Sommersby (1993)

Sadly Over-hyped

Really Surprised!

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

One of my favorite films. Just a note to the viewers who have questioned the role of a "black judge" during this period of history. They certainly existed and handled all manner of cases. A note from an article in the NY Times follows: Special Correspondence THE NEW YORK TIMES.February 8, 1903, SundayPage 34, 859 wordsCHARLESTON, S. C., Feb. 5. -- During the reconstruction period in South Carolina, which followed the close of the civil war, the management of State affairs for a time was left to the tender mercies of the Negro. Officers who served with the Governor were Negroes, there were Negro Judges, and practically every county in the State had its black representatives in the General Assembly. [ END OF FIRST PARAGRAPH ]

If you believe this story, I have some swampland in New Jersey I'd like to sell you. Hey, it's right near Atlantic City! C'mon, now....really....a man (Richard Gere) comes home from the Civil War and claims to be Jodie Foster's husband. He had been presumed dead. The whole movie is the story of whether she can figure out it's really him or not - even when they are naked in bed! Yeah, right! What an insult to anyone's intelligence. Don't waste your time with this lemon.For those who think this is "intelligent," I hope your lobotomy went well! I hope the original (this is a re-make) "The Return Of Martin Guerre," was better than this.

a lot of my family and many friends were extras in this movie(it was shot in the court house in my home town). my uncle, father, and a few teachers and acquaintances are clearly shown in the court scene, and the guy who says "hear ye, hear ye" is definitely one of my neighbors. (it's funny, he got credit for that). but at the end of the movie you can see my grandmother, twice. When Jodie foster is running through the crowd screaming "jack, jack", you see my grandmothers face take up nearly all the screen. it flashes to a view of Richard about to be hung, and then shoots back to Jodie running into, and around, my grandmother a second time. isn't' it obvious that they used the same shot twice? you think they'd try not to do that same one in a 5 second slot.

SPOILERS THROUGHOUT POST: Jodie Foster and Richard Gere have a lot of chemistry besides both being very talented people. I wanted to see this movie because the premise sounded SO interesting and it was. The film was very interesting and Foster and Gere were both terrific. It was a good movie.I DID have a major problem with the ending. And it's not because it wasn't "Hollywood". I just thought it didn't need to end like that. It is really difficult with endings sometimes because if a movie ends to happily it can be labeled "Hollywood", and if A movie ends to sad, it can be called "manipulative." I do this all the time myself. But honestly-in this case-the ending was such an automatic tearjerker and it bothered me because while I could understand the choice Gere's character made, in some respects, I had a hard time believing he'd make it anyway. I kept thinking something would happen to save him at the end and the last scene with Foster was not how I anticipated it ending. I thought something else might happen.I can see where the movie would stretch believability at times but my feeling is Foster and Gere were so good respectively, that they make you believe. Richard Gere is one of the most likable actors I've ever seen and Foster-she's just indescribable. The movie was really moving. Also beautifully filmed.I'd give this movie a solid recommendation especially to any strong Gere or Foster fans or for that matter to tearjerker movie purists. You'll find more then enough to move you here.