Double Jeopardy (1999)

  
DOUBLE JEOPARDY is a no-frills, gets-better-as-it-goes thriller a-
bout a rich guy's wife (Ashley Judd) who gets sent to prison after 
he fakes his murder.  She learns the truth while still in the slam-
mer and begins plotting her revenge, based on the yeah-right legal 
premise that she can shoot him in broad daylight and not be convic-
ted because she already *has* been convicted.  Six years pass, she 
gets paroled, is placed under the watch of Tommy Lee Jones' cranky 
(of course) probation officer, and promptly leads him on a low-key 
chase from the Pacific Northwest to French Quarter in New Orleans.  
Though quite predictable and almost mind-numbingly straightforward, 
this one gets by on star power times two.  (Er, make that star pow-
er times one-point-five, as Jones doesn't appear until about forty-
minutes in.)  Also notable is a nifty quasi-action sequence, when a 
couple cars drive (or are pushed) off a ferry.  Cool.  With Bruce 
Greenwood and Annabeth Gish.  Bruce Beresford (DRIVING MISS DAISY) 
directs.  (Rated "R"/110 min.)

Grade: C+        

Copyright 1999 by Michael J. Legeros
Movie Hell is a trademark of Michael J. Legeros

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