Jane Doe: Vanishing Act

Lea Thompson plays an ex-government agent, now a wife and mother. She is re-drafted by her ex-beau, played by Joe Penny, to help on a strange case. Thompson's work now is devising puzzles, and the government has a beaut. How can a man riding in a plane knock out the pilot, have the plane dip under the radar, and disappear from the plane in ten seconds? These types of cases were what the dashing dilettante Banacek toyed with in the '70s. The setting here is a little more ordinary but somehow more likable, thanks to its cast of Thompson, William R. Moses, and Joe Penny. It's great to see all of them again, even if it's only semi-regular TV.

This is pleasant enough fare from Dean Hargrove, who brought you the clean entertainment of Matlock, the Perry Mason TV movies, Jake and the Fatman, and many episodes of Columbo - in fact, he was the producer of the NBC Mystery Movie, which the Hallmark rotations emulate. These shows aren't as good as McCloud, Columbo, et al., but make for enjoyable watching.

By the way, all these Hallmark TV mystery movies have ratings of 6 or 7 on IMDb, which are a little on the high side, but no comments. Hmmm.

Central Security Agency is transporting Miles Crandall when he mysteriously go missing. The pilot has been disabled and the plane lands without its important passenger. Director Frank Darnell (Joe Penny) recalls former agent Cathy Davis (Lea Thompson) to find the satellite communication programmer. The puzzle loving Cathy has been living the suburban life with her husband and kids (Jessy Schram, Zack Shada) who don't know her previous life. The secret agency work out of a secret base in the back of a grocery store.

This reminds me a lot like a bad Disney movie. It goes overboard with the dramatics when Cathy is recruited back into the life. It tries so hard with a secret base but it all looks cheap. I get it. Back in day, Hallmark needed movies fast and furious but still hadn't zeroed in on its natural genre. It's done on the cheap despite the high concept. I do like the return to the 80s with Penny and Thompson. With the domestic double-life, it gives the whole movie a throwback feel. The espionage is not thrilling enough or big enough. The family drama is stuck on like a Disney movie. If not for my intrigue for the actors, this would be a complete skip.

It's like they tried to do everything wrong. And succeded.

The initial car chase: Not a single sound is from one of those vehicles. That's when you realize this is going to be really bad.

The rest is just one politically correct cliche after another, from the happy, white middle class family with the oh-so-supporting mother to 'do this for your country'.

This show is aimed at naive under-stimulated stay-at-home soccer moms, dying for just a tiny spark of something interesting to happen in their middle class suburban lives. Wannabe suburbanites in trailer parks may like it too.

Read a book in stead.

Fun mystery that keeps you wondering with a surprise ending. Really enjoyed the family interactions. People could learn a few parenting tips from this movie. Leah Thompson makes her character seem very real. I really enjoyed her interactions with her on-screen children and husband, and enjoyed how she asks her son for help without giving away her secret. Joe Penny delivers a believable character as well, and is still handsome as ever. It's a good, almost realistic storyline and I recommend it for families with children 8 and up, as long as you don't mind mild violence. Without giving anything away, there are only a few things about it that don't seem all that real or even possible, but humorous just the same. LOVE most of the Hallmark movies, with the majority of them being definite "feel good" movies.

6/10 - it's interesting to see how the series all began even if this is one of the worse mysteries of the lot.