Unsettling, R-Rated 80s Mystery Thriller Is The Ultimate Violent Copycat Crime 

By Robert Scucci
| Published 2 minutes ago

The best way to deliver a truly captivating murder mystery is to constantly misdirect the audience, sending them down a breadcrumb trail of clues that reveal a series of half-truths instead of laying all of its cards on the table at once. 1988’s Jack’s Back, a neo-noir thriller about a lunatic on the loose recreating Jack the Ripper’s crimes a hundred years later in Los Angeles, falls into this exact storytelling rhythm. Its insane premise is allowed to wander through smaller details while slowly gut-punching you with reveals that reframe everything you thought you understood along the way.

Playing twin brothers in a dual role, James Spader is straight-faced and deadly serious about solving the mystery in Jack’s Back because of the deeply personal stakes involved. He also does not have the law on his side, since he is quickly considered a suspect himself. His goal is a simple one. Find out who killed his brother, clear his own name, and get the copycat killer locked up before another victim is claimed. Given how precisely the killer is recreating the crime scenes, it becomes clear early on that time is not on anyone’s side.

A Copycat Killer With A Horrifying M.O.

Jack’s Back wastes no time setting up its primary conflict through news bumpers witnessed by John Westford (James Spader), a young doctor who spends his days helping the less fortunate at his clinic. It is made clear that the killer on the loose is recreating Jack the Ripper’s murders in meticulous detail, meaning the crimes will only continue to escalate in brutality.

After spotting his colleague Jack Pendler (Rex Ryon) at the newest crime scene, a chase ensues that ends with Pendler overpowering John, hanging him, and staging the death to look like a suicide. In Jack’s mind, murdering John throws off the authorities by allowing him to frame John for the killings, suggesting that he was struck with guilt and ended his own life.

Unfortunately for Jack, John has an identical twin brother named Rick (James Spader), who witnesses his death through a disturbing vision. Believing he can help the investigation, Rick contacts the authorities with his claims, but this only makes matters worse. The police now have reason to suspect him of killing not only his twin brother, but also the growing list of victims attributed to the copycat killer, largely because Rick offers details that were never made public.

Determined to clear his name, Rick befriends John’s colleague and close friend Christine (Cynthia Gibb) and begins his own investigation while the authorities steadily close in. Maintaining his innocence, Rick also works with criminal psychologist Dr. Carlos Battera (Robert Picardo) to better understand his visions, hoping the truth is buried somewhere in his subconscious. Time is working against him, though, as the killer remains at large and the pattern suggests another strike is inevitable.

A Mystery With Layers

Jack’s Back takes familiar murder mystery tropes and throws them into a blender in the best possible way. Mixed motives, unreliable information, and hypnotic visions gradually bring Rick closer to uncovering the truth behind his brother’s death, while also pointing toward a much larger puzzle. Solving John’s murder only raises more questions, since Jack Pendler appears in Rick’s vision, committing the crime. The problem is that this specific murder feels sloppy and impulsive, which does not align with the copycat killer’s otherwise meticulous M.O.

The real mystery becomes whether everything is connected, or if a series of coincidences is sending Rick down a dangerous path filled with multiple potential suspects instead of a single clear answer. With so many moving parts and conflicting motivations, Jack’s Back constantly forces you to reevaluate your assumptions as the story unfolds. Trying to piece it all together is half the fun, especially if you enjoy mysteries that refuse to spoon-feed easy answers.

As of this writing, you can stream Jack’s Back for free on Tubi.