Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt

Not having been a Magnum PI fan, I've not watched many Tom Selleck movies other than his westerns. But one night after watching "Quigley Down Under" for the sixth or seventh time, I decided to watch one of the Jesse Stone series on Net Flix. This series is very engaging and once I started watching them I had to see them all and I even bought the DVDs. This most recent "Without a Doubt" is not one of the better ones. All of the flaws have been pointed out: believability -- where is the rest of the police force; incongruity of the plot; and his love life has definitely taken a dive. At least he has finally gotten rid of the ex-wife thing which made him seem pretty pathetic after the first 3 or 4 movies. Jesse is the classic brooding bad boy and Tom Selleck plays the role really well. His womanizing and his drinking are part of his charm, after all he is up front with all of the women he makes love to. Tom does need to lighten up on the hair color (better than in Bluebloods where he looks like he's been made up by a mortician). He is one of those men that has gotten more masculine and attractive as he has matured. I think the movie dialog is very similar to that in the books, but Jesse at times is too brooding and intense. Anyone who has his success with women should have a smile on his face once in a while. As a female fan, I'd wouldn't mind seeing how Jesse looks without his shirt on. This is a good series and I hope we have many more Jesse Stone movies to come.

This show starts out with a bang, literally. In a small, coastal town, two policemen die in a car bombing while out on a routine call. That certainly got my attention. Retired L.A. detective Jesse Stone is appointed to investigate. After that, the story wanders. We get to meet the various locals who live in the gloomy community with its rocky coast and gray weather, a place which has clearly seen better days. It's filled with cynical people one comes to expect in a movie like this. As expected, Stone (played well enough by Tom Sellink) asks questions of people, trying to find clues. As far as I could tell, but only finds little hints. In fact, the investigation doesn't go anywhere until the last half hour and the ending was very rushed. It also seems as if a sequel is being set up at the end.

The eighth film in the Jesse Stone series based upon the characters created by Robert B. Parker. If you had read all my previous reviews of this series, you would know how much I'm looking forward for this. Not like I'm happy with the series to continue, but the last couple of films were below par than usual Jesse films. Like always, I went for it expecting the series could get better, and does it fulfill my desire? I won't say it did, but surely a decent one. It had the opportunity to become much better than that, but it was the story, like they wanted to start off again from the scratch. So it was kind of a refresher in the series, there's big changes you would find from the very first scene itself.

Jesse received his PPD cap, that mean he's back, but he's the only one left in the force. This time he brought in to investigate the death of his rival in the department. He also has a strong back from the town council, as well as from his Boston boss. So this is an important case for everyone, particularly for Jesse to get back like he always say this is his last stop. This is not a detached story, I mean not some new characters comes in, commits crime and got punished. This is really well improvised story within the available characters. So the viewers can be optimistic about guessing the events including the finale.

Kind of depressing to see one man doing all the job. I mean it was always been like that in the series, but this time feels it was a slow presentation. Jesse is no Rambo, yet feel he's isolated. I liked how the film developed with the existing characters. That means there's a serious change in characters, like many are from the previous films went missing and some of those who appeared in this were involved in termination. So the next film will be very interesting, whether there will be a bunch of new ones or the old ones return.

"Cop deserves the benefit of the doubt."

Regarding the case he's on, he deals it on his usual way. But nothing seems a masterful, the twist and turns are ordinary. So don't anticipate any masterstrokes. Jesse was just roaming around seeking information and then suddenly he gets a clue he was looking for. With that he uses a bait to catch the bad guys and they fall for it. But while dealing it, the event takes an unexpected turn, leaves the story might continue in the following sequel as well. That's the confusing, because the film ran for nearly 90 minutes and did nothing to end on high as it does always. So with this kind of drag, I don't know where the series is heading.

Like I always say, Tom Selleck is the reason I'm still hooked to this series. In this installment, it is all about him, because like I mentioned earlier, the next to his roles like Rose and Luther are off the hook. That means the Jesse's therapist like the third string characters automatically taken the leap forward, but nothing much expectable from them. Particularly Thelma, the Hasty's assistant seems interested in Jesse, but it does not tell us how serious it is. Because fighting crime takes over the this romance, or maybe we can call a flirtation like Jesse does to gain information. I think, again the follow-up is to answer that question.

After getting into the rock bottom with the last film, this one looked much better, but still not the best I was looking for. It's just trying to be a normal film, like a television film from the old days and it succeeded somehow. So definitely it is a decent comeback and there's only one film to go for me to end the Jesse Stone series. Oh, I almost forgot that the original director returned for this, that's really amazing news for the series fans. Like the old team coming together, somewhat the series back on the track. The next film that released in the 2015 was received well, that's what I've heard, so can't wait to watch it. The final review on its way, meet me there.

7/10

I like the pace of Jesse Stone TV movies. They are too slow for some folks, but the pauses give the discriminating viewer time to guess at what Jesse is turning over in his head. I thoroughly enjoy the banter between him and his psychologist friend and Capt Healey. As a man who survived all the banter that accompanies time in the military, I actually get a kick out of hearing the dialogue.

Jesse is rehired as chief after some police are killed in a car bomb. He is caught between not liking one of the dead and wanting justice even if it proves the dead cop was innocent of a crime.

There is some touching of old friendships and a few surprises. We get a small hint of something to come but it is hard to actually piece all of what we see together and know how it will play out.

I enjoyed it very much, hope you will too.

Paradise Police Chief "Skipper" Butler and Officer D'Angelo are investigating a fire at "The Point". But when they get there, it appears to be a false alarm.

Or is it?

Two people are dead, and be warned--their bodies look like something out of a horror movie.

The state arson investigators won't tell the town council anything. Town council members Hanson and Hasty show up at Stone's remote house--his phone is disconnected--to offer him his job back. Stone and the state investigator Healy are friends, so maybe he will have better luck.

Healy tells Stone what he needs to know and advises him to leave the investigating to the state cops. Since when has that ever stopped Stone? His next two actions are illegal and provide two of the film's best comic moments, the other being Hasty's bow-tie.

Stone suspects the murders were the result of Butler being corrupt (Wait: why will Butler let Stone take over his job, much less get away with investigating him? There's a very good reason). But he faces a number of obstacles. Molly quit. Rose quit and took her kids to her mother's in Toledo. Suitcase is working on his father's boat where he claims to be happy, but he's not convincing. Stone has no cell reception at his house. How will this man get anything done? Believe me, he will.

Stone hasn't talked to his ex-wife Jen since he lost his job, and he's drinking again; his dog seems to disapprove. He continues to visit Dr. Dix, and he is dating Thelma, who works at Hasty's car dealership and sings standards in a club. Stone also goes out with the pretty but tough Amanda, Gino Fish's secretary, but just for information.

A third person dies, and while it looks like suicide, Stone doesn't believe it.

The mystery has just enough twists, and the conclusion is exciting.

This is a movie that can be watched by those new to Jesse Stone. Unlike some of the others, this is a straight mystery which doesn't deviate into long philosophical scenes that some might find boring. And Stone's character history is explained for those who might not know it, but this is not really necessary for a newcomer to the series.

Tom Selleck does his usual good job--just remember, this is NOT "Blue Bloods" (which I've never seen, but commercials tell me enough). Stone is flawed in many ways but basically decent.

The other leading actors also do a good job. I wish Kathy Baker had had a bigger role, but for whatever reason she didn't have a lot of lines. Suitcase was also missed.

It's worth seeing, even more so than some of the recent entries in the series.