Message in a Bottle (1999) is a romantic drama film directed by Luis Mandoki, based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks. The story centers on Theresa Osborne (played by Robin Wright), a Boston newspaper columnist who discovers a love letter in a bottle washed up on the shore during her vacation in Cape Cod. The letter, addressed to “Catherine,” is from a man named Garrett Blake (Kevin Costner), who lives in a small seaside town.

Theresa becomes captivated by the letter and sets out to find Garrett. She eventually locates him and learns that Garrett has been mourning the death of his wife, Catherine, for years. Despite his deep grief, Garrett is reluctant to move on and open himself to new love. However, as Theresa and Garrett grow closer, they begin to confront their feelings for each other. Garrett is torn between his love for his late wife and his budding affection for Theresa.

The film explores themes of love, loss, and healing, as Garrett grapples with the pain of losing Catherine while trying to find a way to embrace a future with Theresa. The emotional core of the story revolves around the complexity of grief and the transformative power of love.