Rating: 
Summary: Well worth seeing
Review: This movie is a wonderful drama/romance set just after the civil war. Richard Gere and Jodi Foster are amazing and this is a tear jerker for sure. I love the court scene with James Earl Jones. Worth the watching just for that. This will make you think and leave you teary eyed for sure. I highly recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Is Jack really Jack?
Review: This movie is really wonderful. Jack returns home after several years a changed man, the abuser he used to be was now a loving caring human being. But are the changes really changes or a totally different person. This movie never gives a direct answer as to the identity of Jack. Reflecting on the movie over and over, I weigh all the evidence. When "Jack" is first arrested, Laurel asks him to tell her the truth no matter what it is and she will stand by him. He tells her he did not committ the murder. Yet we know it was the real Jack sommersby who did committ the murder. If this man is the genuine person we think he is, then that would conclude he is really not "Jack" because "Jack" is a murderer. Yet he is determined to tell the court that he is the real "Jack" even if it means death. This proves that he is the caring man we think he is because if he decided to save his life and be Horis Townsend, his signiture would be a forgery and his community would loose everything. Evidence would still support that he is not "Jack" in my mind because if he were the real "Jack" he lied to his wife about being a murderer, but then in privacy when she asks him who he really is, he say he is "Jack". The pieces don't fit and I am confused. I think the purpose here is for each of us to decide who "Jack" really is. Finally, one element that was not even concidered in the movie is that if Horis Townsend and Jack Sommersby looked exactly alike, couldn't it have been possible that Horis Townsend was the murderer and those around him believed it was Jack Sommersby?? That would fit because that would mean Jack was telling the truth to his wife AND is the real Jack Sommersby. That possibility didn't even come up in the court which suprised me because that would bring about reasonable doubt as to the identity of the murderer and set Jack free.
Rating:
Summary: A Very Under Rated Movie
Review: This movie never got the acclaim it deserved. Jodie Foster is great as an independent woman who is torn between doing what is "right" or surrendering to a man she has fallen deeply in love with. This is Richard Gere at his best and the chemistry between he and Foster is amazing! I usually don't care much for romantic movies but this is one of my top ten all time favorite films. If you can watch it without shedding a tear you are a lot tougher then I am!
Rating:
Summary: A Very Under Rated Movie
Review: This movie never got the acclaim it deserved. Jodie Foster is great as an independent woman who is torn between doing what is "right" or surrendering to a man she has fallen deeply in love with. This is Richard Gere at his best and the chemistry between he and Foster is amazing! I usually don't care much for romantic movies but this is one of my top ten all time favorite films. If you can watch it without shedding a tear you are a lot tougher then I am!
Rating:
Summary: Sigh.....
Review: This review refers to the DVD edition (Warner Bros) of "Sommersby".....No matter how often I watch this wonderful story, I am always left sighing at the end. Lucky for me DVDs have been invented, or for sure I would have worn out several tapes by now. "Sommersby" has got something for everyone. The romantic in you will love the deep and passionate love story. For those that love to try to solve a mystery,this is a good one. It's a period piece set post civil war, and has some excellent court-room drama as well. Jack Sommersby has left his small southern town of Vine Hill to fight in the Civil War. He hasn't been seen or heard from in over six years and is presumed dead. Then all of a sudden, one day he turns up to find his town ravaged by the effects of the war, and his lovely wife Laurel, now promised to another. He seems to pick up right where he left off though,renewing friendships,becoming very much a part of the everyday life in the town, and having his wife back where she belongs... in his bed.Up to now, we only get a little hint that someting is amiss..."Jethro", his faithful dog, doesnt seem to recognize him. As the story progresses,and Jack and Laurel fall more deeply in love then ever, we have more and more reason to believe that Jack is not who he says he is. Could he possibly be an imposter with an uncanny resemblence to Sommersby? Do the townfolk realize this and accept him at his word because he has brought a new hope and a new vitality to Vine Hill? And what about Laurel, did she know all along? When Jack Sommersby must stand trial for his life will the truth finally come out? Who is Jack Sommersby??? Richard Gere and Jodie Foster have an incredible chemistry and you will feel the intense love they share on screen. The supporting cast turn in outstanding performances as well. James Earl Jones as a black judge who must put up with the extreme prejudices of the witnesses,Bill Pullman as the jilted and vengeful fiancee,Frankie Faison the ex-slave now becoming a property owner, and young Brett Kelly who's love grows for his new found father all add greatly to the film. And of course,it is always a treat to see Wiiliam Windom make an appearance.The story based on the beautiful French film "The Return of Martin Guerre",is a fabulous remake. The musical score by Danny Elfman is one that will stay with you long after the view,and the photography of Philippe Rosselot is gorgeous.All under the expert direction of Jon Amiel make this one beautiful film. The DVD presents a beautiful picture in widescreen or a standard version.The color does justice to the lush farmlands. The sound in Dolby Surround(Stereo) is excellent. No special features other than a theatrical trailer. Languages and subtitles are English and French. "Sommersby" is a film that will leave you thinking about it and maybe sighing a little too.....enjoy...Laurie
Rating:
Summary: Complex and Beautiful
Review: This updating of The Return of Martin Guerre is as beautiful and compelling as it is complex, with intriguing characters who tackle questions of integrity, morality and hope. Richard Gere plays Jack Sommersby as a man given a second chance at life, a fact more true than anyone realizes at first. When I first saw it, I had no idea what to expect. When it was over, I was astonished at the beauty of what I had seen, and I had to go back a second time to truly understand what I witnessed. Extremely well-done and well-acted (especially Bill Pullman, who threatens to walk away with the movie).
Rating:
Summary: Engulfing and desperate love story; all-encompassing.
Review: To see Sommersby is to understand what eternal and all-encompassing love is. Jodie Foster plays Laurel, wife to Jack Sommersby (Richard Gere). The Sommersby home and land have been ravaged by The Civil War. Laurel's life with Jack had been a war in itself. Fate has taken Jack away to the war for several years and she has had time to recoup and raise their son quietly. Suddenly, Jack returns. Handsome and honorable, war-ravaged townsfolk uphold this returned "hero" and Jack hopes his wife will do the same. But wait. This Jack Sommersby is a changed man. Time away has softened the normally calloused man into a man passionate about reviving his marriage and the prosperity of his village in Vine Hill, Tennessee. Everyone, including Laurel are taken back by his vigor and charm. Time and hard work strengthen the economy and the Sommersby couple are more in love than ever before. This dramatic change causes not only Laurel, but townsfolk to question the identity of this reformed Jack. Tell-tale signs of a forgery of identity soon unravel the clever stitching around Jack's personna. When the law gets involved, inquisitive Laurel switches gears and defends the honor of her well-providing husband. His past soon haunts him and the surrounding lies threaten. Murder charges come into play. If this man is Jack Sommersby, he will hang. If he is the imposter, he faces the shame of his community and the loss of the now-revived land and marriage. Love and Honor collide, forcing the heart to find it's place. "Sommersby" is a desperate, compelling and passionate drama that leaves you with one question: "Where does your heart lie?" Brian La Fountain
Rating:
Summary: A Simply Beautiful Movie
Review: When I saw this movie for the first time, I had no idea what it was about. I was drawn in from the first. Gere and Foster are excellent in their roles and the love between them is quite believeable. The story sucked me in and I was totally involved with the characters. I don't usually get sucked into movie plots - I prefer them just for entertainment. But this one pulled me in so deeply that when the ending came, I was crying my eyes out and I was shouting, "No! No!" at the tv. I was shellshocked at the ending and angry that the conclusion could be that way. So, I guess the film makers earned their money on this one. I highly recommend this wonderful movie. Unfortunately, I was so traumatised by the story, that I haven't watched it since. I don't think I have the courage to go through the upset again.
Rating:
Summary: A Simply Beautiful Movie
Review: When I saw this movie for the first time, I had no idea what it was about. I was drawn in from the first. Gere and Foster are excellent in their roles and the love between them is quite believeable. The story sucked me in and I was totally involved with the characters. I don't usually get sucked into movie plots - I prefer them just for entertainment. But this one pulled me in so deeply that when the ending came, I was crying my eyes out and I was shouting, "No! No!" at the tv. I was shellshocked at the ending and angry that the conclusion could be that way. So, I guess the film makers earned their money on this one. I highly recommend this wonderful movie. Unfortunately, I was so traumatised by the story, that I haven't watched it since. I don't think I have the courage to go through the upset again.
Rating:
Summary: Sommersby Is One of the Best Movies in All Time!!!
Review: When I wanted to rent this movie, I knew that I picked up a special treasure. Sommersby is everything a person wants to find in a movie. It is about human spirit and about human nature and how people lives can interact with each other. And a person can find happiness if it is only for a short matter of time. Jack Sommersby has came back from the war after six years of abstinence. In this time, no one has heard from him until he shows up. And when he does, his wife Laurel honor him by not leaving his side. Laurel is taken by surprise by this "new" Jack Sommersby. The "old" Jack Sommersby was a drunk, gambler, abuser, and care for no one himself and only himself. Laurel instantly fall for the new Jack, someone who she always wanted and always wanted to fall in love with. The question pops up in her mind and everyone else's: Can a man really change over six years from a tyrant to a loving saint? Or does he really appears to be who everyone thinks that they know? Sommersby is about unconditional love, and it is about a man that brings joy and renewal into the lives for others. I certainly never forget Sommersby!
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