MovieChat Forums > Jesse Stone: Night Passage (2006) Discussion > good film, bad ending

good film, bad ending

posted 17 years ago by rmouts
16 replies | jump to latest

This was a real good made-for-TVer until the ending, which was so convoluted it was ridiculous. I can't believe Jesse Stone would be so casual while an experienced hitman had a gun pointed at him ready to kill him. I am under the assumption that a "real" hitman would walk up and pull the trigger, shooting/kiling his victim. But in this film, the hitman walked up and spent time gabbing about why he was going to enjoy shooting Jesse. Arg! What had been a good movie for me suddenly was reduced to junk by that bad ending.

[–] TheJigsaw 17 years ago

I guess Jesse Stone had experiened worse case scenarios while working for Homicides in Cali, that was probably a walk in the park for him. That and the fact he really was stone cold in his daily life, nothing really seemed to bother him, as if he was beyond good and evil.

[–] thelegendkillah 17 years ago

Stone was confidant because he knew backup had arrived. I'm guessing the hitman hesitated due to his earlier altercation with Stone, or even perhaps he had planned to relocate his victim before performing the hit. Baldwin's character may have been an experienced hitman, but he definitely was not a professional. IMO the ending could've been more memorable perhaps with more psyche-banter between Stone and his adversaries, but it did fit the 'decisive tone' of the entire movie.

[–] rmouts 17 years ago

I like Selleck a lot, and this was the first Jesse Stone movie I've seen. I can buy the fact that Jesse didn't care that a gun was pointed at him because maybe he viewed dying as a reasonable option to his daily flawed existence. But I don't buy the fact that he wasn't worried because he had the deputy hidden away as his backup. I mean, all the hitman had to do was squeeze his finger to fire off that bullet and there's not one thing the deputy could have done to prevent it. Sure, the deputy could subsequently shoot and kill the hitman, but that would happen only after the hitman had fired his gun at Jesse. If Jesse wanted something effective to begin with, he should've told the deputy, "As soon as the hitman raises his gun, blow his head off."

[–] kevin-730 17 years ago

Not a bad movie, but a more glaring plot hole was the "hit" Baldwin's character pulled on Lou, the former chief. How did he know Lou would stop to admire the view right there? You'd have to be pretty lucky to be waiting in a van to push someone off a cliff only to have that person stop in front of you. Plus, the accident didn't look that bad. Did Lou drown hours later when the tide came in? Finally, what accident investigation team wouldn't have seen that that was no accident?

[–] rmouts 17 years ago

You are completely correct. Now that I think about it, I have to laugh at the initial police report that said "accidental death." I guess no one looked at the ground to see the direction of the tire tracks.

[–] acedvampirehunter 17 years ago

Do you seriously think that Baldwin's character was waiting for him to park there?

He was probably following him ever since he left town, waiting for a good chance to whack him.

I agree with a previous poster when he said that Baldwin's character was a hitman but not a pro one, this murder is proof of it. It wouldn't have taken long for the police to realise that it wasn't an accident and he didn't care much about it.

[–] hawkeye_74 16 years ago

When will TV and the movies ever wise up and understand that you can't silence a revolver? It's not as bad as it used to be but that was the one really bad thing I saw in this one.

I like Tom Selleck's Jesse Stone possibly more than his Magnum character....This actually seems to me to be a very good interpretation of how an older more cynical Magnum would be.

I hope he keeps making these they are great.

[–] vice69 16 years ago

i was suprised that Tom, being extremely familiar with firearms, did not interject with an "ok, hold it. whos stupid idea was it to put a silencer on a revolver?" huge mistake...

-I'm The Police Chief, I Know Everything...-

[–] Buwzo 15 years ago

That didn't bother me so much as how rushed the end was. It didn't clear up what was happening with his girl or anything... just seemed to stop! I enjoyed it though and I realise there are more of these, which I look forward to watching! Selleck is a legend.

[–] webazoot 15 years ago

I do remember the ending of the book to be a lot better. From what I remember it was a big scene with half the town in it. I guess this ending was a lot cheaper to shoot.

I thought Tom Selleck was great in this, really seemed to nail some of Parkers great dialogue, as did Polly Shannon.

[–] RustyShackleworth 14 years ago

I thought the same thing. The car didn't is not submerged in the water. In fact, it lands on rocks. But maybe the tide came in and he drowned? The fall itself didn't look that bed but Lou didn't have a seatbelt on.

And when Jo pushes the Lou's car it leaves very deep and noticeable tracks. No way would anyone think for a second it was an accident.

What evil drives the Car?...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFWea3Eu97E

[–] trish722 12 years ago

(Kevin-730: Plus, the accident didn't look that bad. Did Lou drown hours later when the tide came in?)

I thought the same thing! ROTFL Guess the car was supposed to land in the water, but they didn't have the production bucks to redo the scene!

[–] bear022013-588-696101 11 years ago

Great film,love the dog and cast...story one of my favs.....and how about
this line...not sure of quote."People in South Central would keep guys like Joe Genest for a pet." I was on the floor and am every time I watch the dvd that my son bought me.
No adjectives remaining for the greatness that is Tom Selleck!

[–] bear022013-588-696101 11 years ago

My German Shepherd Dog of 10 years passed away sixty days ago and we were 24/7 due to my being divorced...so I had forgotten about "Boomer" and the Chiefs relationship.It was handled so well in this film,that it caused me a 68 yr old male to lose it again.

[–] sandcrab277 8 years ago

the car in the water was initially reported by a fisherman, which led to a followup investigation..

[–] senojt 9 years ago

Good movie overall but he ending, as bad as it was, must have come from a different book because it wasn't the one I read. Some of the lines held true even if they were not uttered by the right character. Good flick but not the book that was printed.