Jesse Stone: Night Passage

¨Robert B. Parker's Jesse Stone: Night Passage¨ deals with an L.A. cop who goes to a small town only to find a mystery after the other , intervening in a domestic abuse case and a killing . Jesse Stone (Tom Selleck) is a tough, but worn-out Police Chief . Former LA policeman , who relocates to Paradise, Massachusetts after leaving the duty due to a drinking problem . He buys a secluded house where he lives with his senior hound dog that suffers an illness . While the Police Chief Jesse Stone's relationship with his ex-wife worsens and he fears he will relapse into alcoholism , to get his mind off his problems, Jesse begins working on the unsolved murder . Meantime , Jessie becomes romantically involved with a local advocate in law (Polly Shannon) . He soon becomes complicated with a case of domestic violence whose husband (Stephen Baldwin) holds a serious criminal behavior , connected to the mob .

This agreeable story results to be a prequel to 'Stone Cold,' , here Tom Selleck reprises his role as Jesse Stone , an almost-retired and drunk policeman . Very good acting by veteran Tom Selleck , he plays as an ex- L.A. cop who becomes Chief in the small coastal town and find himself immersed in mysteries and murders . Support cast is frankly excellent as Saul Rubinek as Hastings Hathaway , Viola Davis as Molly Crane , Kohl Sudduth as Luther 'Suitcase' , Polly Shannon as attorney Abby Taylor , Stephanie March as Cissy Hathaway , Mike Starr as Lou Carson and Stephen McHattie as captain Healy . Atmospheric and appropriate musical score by Jeff Beal . Colorful and sunny cinematography by David Gribble . This TV picture was professionally directed by Robert Harmon , though with no originality , being sometimes slow-moving and predictable . Harmon has directed a bunch of made-for-TV movies which include the excellent biopics "Gotti" and "Ike: Countdown to D-Day" . His greatest hit smash was the psycho horror knockout title "The Hitcher" with Rutger Hauer . Robert made a welcome return to the horror genre with the creepy "They" and contributed another worthy addition to the "danger on the road" sub-genre with the brutal and nerve-wracking "Highwaymen." More recently Robert Harmon has directed starring Tom Selleck as Jesse Stone is this enjoyable series .

This several gritty and superior made-for-TV crime mystery drama series was formed by 8 chapters , these are the following : Robert B. Parker's Jesse Stone: Sea Change" 2. Jesse Stone: Crímenes en Boston (2010) (TV) aka "Jesse Stone: No Remorse" - USA 3 "Robert B. Parker's Jesse Stone: Thin Ice" - UK (complete title), 4. "Robert B. Parker's Stone Cold" - UK (complete title), USA (complete title) "Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise" - USA (original title) , aka "Robert B. Parker's Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise" - Australia, UK (complete title), USA (complete title¨) ; 6 "Jesse Stone: Night Passage" - USA (original title) , 7 "Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost (2011) (TV) and Jesse Stone: Benefit of doubt (2012) .

Tom Selleck was great as Magnum and is more appealing than ever as Jesse Stone. The two TV-movies made so far with this character have been top-notch in story, characters and mood--very watchable and enjoyable. I believe they've done gangbusters in ratings, too, so let's hope there are more of these to come. Stone is a wonderful character and so far he's had great casting and good writing to back him up. The Stone character is the creation of mystery writer Robert B. Parker. I haven't read the novels, but Parker himself has been interviewed and he had nothing but great things to say about Selleck's performance and how well he nailed the character, who's tough, ironic, smart, wry, funny. Also enjoyed the production values, moody atmosphere and Vancouver (I think) settings, not to mention a couple of very pretty, well-cast ladies. More, more!

In Santa Monica, California, the former detective Jesse Stone (Tom Selleck) moves to Paradise, Massachusetts with his old dog Boomer, after having drinking problem on duty. He is invited by the Paradise's powerful counselor Hastings Hathaway (Saul Runinek) to be the substitute for the former Chief Lou Carson (Mike Starr), who had an earlier retirement. In his first assignment, he hits the abusive husband Joe Genest (Stephen Baldwyn), who has not respected a restraint order. The local attorney Abby Taylor (Polly Shannon) visits him after the incident and they have an affair. When Lou is killed, Chief Jesse Stone suspects of the mobster Joe and Hastings, and plots a situation trying to disclose the truth.

After the successful "Stone Cold", it was released in Brazil its sequence "Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise", with another great story of this flawed, but efficient chief of police. Now the prequel of "Stone Cold" is finally released, showing how this anti-hero was born, coming from a big city to a small town where the dwellers are aware of everything that happens. The engaging story shows Jesse and his drinking problem, dealing with a troubled teenager; with the initial suspicion of his policemen; with the murder of the former chief; with a domestic problem and an abusive husband; with his ex-wife and his new girlfriend; and with his sick dog. I believe the greatest attraction of this melancholic story is its simplicity, with credible characters and situations and great performances. Tom Selleck is fantastic in the best role of his career. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Crimes no Paraíso: Travessia Noturna" ("Crimes in Paradise: Night Cross")

From 2006, Jesse Stone: Night Passage introduces us to the characters in the subsequent films, and shows how Jesse came to be Sheriff of Paradise.

When the beloved Sheriff Lou Carson (Mike Starr) retires, Jesse Stone, who lost his job with LA Homicide for drinking on the job, is invited to interview. Jesse loads his dog Boomer into his truck and drives from LA to Massachusetts in order to interview. When he lands the job, he's instantly suspicious. "I wouldn't hire me," he says.

He uncovers corruption, which ultimately leads to murders.

Viola Davis is Molly Crane, who works in the Sheriff's office, as does Suitcase (Kohl Sudduth), Hasty Hathaway (Saul Rubinek) is head of the town council responsible for hiring Stone; Stephen Baldwin is wife beater and general bad guy Joe Genest; and Polly Shannon (Abby Taylor) is a woman Stone is seeing.

The Stone films are dark, and this one is especially sad. Good performances, though I'm not sure I would have cast Tom Selleck in such a dour part. He's always likable, but I'm not sure he's creating a specific character here, rather, just a generic depressed person.

Comments not just for 'Night Passage': My wife and I have quickly noticed a recent ground-swell of others who've keenly picked up on this wonderful CBS-released series with Tom Selleck, Kathy Baker and the ever-entertaining Kohl Sudduth as 'Suit(case)' Simpson. The scripts, dialogs, excellent camera-work, the wonderful lighting, directing, staging ...and the supreme mood created with Jeff Beal's superb music, all set a complete and satisfying tone for enjoying one of the, IMHO, best series ever produced for television, bar none. Selleck, in his maturity, is a great performer in character (he has done so well in recent westerns - which we rarely get to see enough of from today's 'Wacky' Follywood!) and as the 'recovering' scotch-drinking sheriff in the sleepy-but-up-tight New England town he slides into from his former LA police job on his 'last stop', his character lives up to the ideal that Robert Parker must have envisioned in his books. Sandie and I encourage you to try out some of television's best in today's cocky world with the 'Jesse Stone' series. Quality is still among us, believe it or not, and we believe you'll be very pleasantly surprised with the efforts. We now own all 7 DVDs including 'Innocence Lost', and watch them frequently when we need to get away from the world from time-to-time. I, personally, think you'll find them 'timeless.' Watch 'Jesse Stone' - become a believer again.