I watched the latest Jesse Stone TV movie last night and have mulled it over before typing my reaction to it. I have decided that it will be the last one I watch. There was a certain level of enjoyment in the first four having been based on the original text by Parker and I could accept the changes made in character and story knowing that film and books are two very different mediums. The latest three films have been original stories not based on the Books and have grown increasingly maudlin. I am a fan of noir cinema and dark stories but it as though all of the life has been sucked out of the characters I am not certain who has the better hang dog expression Reggie or Jesse. Selleck's Jesse Stone is the saddest person I have ever seen he sleeps with a positively gorgeous woman and doesn't crack a smile and then kills her mood, to score with her he must be the most adorable black hole of gloom on the eastern seaboard. Dix even looks ready to tell him to walk because he is sucking all of the joy out of the room. I read a woman's post saying that Jesse is the strong silent type but strong holds the firm for the people who rely on him, much like Jesse in the books He knows that not just the town relies on him but Suit, Molly, Peter and the rest of his department depend on him as a leader. Selleck's Jesse has let all of these people down . Admittedly if I had his ex as portrayed in both the books and the movies I would drink too much and look miserable much of the time too. (Gods I hate Jenn)Even the Parker moments in the story felt forced. Yes! we know it is hard for Jesse not to be cute (Stone Cold) and his opening shot is a foot to the nuts (Night Passage). This brings me to my second point I recently found out that the Selleck's co writer Michael Brandman is continuing the Jesse Stone books and this makes me very afraid for the stories. I love the books I have read all of them at least twice and these are characters that have become dear to me. If you are reading this Mr. Brandman I don't expect you to be Bob Parker but please don't kill the feeling of these stories the way that has been done in the films.
Review of Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost
