Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

Double Jeopardy Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov October 2, 2021

Bruce Beresford's "Double Jeopardy" (1999) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include exclusive new audio commentary by author Scott Harrison; archival featurette; and vintage trailer for the film. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The not so perfect couple

Do you think that Bruce Beresford and producers Leonard Goldberg and Richard Luke Rothschild should have considered a different title for Double Jeopardy? What is wrong with the current title? Well, I don’t want to sound like that random guy on the internet that always complains about spoilers, but it is pretty difficult not to concede that Double Jeopardy prematurely reveals how the film is going to end. Think about it. What exactly is left unclear after Libby (Ashley Judd) wakes up on the luxury boat and discovers that her husband Nick (Bruce Greenwood) has gone missing? The boat is somewhere in the middle of the ocean, there is blood all over the place, and she is alone. Is it possible that Libby is a special kind of psycho and does not remember killing Nick? It isn’t, because in that sequence where Nick surprises Libby with the new boat before their close friend Angie (Annabeth Gish) it is already obvious that she is perfectly sane and a target. So, the target wakes up clueless, then panics and picks up a bloodied knife that likely ended her husband’s life. A few days later, while still recovering from the terrible ordeal, Libby officially becomes a prime suspect in the murder of her beloved husband. So, at this point, you don’t think that a title like Double Jeopardy reveals exactly where the film is heading and how it would end?

What gaps are left to fill?

Libby is put in jail where like every other prisoner she openly insists that she is innocent. We already know that she is, so how does she get out? A couple of friends teach her exactly what the parole board needs to hear to reconsider her case. A few more predictable developments. While in jail and trying to stay in touch with her son through her friend Angie, Libby discovers that ‘daddy’ is still alive. One of her friends explains to her what double jeopardy means as well. As you can tell, everything is coming together exactly as expected. In San Francisco, Libby checks in with her parole officer, Travis (Tommy Lee Jones), who, having studied her case, is understandably suspicious of her reformation and expects that it is only a matter of time before she causes a lot of trouble. This is it. Libby then tracks down her ‘dead’ husband in New Orleans, and even though she faces some resistance, eventually justice is served.

Now, I need to mention something else as well. Even if a decision had been made to replace Double Jeopardy with a more ambiguous title in the grand scheme of things very little would have changed because David Weisberg and Douglas Cook’s screenplay predetermines Libby’s journey very, very quickly. Indeed, by the time she meets her lawyer (Jay Brazeau) the dominoes are already falling as expected, so there is very little room left for legitimate surprises.

The action is every bit as predictable as the drama. Libby, once a classic high society mama and wife, suddenly evolves into a tough chameleon that has all the right instincts to be a survivor as well. (While in jail, she trains hard and alone in the cold, so you better believe that the transformation is real). Needless to say, everything she says and does is scripted to support her macho image. Travis is a mean pro with a drinking problem, but deep inside he has a heart of gold. Can Libby be the right woman to bring out the good in him while he struggles to get her? Take a wild guess.

Some of the visuals from the Pacific Northwest and New Orleans look quite good, especially when they are incorporated into the action footage, but they are not enough to praise the film as a visual stunner.

Double Jeopardy Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.40:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Double Jeopardy arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment.

The release is sourced from an older but good organic master that was supplied by Paramount Pictures. Its age shows primarily during wider visuals with different ranges of highlights that could be better balanced. Naturally, some whites and white nuances could appear either slightly clipped or overblown. The rest looks either good or very good. For example, close-ups reveal lovely delineation and plenty of fine nuances, even in darker areas with unique lighting and varied shadows. Depth is pleasing as well. Density levels are strong, but if the film is eventually remastered on newer equipment improvements will be made and fluidity will be more convincing as well. Color balance is very good, but keep in mind what is mentioned above about highlights. There are no stability issues. I noticed a few tiny white flecks and black spots popping up here and there, but there are no distracting large debris, cuts, damage marks, stains, warped or torn frames to report. My score is 3.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Double Jeopardy Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they split the image frame and the black bar below it.

I viewed the entire film with the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and did not test the LPCM 2.0 track. I thought that the former was outstanding. Double Jeopardy has quite a bit of action footage where dynamic intensity is very strong, even impressive, and on my system, the lossless track handled all of it with great easiness. The dialog was always clear, crisp, and very easy to follow. Normand Corbeil's soundtrack is good, but it produces fairly standard dynamic contrasts.

Double Jeopardy Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - a vintage trailer for Double Jeopardy. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• "The Making of Double Jeopardy" - an archival featurette with raw footage from the shooting of the Double Jeopardy and clips from interviews with Bruce Beresford and cast members. In English, not subtitled. (14 min).

• Commentary - this new audio commentary was recorded by author and film historian Scott Harrison. The bulk of the comments in it address the production history of Double Jeopardy, the film's style and take on crime, as well as the careers and working methods of some of the people that made it.

Double Jeopardy Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Without Tommy Lee Jones Double Jeopardy would have been unwatchable because virtually everything that is said and done in it is entirely predictable. You don't have to be a legal expert to quickly realize that most of the events that are chronicled in the film are completely unbelievable, too. It is true that not all good action thrillers have to be realistic, but Double Jeopardy does plenty to convince that it ought to be taken seriously, and as it is scripted and acted this just feels very odd. This recent release from Australian label Via Vision Entertainment is sourced from an older but good organic master that was supplied by Paramount Pictures. It is Region-Free.