Sommersby

Director: John Amiel
1993, Colour, 1h 53min
IMDB Rating: 5.9/10
300 Words Rating: 8.5/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108185/

Riveting performances by Richard Gere and Jodie Foster in the beautifully executed Sommersby. There are a lot of people who don’t like these two and I can’t say I was ever a big fan of Richard Gere or Jodie Foster, but the truth is this movie made me remember just how good they are at what they do. It also made me remember just how beautiful Jodie used to be in the Silence of the Lambs (1991), Maverick (1994), Nell (1994) age, and to think that she was already 31 when she filmed Sommersby. The movie is a take on the true story of Martin Guerre, a french peasant who disappeared in the 1500’s and the impostor who took his place 8 yrs later. The tale has been told before in the 1982 French classic The Return of Martin Guerre (Le retour de Martin Guerre) starring Gérrard Depardieu in the lead role. Set in post Civil War America, Sommersby is a great depiction of life in that period. Granted, there are a few historical inaccuracies, like the African-American Judge in Jack Sommersby’s murder trial. In fact it was a bit much to have the Judge be a black man in a court room where black people were segregated and had to stand in the balcony. However, this does not take away from the fact that the film is well written and executed and there are amazing performances not only by Richard Gere and Jodie Foster but also Bill Pullman, James Earl Jones and Frankie Faison. Overall an unmissable movie to fans of period dramas and it keeps you glued to the screen the whole way through. The chemistry between the two main actors is undeniable and you’ll find yourself rooting for ‘Jack’ till the very last second.