DOUBLE JEOPARDY

US, 1999, 105 minutes, Colour.
Tommy Lee Jones, Ashley Judd, Bruce Greenwood, Anna Beth Gish.
Directed by Bruce Beresford.

Double Jeopardy is an enjoyable, slick and glossy thriller, the airport bookstore kind of thriller. It focuses on a happily married woman who turns out to be the victim of a callous conman husband and her best friend. She is framed for murder, condemned to prison, serves her sentence for six years. While in prison she hears information about double jeopardy - the possibility of actually killing someone of whom she was accused of killing but didn't. On release from prison, she is under parole supervision by Tommy Lee Jones and escapes to pursue her husband. He follows her. The film then is a chase thriller, the confrontation of the wife with her husband. It has colourful locations from the west coast to New Orleans.

Ashley Judd is convincing as the wronged wife. She appeared in such films as Heat, Kiss the Girls, Eye of the Beholder.

1. Popular and entertaining thriller? Plausible? Melodramatic?

2. The title, the explanation of the law, the motivation for Libby and her pursuit of her husband?

3. The Seattle and north-western locations, the town, homes, the water? The contrast with the prison? The world of the city? The contrast with New Orleans? The musical score and the accompanying songs?

4. The set-up, the affluent life, Nick and his financial difficulties, the fundraiser and society present? Libby and her enjoyment of this, her love for Matt? Angela and her friendship? The school?

5. The gift of the yacht, on the sea, the sexual relationship, Libby waking up, the blood, the knife, the police arresting her?

6. Libby and her reaction, not wanting to be arrested in front of her son, her lawyer and his support, the refusal of bail, the court proceedings, the attack of the prosecutor, her declaration of innocence? Found guilty? Sentenced to prison?

7. In prison, the two women and their taunts, their growth in friendship, the former lawyer and her giving advice about double jeopardy, the black prisoner and her friendship, the birthday cake for Matt? The collage of her life and work in the prison? Her exercise and becoming fit? The being primed for the parole board and her being let out?

8. Going to the city, the encounter with Travis? His own background, the accident, the wife and daughter, his isolation? His toughness with the women? No second chances and sending the prostitute back to prison? Libby's reaction? Her going out, to work, the computer, the man trying to get a date and her telling him the truth and scaring him off? Trying to track down Angela?

9. Nick, his callous attitude, the hypocrisy with his wife, the disappearance? The $2,000,000 insurance? Angela and her friendship, adopting Matt? The disappearance, Libby tracking them down through the school and the information? Their disappearance? The character of Angela - and the irony of Nick finally murdering her?

10. Libby and her escape, going to the school, the principal and the refusal of information, the break-in, pursued by the police? Travis coming, the handcuffs, on the ferry, the cars? Her manoeuvres to get free, the boat going overboard, Travis unlocking the handcuffs, her getting the gun, her escape?

11. Her information about Angela? Going to her mother and getting the financial support, the truck? The visit to Colorado, the art gallery and the Kandinskys (and the previous information)? Travis in pursuit, getting the same kind of information, going to New Orleans?

12. In New Orleans, Nick's change of name, his wealth, the hotel? Libby and her footwork, finding out the truth, her shrewdness in getting the dress on the rich woman's account? Going to the bachelor party, her participating in the auction, the confrontation with Nick? Her ultimatum about Matt? The irony of Travis finding Nick and warning him about the danger?

13. The meeting at the cemetery, the background of the funeral, the young boy paid to be Matt, her going into the mausoleum, Nick's attack, leaving her buried? Her shrewdness, the gun, breaking free, confronting him? Travis pursuing her through the rain, the help of the police, the barman and his helping her?

14. The final confrontation, Travis and finding her, her telling him the truth? The confrontation with Nick, taping the confession, the shots being fired, his death?

15. Libby going to find Matt, the reconciliation, the future?

16. The elements of the thriller, the double jeopardy issue, a prison film, a road and pursuit film? The focus of the central character as the mother, the love for her son sustaining her through the injustice? The support of Travis?