I like the Jesse Stone movies probably because I was a fan of the novels: heavy on dialogue, sparse on description. Selleck as writer/collaborator maintained that balance. I don't like the dropping of characters from film to film but that may be because the films are so sporadic and actors need to eat. This entry is slow moving and focuses on Jesse being dissatisfied with the way the "last" victim of a serial killer was put to rest. Jesse battles his usual demons—drink, loneliness, emptiness—and doggedly pursues leads with the aid of a certain disreputable boxing promoter. There are a few toss away scenes with Luke Perry, William Devane, and Kohl Sudduth but that's about it. There is a minor subplot featuring Mackenzie Foy as a troubled teen. But the heart of the story is that the last victim, Mavis, was butchered while she was still alive and Jesse knows even though the serial killings have stopped, Luke Perry wasn't the murderer. In the end you won't be surprised to find out who the guilty party is, just follow the "scrubbed" file to the obvious end. Not the most satisfying film of the series. I did like Steve the dog.
Review of Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise
