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

By Robert Scucci
| Published

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 1988

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.

Jack's Back 1988

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 1988

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.

Jack's Back 1988

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


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Credit: ChatPlayground AI

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Big Salad’s Birthday Sale

big salad discount

big salad discount

This week only, we’re offering 20% off annual subscriptions to Big Salad, our weekly newsletter (and the #1 fashion/beauty publication on Substack). For $4/month, you will get every issue for a year — packed with fun finds, life realizations, and essays on sex, dating, love, marriage, divorce, parenting, and friendship — plus access to our deep archives.

Last Friday, I wrote about a dating realization I had that changed everything (gift link, free for all). The comments were truly incredible, and I felt really moved by the ability to share relationship (and life) highs and lows with women who really get it. We really are all in this together.

Here are a few more issues you may enjoy…

On sex, dating, relationships, and friendship:
The genius advice my therapist gave me when my marriage ended.
What it felt like to have sex for the first time post-divorce.
How do you know if it’s time to get divorced?
Four ways I’ve learned to deepen friendships.
The book that profoundly changed my friend’s sex life.
Reader question: “I want to talk dirty in bed, but I’m nervous.”
Nine habits that are making my 40s my favorite decade.

On fashion and beauty:
How to style a shirt like a Copenhagen girl.
7 things we spotted people wearing in Paris (plus, two magic Paris itineraries).
13 beauty products we always finish.
Do I get botox or filler? Readers asked, and I answered. 🙂
At age 46, I finally figured out my hair.
Gemma’s #1 drugstore beauty find.
Our 13 favorite swimsuits.

And, most of all, amazing life insights from women we love:
Ashley C. Ford on why poverty makes it hard to figure out what you like.
Anne Helen Petersen’s book-filled island cottage.
Three people share how they changed their careers. Then, three more women share!
Brooke Barker’s great conversation starter.
Hunter Harris tells us what movies and shows to watch right now.
Abbey Nova’s jaw-dropping garden makeover.
Natasha Pickowicz wants you to throw yourself a party.
My sister’s parenting hack that I can’t stop thinking about.
Alison Piepmeyer’s amazing wallpaper before-and-after photos.
15 incredible books to read.
Nine ways Kate Baer is coming out to play in her 40s.

big salad

Here’s the discount link for 20% off annual subscriptions, and here’s the Big Salad homepage, if you’d like to check it out. We would love to have you, and thank you so much for your support and readership. Joannaxo

P.S. We also offer 50 comped subscriptions per month for those who’d like to read Big Salad but aren’t in a place to pay for it at the moment. Just email newsletter@cupofjo.com to get on the list. Thank you!

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Brûléed Yogurt? Yes, Please!

Did you know you can brûlée, like, anything? I always forget brûléeing is an option, because it’s one of those fancy cooking processes that’s too much fuss for home cooking. The thing is? It’s really not. All you need is a broiler and the courage to turn it on. (I suppose you might also need a fairly clean oven, or you’ll set off your smoke alarms — but I do that once a month anyway.) And once you’re in the swing of it, it’s truly so much fun.

“I love brûléeing the most simple things,” says our friend Jerrelle Guy, whose gorgeous cookbook, We Fancy, comes out this week. “Warm oatmeal, fresh bananas, grapefruit halves, the peanut butter on my peanut-butter toast. And whenever I brûlée my yogurt, it becomes decadent. I think of it as a no-bake crème brûlée.” For breakfast! Or whenever!

This week, we’re excited to share this fun, creamy, tangy new recipe from Jerelle’s book. True to the title, this is indeed a fancy dish, but Jerrelle is the kind of recipe writer who knows that fancy doesn’t need to be complicated (this is the woman who judged our boxed brownie taste test, after all). When she says you can do this — in less than 30 minutes, no less — you can trust her. And doesn’t a warm, citrus brûlée sound so good right now? Definitely worth braving the broiler. Let’s crack a window and do this thing.

Brûléed Lemon Yogurt With Berries
From We Fancy, by Jerrelle Guy
Serves 2-4

For the berry pico
1/2 cup blueberries and strawberries (fresh or frozen), diced
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
Kosher salt

For the yogurt crème brûlée
1 cup Greek yogurt (full-fat) or labneh
Turbinado sugar or granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Make the pico: In a small bowl, combine the berries, thyme, lemon juice, olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Set aside to allow the berries some time to release their juices.

Make the yogurt: Divide the yogurt among four 4-ounce ramekins (or two 8-ounce ramekins), or small heat-proof bowls, and spread in a smooth, even layer. Wipe any splattered edges of the ramekins with a clean kitchen cloth. (If making ahead, you can cover the yogurt and refrigerate for up to three days, until ready to eat. You can also leave it overnight to make the yogurt firmer.)

Brûlée the yogurt: Sprinkle sugar over the tops of the yogurt in a thin, even layer. If using a broiler, set an oven rack just beneath the heating element and turn the broiler on high. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and slide under the broiler. You can also use a blow torch, moving in slow, circular motions over the yogurt. Burn the sugar until it beads, then caramelizes and melts into puddles. Remove from the oven (if using), and allow the yogurt to rest for a few minutes until the sugar hardens. Top with the pico and serve.

Note: If you want to make it even fancier, Jerrelle suggests mixing the yogurt with 2-3 tbsp of lemon curd and 1/2 tsp of pure vanilla extract, before transferring to the ramekins, to add a pleasant tang.

Thank you so much, Jerrelle! We love the new book!

P.S. Molly Yeh’s classic egg-in-a-hole, and seven delicious muffin recipes.

(Photos from Jerrelle Guy. Excerpted from We Fancy. Copyright © 2026 by Jerrelle Guy. Reproduced by permission of Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.)

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