Double Jeopardy

Elizabeth Parsons has a rich husband and a young son. When she wakes up on their luxury yacht with blood everywhere and her husband nowhere to be found, she is suspected of his murder to get the life insurance. While serving 6 years, she discovers that her husband is very much alive. She learns that she can't be tried for his murder since she already has been, and begins to plan his death and how to get her husband back.

Despite that fact that the whole film is summed up in the title I decided to watch it anyway. So really there is very little drama for much of the film as we all know what she's doing and where the film is going. The plot could have been lifted from any number of video thrillers - all it needed was a little nudity and it could have been an erotic thriller for late night TV! As it stood, the bigger budget, higher production values and bigger stars helped the film actually rise a little above the material and seem to be much glossier and impressive than it actually was. The stunts and effects worked well and the direction was of a higher calibre than you'd see on the bottom shelf, but it is still a very ordinary thriller if you strip all the polish away.

The cast try hard but they have little to work with. An unnecessary role from Tommy Lee Jones helps keep the film's pace up by turning it into a cat and mouse chase of sorts, but mostly it is pretty dull. Judd is OK in the lead but doesn't do anything to justify her fee I reckon. Support from Mafia is so lame that it looks like she is almost falling asleep while giving her lines! The film relies on pace and tension which it mostly gets by flipping cars around for little reason and for putting Elizabeth in slightly (!) unlikely situations then getting her out of them. The legal interest in the plot actually falls to pieces when you think about it, but the film is clever enough never to take it's central idea further than a few lines of dialogue before rendering the argument null and void.

Overall I was struck by just how ordinary and dull the whole film was. If I had seen this film as a low budget video thriller I still wouldn't have liked it but I may have accepted it for what it is. This film just exposed it's own weaknesses by virtue of pushing to be a product much grander than it's plot deserved.

If you listen to the critics who knows where we would be. I

ignored the comments that this was another Fugitive only a female version, but found the movie fast paced and well acted by Tommy Lee Jones and Ashley Judd, as well as the whole cast. I liked the story line and it was exciting and the time just flew by. Go see it you will enjoy it!!!!

Their definition of double jeopardy is so wrong that it insults intelligence. DJ protects a person, presumably found innocent the first trial, from being retried for that SAME crime. SAME ...as in same victim, same day, same circumstance. Not SAME victim but DIFFERENT day, circumstance. Using their interpretation of DJ, I could assault someone, be tried and go to prison, get released, and go assault that person again and get off scott free. Maybe a small legal point to most viewers, but I prefer to watch movies that don't make me scoff at the stupidity of the central premise. That said, the action is decent.

Despite all the flaws in logic and legal proceedings, Ashley Judd and Tommy Lee Jones make this movie an enjoyable watch. The premise is kind of ridiculous, but their charisma and performances keep you engaged. I'd actually forgotten a lot about this film since the first time I saw it, so it was fun to revisit it again.

Double Jeopardy actually seemed like my sort of film, and when I finally saw it I thought it was enjoyable. It is far from flawless, although the premise was interesting the story itself has some credibility lapses and has a lot of derivative elements. The film has the odd draggy moment and the characters are rather clichéd. On the other hand, Double Jeopardy looks wonderful, with striking scenery and stylish photography and editing. The music is not too generic either and it helps the atmosphere, and the script is well paced and sharp. Double Jeopardy is also well directed and Tommy Lee Jones and Ashley Judd give great lead performances, and although the rest of the characters aren't as interesting or as well written, effort is done both in written and performance quality to make them credible. Overall, an enjoyable film. 7/10 Bethany Cox