I saw this movie before reading any reviews, and I thought it was very funny. I was very surprised to see the overwhelmingly negative reviews this film received from critics.

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

It this first episode of the Jesse Stone series Tom Selleck portrays a small town cop who is forced to deal with killings that seem to keep piling up. He had been a big town cop so he had more experience than the average small town cop which proved to he his edge in this intriguing TV movie. It looked might good to have been made specifically for TV.I like the pace this and all of the Jesse Stone series move at. I bit slow for those who like to see cars flying through the air and buildings exploding. With Jesse Stone it is ninety percent mind work. We get to see his facial expressions, watch his actions as a gateway to what his thoughts are. He speaks only when he needs to, He is a straight shooter, no games, no politics. He truly is a sensible, good cop kind of guy.I saw this a few years ago and recently when I watched another I decided it was time to come and post a comment. I'm going to start on the rest of the series. The DVD rental store nearest me told me it is hard to keep the Jesse Stone movies on the shelf. They have a way of disappearing. Evidently people like them so well they keep them and offer to pay for them.

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.

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.

In the small town of Paradise, Massachusetts, the experienced Chief of Police Jesse Stone (Tom Selleck) is investigating a murder and a rape case. When a series of murders happen with the same "modus-operandi", Jesse discloses the identity of the killers. However, without the motive, proof or weapon, he has to wait for an opportunity to catch the murderers."Stone Cold' is a surprisingly good thriller, with an efficient direction, cold but beautiful cinematography and excellent screenplay with great lines, situations and characters. The most impressive is that the identities of the killers are disclosed in the very beginning of the film and they do not have a motive for their insane behavior. This simple, low paced and realistic thriller is centered in the dark, flawed and silent character of Jesse Stone, magnificently performed by Tom Selleck. Jesse is a suffered man with a past in Los Angeles, cynical, amoral, with drinking problems, that does not express his real emotions, but with a warm heart and great sense of justice. Mimi Rogers is also amazing in the role of the cynical lawyer Rita Fiore, and in spite of a minor participation, she steals the scenes that she participates. The support cast is stunning and it is impossible and unfair to highlight only a name, since the individual and collective performances are outstanding. This made-for-TV movie is better and better than many feature films. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Crimes no Paraíso" ("Crimes in the Paradise")