This surprisingly effective remake of The Return of Martin Guerre (1982) shifts the setting from medieval France to rural Tennessee following the U.S. Civil War. The central conceit of both films is one that requires an intellectual leap of faith on par with that of the familiar Superman/Clark Kent conundrum and it may not be bought wholesale by every audience member. Those that can groove with the idea will find themselves sufficiently entertained by solid performances from Richard Gere and Jodie Foster, two modern actors if ever there were any, but who inhabit their period roles with authenticity. The script is a taut, polished piece of work, typical of co-writer Nicholas Meyer, infusing the film with delightful character moments, some crafty visual tension (the protagonist's boot size, of all things, is employed to build a palpable sense of dread), and even providing an unexpected but powerful B-story by delving into postwar racial tensions. Director Jon Amiel is a reliable, if not particularly inventive, craftsman, but he gives cinematographer Philippe Rousselot free reign to create some gorgeous pictures, resulting in a fine-looking and engaging film that chalks up to a misunderstood, underrated gem unfairly compared to the classic that inspired it. With similar themes and settings, Sommersby makes a nifty companion piece to playwright Arthur Miller's rewrite three years later of his classic The Crucible (1996).