User reviews

Tom Selleck took some time away from Blue Bloods to return to playing a different kind of cop in Jesse Stone: Lost In Paradise. Selleck is on some vacation time and Leslie Hope from the state police homicide squad asks him to look into a murder in his jurisdiction, but to report to her.

Serial killer Luke Perry has the killing of 3 Boston area prostitutes to his account, but has refused to take credit for the fourth killing where the forensics are a match.

Selleck and Perry have a couple of scenes with him questioning the incarcerated Perry who will make your skin crawl in a Hannibal the Cannibal like fashion. Other than the climax these scenes are the acting highlight of the film.

If in fact the forensics match and what Perry says is true, there's only one explanation and its a conclusion that Selleck dreads to arrive at. You'll figure it out early on as well so it won't be that much of a mystery.

There's a whole big difference in playing the brooding loner Jesse Stone and the patriarch of a law enforcement family like the Reagans in Blue Bloods. But that shows Selleck the actor is more than just good.

Nice to see Tom Selleck back as Jesse Stone. Hope there will be more of these in our future.

If you don't understand the context of the title of this review, then you really need to watch the previous 8 movies in this series, hopefully in the correct order. This is a show that lays down a foundation in the very first movie, and then builds on that foundation throughout the series. You get to know the characters, and how they interact in the life of Jesse Stone.

This really is a wonderful, rewarding series, if you take the time to view it as it was meant to be viewed, from 1st to last.

Hopefully we see at least one more Jesse Stone movie from Tom Selleck before he steps down from the role.

I suppose that's a ridiculous thing to say after what, 9 or 10 films, but you see one Jesse Stone movie, and you want to see others.

I'm a Tom Selleck fan, but as I've written in other reviews, I don't feel this is quite the role for him. He's too one-note. But I do think Selleck, as the main force behind this series, does a wonderful job. Everything is top drawer - the cast, the commitment, the writing, the photography.

And Jesse is an interesting guy, if depressed. The beginning of this particular film was very touching.

This was an excellent episode, maybe the best, as Jesse takes a consultant job in Boston and investigates some serial killings. They have the killer in custody, but he will only admit guilt to the first three, not the fourth. The fourth is identical to the others, and there were details not released to the press.

Jesse also takes on the cause of a young girl in Paradise whose mother is an alcoholic.

Jesse's loneliness, as always, is palpable, as he re-approaches Thelma (Gloria Reuben), only to find she's seeing someone.

Where Selleck gains some traction with this role is with whatever humor there is - there we see a flash of the charm that made him a star. He's always likable, and you're always on his side. Those are two of his gifts - while I think there's more to this character than he can bring, he makes it work for the audience.

Terrific episode.

I enjoyed all 9 movies. I have all 9. I understand they maybe a 10th in the making. I hope so. Much better than most of the garbage on TV today

It's a good show with complex characters that are easy to read. Their reasons aren't clear, their progress lacking, the emotions constrained and retarded. People move on from divorce, death, loss of children, and bad things that happen to them. We want them to. We need them to. If they don't they just become boring and tiresome. Jesse needs to move on from his wife, get over himself, find a love interest that inspires him and allow him to stop feeling so sorry for himself all the time. He needs a good laugh, a smile, something that makes you want to share his life with him instead of yell at the screen, "get over it and move on!"

The production value is great. Too much emphasis on dogs. Too many lines repeated over and over. It's a 165 page script with 135 pages of dialog without the repetition. If he focused on Jesse Stone he could easily do two of these a year and have all the life he wanted instead of commuting to NY from LA. In fact, he could shoot them in British Columbia instead of Nova Scotia. I enjoy a good mystery, and at least these hold suspense throughout and don't give away who the bad guy is until the last 10 minutes. All in all, this series needs focus and directed attention and it could be one of the better, if not the best show on TV.

I wasn't sure Hallmark could pull off a non-censored Jesse Stone (the ones repeated from CBS had the occasional editing), but they did. The story was unhurried, but that is to be expected of all the Jesse Stone tales. Tom Selleck and the Brandmans have continued the themes started years ago by Robert Parker. Tom Selleck is still at his best, and the supporting characters are great. And Steve (Ned the Dog) was wonderful. I'm really glad to have Jesse Stone back. We folks who don't fit the commercial demographic (we're the ones that like Longmire, too) still like quality television. But I also hope the producers get hold of a couple of the other Jesse Stone books, as they would make great episodes.

Okay....have plowed thru 1st 8 films in series and spent many a moment in the last 4 films hearing my wife & I mimic the same lines and responses that continue to be used from one film to the next.

If there was any major difference in the psychiatrist vs Jessie scenes used in these shows then pat the bed for the dog, have a donut, bet on Jesse chasing a new skirt, watch more booze get poured into the glass, and get ready for more conversations that probably use a total of no more than 12 words. These thinly written interchanges went through their routines like tired dancers hanging on to each other before the bar closes.

And did somebody say that Selleck was acting?? Puh-lease! Care to guess how much of his face time on the show is spent scowling? Must be his "coply intuition" at its inscrutable best.

So, why do I give the whole series a 6, especially after casting my pearls before the swine? As so many said - Tom Selleck. Which is also why Hasty Hathaway said to Stone (in every show they were together). "I'm very fond of you.... Jesse."

So, other than some pseudo-intellectual ramblings about politics, most of the reviews helped me reach the six mark. Which is giving credit to Selleck for taking a mediocre, poorly written series and pulling it up by its jockstrap into a B-level contender. Having about as much punch as the fighters sparring in Gino's dining room/fighting hall.

Er, I meant bootstrap.... Jesse.

BTW.... Jesse....were you too good for Rose or was she not good enough for you??

I truly missed Jesse Stone and was sad, when the rumors were up for no other movies. But now he is back and he is back in all the wonderful, slow, atmospheric glory I could have hoped for.

I loved everything about Lost In Paradise, first of all Tom Selleck's wonderful acting,the great cinematography, the superb score, the well known and always great cast and of course Steve.

The case after 2 years of "fighting crime" was an interesting one and interesting enough for Jesse to fight his loneliness and his search for meaning.

If you haven't watched any Jesse Stone movies, give them chance, start at the beginning and enjoy all the way through.

This is emotional crime drama at its best.

I have mixed feelings about these Jesse Stone movies. First, Robert B. Parker knew how to structure a mystery. But I get tired of Jesse feeling sorry for himself and drinking too much. Such a worn-down, hackneyed cliche and such a lame use of that cliche. Other shows have done it better. And I doubt if lovely young women are drawn to Jesse. He's way older and he has that hang-dog expression. How is that appealing? Do they want to rescue him from being pathetic? How is that appealing? But I do love Jesse's humanity. In one episode (this one, perhaps), Jesse rescues a teenage girl from her boozing mother. Nicely done. Good for you, Jesse. That is appealing, to me, at least. Like any good detective, Jesse sticks to an investigation until he solves the mystery. That is satisfying. Always. Saves the series from obscurity. Overall, I give the Jesse Stone series a C+. Watchable but not essential.

Unlike the first reviewer, I felt the introspection and inner struggles portrayed by the plot through Tom Sellect were brilliant and compelling. The sub-plots with the dog, Steve, and the troubled young girl were engaging and poignant, adding much to deepen the characterization of Jesse and the overall enjoyment of the movie. I seldom rate movies above 6/10 but this is one of my favorite Jesse Stone movies, perhaps my top favorite, and it sits very high in my all-time movie ratings.

I'm very anxious to see if this quality and depth of character can prevail throughout the next 7 movies, which I absolutely will be sure to watch.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and Tom Selleck's talent for writing and acting is superb!!

If the 7.8 rating and reviews on this site are to be believed then this is one of the greatest films ever made. Of course I don't believe everything I read. I was curious and decided to check it out.

I had never watched any of the Jesse Stone Series. I knew this was a low budget television film and my expectations were not high.

I liked Tom Selleck's character. He always knows the right thing to say. The overall acting in this film wasn't the worst I've seen. The directing and the plot is slow at times and it just doesn't seem convincing.

This is a substandard film. Then again I have been watching a lot of dross recently. My last review on here was of 'Knock Knock' (Keanu Reeves) and this is not as bad as that idiotic pile of poo.

This film will probably end up on Channel 5, in the early hours when nobody is awake to watch it. It wasn't very memorable.

I am writing comments on the series.

Parker created an interesting police character for some one had no police experience. It stereotyped detectives as alcoholic yet still be able to function logically.

Tom Selleck is a good actor but he was way too old as Jesse Stone. He looked 70s. It was almost sickening to watch his relation with women more than 40 years younger. He acted like a child molester.

Why did he use a Colt 45? LAPD detectives used 9 MM Beretta or Glock. He almost ran out of ammos in the ship battle with assailant.

It was also ridiculous for Jesse to linger with his ex wife.

Why did they put that stupid dog in the show?

Also it was sloppy to leave that Hasty character in the air.

May be some production will make more Jesse Stone in the future with a younger actor.

I absolutely love this series. Tom Selleck is one of my favorite actors. He is the most realistic, down to earth actors I've seen.You can download Jesse Stone series on Torrentz and watch them online. You can also stream the movies through pi-media and watch it on your television. I hope there will be more to come. Unfortunately, it will no longer be set in Nova Scotia Canada. It's a pity because the scenic aspect adds to the movies. It's without a doubt the most enjoyable drama that I've seen in a long time. The movies are similar to "Longmire" with Robert Taylor. This is another drama produced in a western setting.

With a world hell bent on watching reality TV, the Jesse Stone stories are fiction that is like watching reality. The simplicity of the story makes it believable, and the simplicity of the characters make them believable. The characters have flaws and "character" but like the story, they aren't so complex as to "make you think" - but rather to make you sit back, take it in and enjoy watching the story unfold. Some may say the story is predictable, yet these have never been big plot twist "M. Night" movies. It helps a little to have seen the previous stories so you know some of the history of the characters, but I am sure you can enjoy it simply by seeing that some of the people already know one another, with small reminders of how. You will sit back and wish all policing could be done the Jesse Stone way - with respect, and a gentle but firm hand, and wish we could live in such a simple world. Jesse is a nice man, his dog is nice and the story is nice. Its the cop show you can watch with your grandmother.

The Jesse Stone movies are character studies and explore the relationships between the participants. If you're looking for Magnum type glamor and action, forget Jesse Stone.

Selleck is like a fine wine that has improved with age. Lost in Paradise is a quality made for TV movie with adept acting, writing and direction.

Jesse Stone is back on a case involving the death of an escort. Along the way he befriends new people and re-engages with old ones like Gino Fish. We are introduced to people that we come to care about and who are three dimensional.

It may seem slow to some, who want an action film that is faster than a speeding bullet, but for those of us who savor fine acting and characters with depth Lost in Paradise, like the other Jesse Stone films, will fill the bill.

IMHO, making changes in sequels is usually the death of a series.

What makes the Jesse Stone series work is the maintenance of all the characterizations, from Jesse to the least recurring character, of all the tag lines, of the music, and even of the naming of characters.

Regarding character names, did anyone else notice that "Amelia's" last name is Hope which is the last name of the actress who plays Sydney Greenstreet? Of course, Sydney Greenstreet is the name of an actor who portrayed major roles in Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon, both starring Humphrey Bogart, Bogart's character in both movies being somewhat unhappy loners.

"Amelia's" restaurant is named, Rose Cafe which is the actress's middle name, her full name being Amelia Rose Blaire.

BTW, the actress, Maria Brooks, who plays Sandy in "Jesse Stone: Night Passage" directed a 1999 one hour docudrama called, "The Odyssey of Captain Healy" about the real life Coast Guard Captain Mike Healy. Healy is of course the name of Captain Healy, State Police Homicide Commander played by Stephen McHattie, who is in Paradise Lost only off screen.

I do not believe the Jesse Stone franchise would have had more than two movies if they had messed with everything just for the sake of messing with everything. As we say in the engineering field, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

1. Why in the heck did Selleck put this on a channel that a LOT of cable providers don't carry. 2 Why can't you RENT this movie ANYWHERE?? 3. Why can't you purchas this movie ANYWHERE? Does anybody out there know WHO HAS this movie, Where I can rent it PLEASE!!!

Come ON...HELP,HELP I have looked everywhere to see this... I have looked on Amazon, VUDU, EVERYWHERE you rent online (REDBOX) and no information on this;. Why Mr. Selleck??? This is the best role you have ever played, and as many people who follow this, and you put it on the HALMARK CHANNEL, a CHANNEL that FEW cable companies have, and to add insult to injury, even IF you can find it on cable,

I have watched all 9 of the Jesse Stone movies and, for me, this one is the best. Tom Selleck brings this flawed whiskey and coffee loving police chief to life in a way that I don't think anyone else could. An alcoholic with a broken marriage behind him somehow comes across as a very decent human being with real compassion for those that he tries to help. Taking time to help a young girl with an alcoholic mother was a nice touch. I loved his interactions with his new dog as he tries to find out what he likes to eat. Jesse is a man that many men can identify with. There is a pace and realism in this series that was lacking in many police dramas. I am really looking forward to Jesse Stone's next adventure.

Jesse Stone is superb, Tom Selleck makes it magnetic. The script is always minimal but perfectly so. The whole connection of the cast with their short but important input create a solid storyline whereby you become connected also.

I rarely put on any film/drama and just sit back prepared to watch it all from start to finish without a disturbance - i/e I don't make a coffee or grab a beer.

One of life's pleasures.

I've liked Tom ever since Magnum. He would have made a fine Indiana Jones as he has far more personal charisma than Ford - maybe one of the few you could easily imagining in different roles. Sadly the 'Stone' series is watchable, but rather lame, and they even keep repeating the same somewhat clever lines and plots as the last.

Too bad Tom never really got the outstanding writers he deserved. He might have soared as Indiana Jones, but can't rescue this series of mediocre turds.

As a rating I would give them an: okay.

Watchable but not really good.