While the film’s depiction of the law isn’t the most accurate, we’d argue it is a very fun thriller regardless.
Our TV movie pick for tonight (Wednesday, 2 July) is Double Jeopardy, the 1999 thriller starring Ashley Judd (Kiss the Girls) and Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive).
In the film, Judd plays Libby, a woman who embarks on a romantic sailing weekend with her wealthy husband, Nick (Bruce Greenwood, The Fall of the House of Usher).
While on the boat, however, Libby awakens to find blood everywhere and her husband missing. She is subsequently convicted for his murder, even though his body was never recovered.
As Libby serves her time in prison, she discovers that Nick is alive, having faked his death and taken their young son.
So, she breaks out of prison determined to find the scoundrel and be reunited with her child.
“As she has been tried for the crime, she cannot be re-prosecuted if she finds and kills Nick,” the plot synopsis adds.
A huge hit at the box office, Double Jeopardy was less well-received by critics, with many taking aim at its outlandish plot and its inaccurate depiction of the real-life procedural defence double jeopardy.
However, if you accept that the movie is fantastical, the film works as a pacy, stylish and hugely entertaining Hollywood thriller.
It also has three great central performances from Ashley Judd, Bruce Greenwood and the Oscar-winner Tommy Lee Jones.
The latter plays Libby’s parole officer who tries to track her down after she escapes, which means the character is very similar to Jones’ role in The Fugitive.
Double Jeopardy is airing on ITV4 at 11.35pm. It’s also available to rent on Apple TV, Google Play, Rakuten TV and the Sky Store.
Here are the other movies airing on TV tonight:
Rocky – ITV4 – 8pm
Sylvester Stallone’s classic sports movie and Oscar Best Picture winner.
Public Enemies / The Last of the Mohicans – Film4 – 9pm / 11.45pm
It’s a double bill of epics from legendary filmmaker Michael Mann (Heat). The first movie is solid but the second is incredible.
Street Kings – Legend – 9pm
Keanu Reeves stars in this gritty cop thriller.
USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage – Legend Xtra – 9pm
Nicolas Cage headlines this World War II-set disaster film based on true events.
Basic Instinct – Legend – 11.10pm
Legendary filmmaker Paul Verhoeven (RoboCop, Starship Troopers) directs this iconic erotic thriller about a crime novelist (Sharon Stone) accused of murdering her rock star lover and the troubled cop (Michael Douglas) investigating her.
Les Misérables – Film4 – 1.55am
This is not an adaptation of the classic Victor Hugo novel. Instead, this excellent, Oscar-nominated 2019 French crime drama focuses on tensions between police and young people in the suburbs of Paris.
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