What sounded like an embarrassing blunder -- the romantic pairing of Richard Gere and Jodie Foster -- turns out to be surprisingly entertaining and persuasive.

His (Amiel's) direction is full-blooded and unafraid of sentiment, but he reins in the film's epic possibilities, which could easily have bogged things down.

Though there is a near vaccuum at the center of the film, Sommersby is never boring, largely because of Ms. Foster's beautifully self-possessed presence.

Sommersby has everything to succeed. There's just one minor problem in this Americanized remake of The Return of Martin Guerre: Who can believe Richard Gere and Jodie Foster as a Tennessee Ashley and Scarlett?