A good film, if one that doesn't entirely hit every note it attempts.
'Sommersby' features a strong cast, with Richard Gere leading as Jack ahead of Jodie Foster (Laurel). Those two do have sizeable chemistry together, which makes a lot of the romance work here. James Earl Jones and Frankie Faison also add to the film in their respective roles of Isaacs and Joseph.
The premise is no doubt interesting, as it keeps you thinking for the vast majority. It does cover quite a few bases, but I don't think it fleshes everything out perfectly; especially the racism parts. I'm not hating though, as it largely makes for a solid 109 minutes all in all.
Review by Felipe IbañezBlockedParentSpoilers2017-10-27T05:31:07Z
A sensitive and emotional performance
As has been mentioned by other reviewers, "Sommersby" is a copy of the French movie "Le retour de Martin Guerre" from 1982, starring Gerard Depardieu. While other such copies leave a lot of the original feeling and acting quality behind, "Sommersby" stands and holds well on it's own merits. See them both, and for once you may discover that the Hollywodized copy is the better one.
While the original French story ends in the clear, the real Martin Guerre arrives in the last second of the trial, the real Jack Sommersby does not return. Instead, the drama plays around if "Jack" will hang for the crime of impersonating the real one or hang for a crime that the real Jack committed. That conflict, and his final choice is vastly more interesting than that of Martin Guerre. Martin Guerre never gives up his fight, he has all to loose. "Jack Sommersby" takes a stand and denounces his past but pays the price for it. The role of the wife, as played masterly by Jodie Foster, is much more important in "Sommersby" than in "...Martin Guerre".
The acting is sensitive and expresses the persons inner agony in every blink of the eyes. This is a movie I have seen three times, and I am sure that I will see it several times again.