Stone Cold (2005)
C – 87m
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 – Widescreen
A.K.A.: Robert B. Parker’s Stone Cold
Jesse Stone: Stone Cold
Dir.: Robert Harmon
Novel By: Robert B. Parker
Starring: Tom Selleck, Jane Adams, Reg Rogers, Viola Davis, Alexis Dziena, Kohl Sudduth, Polly Shannon, Stephen McHattie, Shawn Roberts, Alex House, and Mimi Rogers.
A New England Police Chief investigates a series of murders and a rape of a teenage woman minor. This made for television movie is a slick but deliberately paced adaption of the best selling novel. It offers up some genuine laughs, some touching moments and a few surprises. After repeated viewings it is by the numbers of course. Swell acting and beautiful scenery help boost this to solid entertainment. There is a particularly funny subplot with Jesse Stone’s dog here.
Trivia: The fictional town of Paradise, Massachusetts, where the film / novel takes place, is supposedly a caricature of Marblehead, Massachusetts. And despite the aforementioned trivia, the film was shot in Ontario, Canada.
Rated: [R] – Violent Content, Some Sexuality, Nudity, & Brief Drug Use
Available on DVD & Digital Copy
Night Passage (2006)
C – 89m
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 – Widescreen
A.K.A.: Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone: Night Passage
Jesse Stone: Night Passage
Novel By: Robert B. Parker
Starring: Tom Selleck, Saul Rubinek, Viola Davis, Kohl Sudduth, Polly Shannon, Mike Starr, Stephen McHattie and Stephen Baldwin.
Jesse Stone relocates from Los Angeles, California to Paradise, Massachusetts and finds himself in the midst of a couple of mysteries, one involving a former cop. Although this is the second Jesse Stone film made, it is the prequel to the first one, Stone Cold (2005). As such, it may make more sense to view this one first. That said, this is a rather sorry entry in the series after such a fine start with Stone Cold. The characters from the first film are more developed given their backstory here but little else comes of it. Pacing is once again an issue, this time more so. Tom Selleck, Stephen Baldwin, Viola Davis and Mike Starr are a treat as always though. A subplot with Jesse Stone’s dog that was funny in the first film is rather sad here. Despite this reviewer’s rather low opinion of this prequel, it should be noted that this reviewer sees the value of its inclusion in the television Jesse Stone cannon.
Trivia: Mike Starr’s brother Beau Starr previously appeared in the television adaption of Thin Air (2000), another Robert B. Parker novel that coexists with Jesse Stone.
Available on DVD & Digital Copy
Death In Paradise (2006)
C – 87m
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 – Widescreen
A.K.A.: Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone: Death In Paradise
Jesse Stone: Death In Paradise
Novel: Death In Paradise by Robert B. Parker
Starring: Tom Selleck, Viola Davis, Kohl Sudduh, Orla Brady, Gary Basaraba, John Deihl, Mae Whitman, Edward Edwards, Stephen McHattie and William Devane.
The body of a 14 year old girl is found in a lake, a man beats his wife and someone is a tad to close to his biographer who has something to do with, “helping,” underage kids. These are just a few loose ends of a far spread mystery that Jesse Stone must tie together. Well–done, third made–for–television film in the Jesse Stone franchise boasts of fine acting, excellent pacing and nice scenery. There are even a few slightly startling images here too.
Trivia: The novel actually takes place before Stone Cold, but a scene of Jesse visiting the grave of Polly Shannon’s character was added to change it to after for this made for television movie.
Available on DVD & Digital Copy
Sea Change (2007)
C – 88m
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 – Widescreen
A.K.A.: Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone: Sea Change
Jesse Stone: Sea Change
Novel: Sea Change by Robert B. Parker
Starring: Tom Selleck, Kathy Baker, Kohl Sudduth, Rebecca Pidgeon, Sean Young, Mika Boorem, Stephen McHattie, William Sadler, Viola Davis, William DeVane
Jesse Stone’s relationship with his ex–wife takes a turn for the worse so he decides to investigate a murder to keep from relapsing into alcoholism. His life is further complicated when he is put at odds with the town council over a rape investigation. The fourth made–for–television film in the Jesse Stone franchise is nothing special but still not bad. The cast is in fine form but the movie is strictly formula.
Available on DVD & Digital Copy
Jesse Stone: Thin Ice (2009)
C – 88m
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 – Widescreen
A.K.A.: Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone: Thin Ice
Characters By: Robert B. Parker
Dir.: Robert Harmon
Starring: Tom Selleck, Kathy Baker, Kohl Sudduth, Leslie Hope, Stephen McHattie, William Sadler and William Devane.
During an unauthorized stakeout in Boston, Massachusetts Jesse Stone and Captain Healy are shot. Meanwhile a mother of a missing son, who has been declared dead, in Paradise, Massachusetts receives a letter that leads her to Stone. She hopes it will reopen the case in spite of her son being declared dead. The fifth made–for–television installment in the Jesse Stone series is the first film not to be adapted from a novel by Robert B. Parker, but rather it uses his characters. The film is engaging and keeps a good pace. Performances are for the most part good, but hardly worth mentioning given how well everything else works.
Trivia: This film was shot in 2007 but did not air until 2009.
Available on DVD & Digital Copy
Jesse Stone: No Remorse (2010)
C – 87m
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 – Widescreen
A.K.A.: Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone: No Remorse
Characters By: Robert B. Parker
Co–Screenwriter: Tom Selleck
Dir.: Mark Harmon
Starring: Tom Selleck, Kathy Baker, Kohl Sudduth, Stephen McHattie, William Sadler, Mae Whitman and William Devane.
Suspended Police Chief Jesse Stone begins moonlighting for his friend Commander Healy by investigating murders in Boston, Massachusetts. Meanwhile Rose and Suitcase are working on a series of murders in Paradise, Massachusetts. Jesse Stone gives his all to the cases while trying to swear off booze and women but when the trail leads to a mob boss, Jesse may be in deep trouble. The sixth made – for – television Jesse Stone franchise entry is again, not from a novel by Robert B. Parker, though it does use his characters. The film is formula but has a good pace and good performances. One trivia note: The watch Tom Selleck as Jesse Stone wears in this film is the same one he wore in Magnum P.I. Seasons 4 – 8.
Available on DVD & Digital Copy
Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost (2011)
C – 91m
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 – Widescreen
A.K.A.: Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost
Characters By: Robert B. Parker
Co–Screenwriter: Tom Selleck
Dir.: Dick Lowry
Starring: Tom Selleck, Kathy Baker, Kohl Sudduth, Gloria Reuben, Stephen McHattie, William Sadler and William Devane.
Jesse Stone is forced into retirement only to investigate the suspicious death of a young friend. Meanwhile the Police of Paradise, Massachusetts contend with a S.O.B. of a new Police Chief. The seventh made–for–television Jesse Stone franchise entry is again not from a novel by Robert B. Parker but does use his characters. This one has fine pacing, good acting and a good script. The down side is that it is by the numbers. For some that may bring comfort though. Also: How much guilt tripping over the dog can viewer stand?
Available on DVD & Digital Copy
Jesse Stone: Benefit Of The Doubt (2012)
C – 90m
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 – Widescreen
A.K.A.: Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone: Benefit Of The Doubt
Characters By: Robert B. Parker
Co–Screenwriter: Tom Selleck
Dir.: Robert Harmon
Starring: Tom Selleck, Kathy Baker, Kohl Sudduth, Gloria Reuben, Stephen McHattie, William Sadler, Robert Carradine and William Devane.
After the Sheriff who replaced Jesse Stone is killed in an explosion in the cop car, Jesse Stone comes out of involuntary retirement to investigate the murder; only to find out he must solve the murder himself because all the other officers left the department. The eighth made–for–television Jesse Stone franchise entry is not from a novel by Robert B. Parker but uses his characters. This is a suspenseful and engaging, by the numbers entry, with a fantastic pace and good acting. On a trivia note: a small portion of the Boston, Massachusetts set film, The Last Hurrah (1958) plays on a television screen. This supposedly signaled to the audience that this might have been the final Jesse Stone outing.
Available on DVD & Digital Copy
Jesse Stone: Lost In Paradise (2015)
C – 86m
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 – Widescreen
A.K.A.: Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone: Lost In Paradise
Characters By: Robert B. Parker
Co–Screenwriter: Tom Selleck
Dir.: Robert Harmon
Starring: Tom Selleck, Kohl Sudduth, Gloria Reuben, Leslie Hope, William Sadler and William Devane.
Jesse hunts a serial killer in Boston, Massachusetts and worries over a wayward teen in Paradise, Massachusetts. The ninth made – for – television Jesse Stone franchise entry is once again not from a novel by Robert B. Parker, but does uses his characters. By the numbers entry is still enjoyable. Gone are most of the characters from the series but what remains is a pretty good cold case mystery.
Available on DVD & Digital Copy