producers: Kevin Costner, Denise DiNovi and Jim Wilson Actors: Kevin Costner as Garrett Blake, Robin Wright Penn as Theresa Osborne, Paul Newman as Dodge Blake Genre: Drama Year of Release: 1999
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