Nick Parsons/Simon Ryder/Jonathan Devereaux: Bruce Greenwood
Angela Green/Angela Ryder: Annabeth Gish
Director: Bruce Beresford
30 Second Bottom Line: The wife, one-half of the perfect couple, is convicted of murder, after her husband is presumed killed while on a sailing trip. Just before her parole, she accidentally learns that her husband faked his death. Motivated to regain custody of her young son, she seeks out the husband, who has changed his identity and residence. A jailhouse lawyer advises her that since she has already been convicted of murder once, she could "kill" him again and she would be protected by "double jeopardy."
Story Line: Libby and Nick Parsons (Ashley Judd and Bruce Greenwood), the ideal beautiful couple, host a fund raising party at a lovely, shoreline house in Seattle's Puget Sound. After the party, Nick gives Libby a sailboat for her birthday and they are soon on its maiden voyage. Waking up from a romantic evening, Libby finds a trail of blood and no husband. She picks up a bloody knife just when the coast guard pulls up and flashes the light on her. She is convicted of the murder, although a body is never found.
Before going to prison, Libby asks her best friend Angela (Annabeth Gish) to adopt her son, and she gives her the insurance money from the death of her husband. Once she learns that her husband is still alive, and that he and Angela have framed her, Libby is no longer content to just bide her time in prison. She tells the parole board what they want to hear and after six years behind bars, is released to a half way house under the supervision of Travis (Tommy Lee Jones), who serves as her parole officer.
Libby commits a breaking and entering, looking for adoption records on the location of her son. She's caught and Travis comes to pick her up and return her to jail. While on a ferry back to the mainland, Libby manages to escape. She is now a fugitive and Tommy Lee reprises his roles in The Fugitive and US Marshall.
Libby uses her detective skills, spurred by her determination to find her son, to track Angela and Nick to Evergreen, Colorado. Learning that her son and husband have relocated to New Orleans under a second assumed name, she is finally able to confront him. Travis continues to learn more about Libby and starts to suspect she may be innocent and that Nick, now Jonathan Devereaux may not be dead. Everyone gets his or her justice at the end.
Tell Me More About It: From a legal perspective, I'm told that for the circumstances explained in this film, the protection of double jeopardy would not apply, so if this gives you some ideas, I suggest you think of a new plan. Also, when one is convicted of a murder felony, the life insurance is not paid. If Libby knew she would be eligible for parole in only six years, why would she let another woman adopt her son and give her $2 million dollars?
Double Jeopardy is a movie that is easy to look at (loopholes and all), with the waterside and open mountain spaces of the Pacific Northwest, and the jazzy location of New Orleans. Ashley Judd and Tommy Lee Jones make an engaging pair as the pursued and the pursuer. We enjoy rolling along with Travis and Libby because it's like a fun day at the amusement park. You may have some scary moments but at the end of the ride, everyone has a smile on his or her face.
DVD