JESSE STONE: BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT
US, 2012, 100 minutes, Colour.
Tom Selleck, Kathy Baker, Kohl Suddoth, Saul Rubinek Stephen Mc Hattie?, William Devane, William Sadler.
Directed by Robert Harmon.
Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt is the eighth in the series of telemovies based on the character created by Robert Parker. It follows Innocents Lost.
After three years of being deprived of his job as police chief in Paradise, Jesse Stone is asked by the council to resume his job. He finds that Rose and Suitcase have resigned. They were at odds with the new chief. However, the film opens with the new chief and his assistant being killed by a bomb.
Tom Selleck is at home in the role of Jesse Stone, hard-bitten in his way, still drinking, in relationship with Hasty’s secretary, still going to his therapist, William Devane, and collaborating with the regional chief, Stephen Mc Hattie?. He also pays a visit to the Boston gangster, Gino Fish, William Sadler. Audiences will be at home with the characters.
Jesse Stone pursues his hunches while collecting evidence. He has much more to do with Hasty in this film, and there are some plot developments about the role of Hasty and audiences might not have anticipated.
As with most of the films, it is directed by Robert Harmon.
1. The popularity of the Jesse Stone films? The presence of Tom Selleck? Police work and a small town? Murder mysteries?
2. The settings of Paradise, the credits and the ocean, the town, streets, offices, police centre? The surroundings, Stone’s house? The trips to Boston, to
the police, to Gino Fish? Musical score?
3. The opening, Chief Butler, discussions about his work, with his associate, fired by Stone? The sudden explosion? The corpses, the money in the boot of
the car? Suspicion that the chief was corrupt? His father-in-law norm, president of the town council, re-instating Stone, wanting the case solved?
4. Stone and his pleasure in being re-instated? The office empty? Rose and the phone call, her disappointment with Jesse, reluctant to return? Contact with Suitcase, working with his father, thinking about a different life, his return at the end?
5. The chief from Boston, discussions with Jesse, interactions, responsibilities? Clues, hunches, evidence? The long relationship?
6. Jesse going to see his therapist, the long relationship, the discussions, Jesse’s breakthroughs? Encouragement?
7. Hasty, ever-present, his initial information, at his office, willing to help, his attraction towards Thelma and discussing this with Jesse, Jesse’s hypotheses, Hasty and Fish being his boss, the ship, the sniper, his escape?
8. Arthur, sniper, following Jesse, Jesse turning the tables on him, the warnings? In the ship, trying to kill Jesse, cat and mouse, Jesse shooting him?
9. The visit and Gino Fish, Amanda and the discussions, Fish’s lifestyle, his men, giving some information, the new perspective that Hasty was his boss?
10. At the club, Thelma, her song, the relationship with Jesse?
11. A satisfying contribution to the series?
