MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE

US, 1999, 130 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Costner, Robyn Wright Penn, Paul Newman, John Savage, Robbie Coltrane, Ileana Douglas.
Directed by Luis Mandoki.

Message in a Bottle is in the line of the traditional Hollywood romantic and love story. It focuses on a boat builder, Kevin Costner, whose wife has died. He sends messages to her, messages of regret and grief, in bottles which wash up on American shores. One of them is found by a journalist, Robyn Wright Penn. She writes a column - and several people write in who have also found messages in bottles. She determines then to find the writer. She is able to trace the bottles, the letterhead and the location.

When she arrives, she encounters Gareth's father, played with crusty wisdom by Paul Newman. She also encounters Gareth, begins to get to know him, falls in love with him - but does not tell him the truth. When she returns to Chicago, he follows her - but finds out the truth and feels betrayed.

However, with her love, he gives his wife's paintings back to her angry family. He starts to construct the boat that he had planned and finally dedicates it to his wife. However, he helps a family in a storm and loses his life. The journalist returns and Gareth's father gives her his final message in a bottle - the declaration of love for his wife, his declaration that he was now in love with the journalist and had had the privilege of loving two people in his life.

The film was directed by Luis Mandoki who directed such films as White Palace, Born Yesterday, When a Man Loves a Woman.

1.An entertaining and emotional love and death story?

2.The Chicago settings, the city, the newspaper? The contrast with the east coast, the south, the small town, the sea? The style of the film and its romance? The musical score? The symbolism and images of the sea?

3.A realistic treatment of characters and love story? Heightened and emotional?

4.The introduction to Teresa, her son, her ex-husband, the flight? At work, her relationship with fellow workers, her friend, with Charlie? Her ordinary life, jogging, on the beach?

5.The finding of the message in the bottle, Katherine, Gareth? The declaration of love, the grief, the nature of life, separation and death, sorrow and regrets, reconciliation and asking forgiveness? Why the sending of messages in bottles and putting them in the sea?

6.Teresa and her reaction, at work, reading the letter, people's sadness, the column, the letters in response? Charlie and his scepticism? The research, the other messages coming in, their content and style? The bottles, tracing the location, the letterhead?

7.Teresa's decision to go, Charlie and his reaction? The flight, the town, visiting the house, the encounter with Dodge? Finding Gareth, the discussion about boats, wanting to sail? The encounter, the attraction? Not telling him the truth? The appointment, her seeing the fight, her backing off? Going sailing, the attraction to Gareth, his honesty? The meal? Its effect, her telling the story of her life, his telling her about Katherine? The quality of their relationship?

8.Katherine's family, their anger, the brother and his fight in the diner, the paintings and their wanting them? Gareth's refusal? The memories of the past? The story of Katherine, his taking her, the pregnancy, her death? Blame? His care and love for her? The encounter with Teresa and his finally giving back the pictures? The mother hiding in the house? The brother coming to help build the boat? Its dedication and the family reconciliation?

9.Dodge, his background, drinking? Meeting Teresa, wise words? Urging her to go back after the fight, the dinner? Talk, advice? His advice to Gareth? To Teresa? Overcoming his past? Urging Gareth on, the final phone call, telling the events to Teresa, his support of her?

10.Gareth and Teresa together, talk, clashing, the boat, her admiration for the paintings? The bonds of love?

11.Her return to Chicago, his phone call, the photos of the boat? His coming, the reaction of people in the office? His relating to Teresa's son? The relationship, his finding the bottle, his mistrust, the long talk in the rain and the confrontation, Teresa and her honesty, her regrets? His return home?

12.The building of the boat, the dedication, the invitation, her coming, look in the background, their discussions, the possibilities of the future?

13.His going to sea, the family in distress, the rescue, diving for the wife, his drowning?

14.The board meeting, Teresa being interrupted? Dodge telling her the story, her tears?

15.Going to Dodge, his giving her the final letter, the separation from Katherine after the declaration of love, the truth about Teresa and his love for her, the intention of putting the final message in the bottle in the sea?

16.Themes of love, Gareth and his saying that he was privileged to love two women in his life?