Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- earnest
- intimate
- suspenseful
- historical romance night
- period drama evening
What critics said
Critics broadly found the romance engaging and praised Richard Gere and Jodie Foster’s chemistry, while finding the mystery uneven and the ending problematic.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Laurel must determine whether the returned man is truly her supposedly dead husband or an impostor.
The post-Civil War Southern village, formerly enslaved residents, and Ku Klux Klan threats shape the social conflict.
Laurel’s relationship with the returned Sommersby develops after years of presumed widowhood and memories of his former cruelty.
The identity dispute and suspicion of murder culminate in a capital case before the community and Judge Issacs.
Films like Sommersby, and why
The Return of Martin Guerre
shared mistaken-identity romance, historical village setting, and questions of personal identity
The English Patient
shared postwar domestic drama, moral ambiguity, and emotionally charged romantic tension
The French Lieutenant's Woman
shared period romance, courtroom suspense, and socially constrained female perspective
Movie Details
- Director
- Jon Amiel
- Release Date
- 1993-02-05
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (439)
Cast
- Jodie Foster
- Richard Gere
- Bill Pullman
- James Earl Jones
- Lanny Flaherty
- William Windom
- Wendell Wellman
- Brett Kelley
- Clarice Taylor
- Frankie Faison
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Sommersby about?
- A Civil War widow welcomes home a transformed husband while her village questions whether the returning man is an impostor facing a deadly reckoning.
- What is Sommersby like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Sommersby as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Sommersby violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Sommersby as mild.
- What did critics think of Sommersby?
- Critics broadly found the romance engaging and praised Richard Gere and Jodie Foster’s chemistry, while finding the mystery uneven and the ending problematic.
- Which films are like Sommersby?
- Films with a similar feel include The Return of Martin Guerre, The English Patient, and The French Lieutenant's Woman.
- How long is Sommersby?
- Sommersby runs 109 minutes.
- Where can I watch Sommersby?
- In United States, Sommersby streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
