Prismark10 Stone Cold made in 2005 was the first film in the Jesse Stone series of films adapted from the novels written by Robert Parker.Confusingly the next film Night Passage served as a prequel of Jess Stone, a high profile police detective with a drinking problem arriving to small town of Paradise in Massachusetts.Tom Selleck is the world weary Stone, a recovering alcoholic with an ex wife almost starting out again in Paradise as the police chief.Paradise is plagued with a random shooter who is getting personal with Chief Stone as his girlfriend is targeted. Jess Stone suspects a smarmy couple renting a house but he needs to prove it.There is also the shocking case of a high school student who is gang raped and threatened by fellow students. When he arrests one of the kids he has to deal with the angry father and their expensive attorney.There is not much mystery in this film. We quickly find out what happened to girl at school and the suspects are quickly identified. As for the random shooter, again Jess Stone realises who the suspects may be so it is case of how they get caught.It is a character piece about Stone himself, a flawed man who is a good cop with principles. The opening film was good, a slow burner but not dull although in real life such high profile shootings in a small town will have the FBI and mass media crawling all over the place.

TheUnknown837-1 Even though it was the fourth in a long line of very good detective books by Robert B. Parker, "Stone Cold" was the first to be translated for the screen. Since its adaptation, all of the Jesse Stone movies have been directed by Robert Harmon and have all starred Tom Selleck and this is a team that I say really works. Not only is the star matched up perfectly to the character and the director perfectly to the material, but the movie stays very faithful to the great book by Robert B. Parker and even makes a few twists that some could argue even improve upon the already absorbing storyline.For those who don't know what the Jesse Stone books/movies are about, here's what you're missing. Jesse Stone is a former LA cop now chief of police of a small Massachusetts town. Stone is a grass widower and former alcoholic, and still has somewhat of a drinking problem. While trying to mend the relationship between himself and his ex-wife, as well as solving a rape case at the local high school, Stone finds his toughest challenge ahead when two thrill-seeking serial killers enter town and go on a spree, eventually zeroing on him.What really makes this movie work as well as it does is Tom Selleck's performance. As Robert B. Parker himself commented, Selleck "nails the character." Selleck is charismatic, he has a lot of strong screen presence, he never gives a bad note in his performance, he is funny when he's supposed to be, sympathetic when he needs to be. He's just buttoned up and solid playing the character that he very well may have been destined to play. He captures the laconic personality of the alcoholic police chief wonderfully. Selleck has always been an interesting actor to watch and playing Jesse Stone is one of his crowning achievements.Robert Harmon's directing is also fabulous with wonderful shot set-ups, fast pacing, and a wonderful way of working with his cast and crew. The movie is also beautifully shot, outscoring the cinematography of many big-budget Hollywood productions that I've seen as of late. And he does a good job working with this great story written by Parker and adapted by John Fasano and Michael Brandman. Like I mentioned earlier, uses the changes made to, some could say, improve the overall product. I particularly liked the twist at the end, which I thought was more effective than the ending and coda of the novel. And I most certainly cannot omit my praises for the film's music composer, Jeff Beal, whose score is hands-down brilliant and beautiful. He uses the piano mostly throughout his soundtrack and each time a key is pressed, it engraves a memory in our subconscious. The music in "Stone Cold" is absolutely memorable.In regards to the supporting cast, it's as close to perfect as any cast can be. Viola Davis, a very good actress, is wonderful as the dispatcher with a passion for her job. Kohl Sudduth perfectly captures the personality of his character from the book. Polly Shannon is wonderful as the city attorney with a soft spot for Selleck. There is also Mimi Rogers, Stephen McHattie, Alexis Dziena, and Shawn Roberts, all of whom are perfectly matched to their roles. And Jane Adams and Reg Robers are unnervingly great as the two strangers in Paradise.

classicalsteve The challenge for actors that star in popular long-running TV shows is that they become forever fused to their character, sometimes called "type-cast". Most middle-age audiences will forever think of Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum of the 1980's hit show Magnum PI. But Selleck, after-all, is an actor, not Thomas Magnum. He was an actor playing a part, and after the series ended, Selleck had to find new roles to conquer Unfortunately, directors are often reluctant to cast actors with strong associations with a particular television role. Luckily, for the film Stone Cold, Selleck offers a presence quite distinct from the happy-go-lucky Hawiian-shirted private detective who sported a Ferrari. Here, Selleck walks in the shoes of a far darker, even introspective, character in a small town in rural Massachusetts.Although their occupations are similar, a young independent private detective versus an LA cop in the twilight of his career, Jesse Stone and Thomas Magnum are quite polar opposites. Magnum would crack jokes, score with beautiful women, and put down the bad guys all under a blazing Hawiian sun. In Stone Cold, the gloomy mists off of Cape Cod are the backdrop to a haunting but compelling story of a tired urban investigator tracking senseless serial killings in a town where the entire police force is barely four people.There is a very deliberate but tempered pace to the film which matches the feel of a small New England community that is quite removed from the hurry and worry of New York or LA. Nothing is rushed. Just as the locals walk at a slow but steady pace through their neighborhood, this film also is a very one-step-at-a-time story. I felt like the the filmmakers wanted you to see and feel the fog-ridden ocean, the quiet streets, and crisp air of New England life as much as the other aspects of the story.All in all, a satisfying viewing experience, with an outstanding performance by Selleck. And it looks as though the character of Jesse Stone continues in new films. Selleck has found a new niche that is an appropriate sequel to the TV show of his younger days. Jesse Stone is a very different kind of Thomas Magnum.

balderdash33 Being a long time Selleck fan, I bought the DVD at the local wallyworld without having heard anything about it. (I watch no TV whatsoever). I enjoyed the movie so much that I promptly ordered all of Robert Parker's Jesse Stone novels and read them. I had never read any of his work except one of the Spenser novels some years ago. I have to say, I enjoyed the movie much more than I did the novels. Generally, my experience has been the obverse. I think they were wise to delete what I felt was an excessive dwelling on the main character's drinking and obsessing over his ex-wife. In fact, in the novels he is a virtual doormat to her, and enters into a number of sexual liaisons that would be extremely risky for any investigator, and particularly for a police chief. Selleck does a great job as the generally unflappable but internally tormented Jesse Stone. Kudos for the casting. The two villains, Jane Adams and Reg Rodgers, do a great job although their screen time is relatively limited. Excellent directing, photography and musical score, too.