How Did This Get Made? Jack's Back LIVE! w/ Lisa Gilroy
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Sep 19, 2025 
Lisa Gilroy, known for her roles in The Studio and Twisted Metal, joins Paul and Jason to dissect the 1988 thriller Jack's Back. They hilariously explore the film's misleading premise that plays off the Jack the Ripper myth, and delve into the perplexities of identical twins and their supposedly unique fingerprints. The trio critiques the baffling police incompetence and shares dark comic moments, while Lisa recalls her childhood with a My Buddy doll. Expect lively banter and unexpected insights into this bizarre cinematic gem!
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Ripper Is A Thematic Red Herring
- Jack's Back uses Jack the Ripper imagery as a thematic red herring rather than a strict plot driver.
- The film centers more on twin dynamics, identity confusion, and mood than on solving the historical mystery.
Twin Identity Drives The Confusion
- James Spader plays two linked brothers whose identities blur, creating deliberate audience confusion.
- The twin switch and hypnotic overlap drive uncertainty more than coherent motive or investigation.
Policing As Comic Incompetence
- The police in Jack's Back are portrayed as incompetent, cocky, and narratively irrelevant.
- Their overconfidence and lack of evidence heighten the film's absurdist tone and undermine the detective plot.
