Double Life (2023) – Movie Review

Director(s)	Martin Wood
Screenplay By	Michael Hurst Chris Sivertson
Based On	N/A
Date Released (Video On Demand)	May 5th, 2023
Genre(s)	Crime, Thriller
Duration	1 hr, 30 mins
Content Rating	PG-13
Noted Cast
Sharon	Pascale Hutton
Jo Creuzot	Javicia Leslie
Mark	Niall Matter

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Film Summary

“Double Life” doesn’t answer the question its trailer poses.

If you found out your dead significant other was cheating on you, would you team up with that person to investigate if your partner’s death was a homicide? No.

Is this movie worth the current $15 it costs to stream? Also no.

Do I hope the cast and crew continue to get work and can hopefully use some scenes from this movie to help them land a more rewarding job? Absolutely.

“Double Life” is the kind of movie you find late at night or in the middle of the day—by accident. You realize this is an “accident watch” right from the start. Mark (played briefly by Niall Matter), is a district attorney who seems to be in a loving marriage with Sharon (Pascale Hutton) but is seeing Jo (Javicia Leslie) on the side.

Mark’s life is going well. He’s having his cake and eating it too. He’s working on a big case, and just as he’s on his way home, he crashes his car and dies.

Mark’s widow, Sharon, at the funeral, notices a pretty stranger who stands alone, quiet, and disturbed. This stranger is Jo, and she shares that she believes someone murdered Mark. She doesn’t quite share the truth about how she knows Mark. But the two decide to investigate who killed Mark and why.

But wait. Why should the audience care about Mark and who killed him? Why was Mark cheating on Sharon in the first place? Why were Jo and Mark attracted to each other? What is it about Mark that these two kickass women find so desirable?

We don’t know the answers to any questions regarding empathy or motivation for the characters. This would be fine if the movie embraced its spicy soap opera premise. But there’s no outrageous conversation, no sensational reveal, and no fun to be had. The lack of character exploration and potential fun of its premise makes “Double Life” a forgettable viewing experience.

Things To Note

Why Is “Double Life” Rated PG-13

• Dialogue: Mild
• Violence: There are some scenes of mob violence, and Jo can kick butt
• Sexual Content: While the premise is based on cheating, there’s little sexual content.

Character Descriptions

Please Note: This character guide is not an exhaustive list of every cast member, and character descriptions may contain what can be considered spoilers.

Jo Creuzot

Mark’s mistress and a surprisingly resourceful team player who knows how to spy, shoot, and drop-kick a few folks along the way. If you have Jo on your team, you’re in good hands.

Sharon

Mark’s wife/widow is an incredibly forgiving woman who is still processing her husband’s affair while looking for his killer.

Review

Our Rating: Negative (Acquired Taste)

Low Points

Implausible Plot Points Distract from Viewing

When a strange, sexy woman is standing alone at your husband’s funeral, how do you NOT suspect that this was a mistress? How am I supposed to accept that Jo’s ex was a trained fighter and not have any follow-up questions? There are unintentionally funny moments in “Double Life” because, in order for the plot to move forward, they don’t bother building an atmosphere to suspend the viewer’s disbelief. 

On The Fence

Lack of Sensationalism Makes for a Safe Yet Forgettable Watch

The premise of this movie is fun and veers into comedy or a trashy B-movie, but from the villains to the inept cops to our investigators, the script and actors stay stern and grim. There’s no over-the-top monologue, no wacky action sequence, and while this keeps the film from being laughed at, there’s nothing that keeps it memorable.

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