This seventh film in the Jesse Stone series isn’t based on any book, and it appears the adaptations might be over. It seems like a departure from the original format, using only characters from Robert B. Parker's books with new screenplays. Jesse is troubled by news concerning him, having cut off contact with his ex-wife, which may somehow connect to the death of a young girl. While he isn’t responsible, his unavailability at a crucial time weighs on him, and he feels guilty about her passing. The police have closed the case, but Jesse suspects there's more to the story and begins investigating, aided by Mr. Fish. The resolution unfolds primarily in the final third of the film. The opening credits presented a different visual style, notably altering Jesse’s appearance; however, this change wasn't sustained throughout the rest of the movie, reverting to the familiar character we know. His attempts at connecting with Reggie aren’t successful, and his departure from the police force feels like an unnecessary development for the series. While they’ve tried new approaches since moving away from the books, it hasn’t replicated the success of the first three films. > "What are you looking at?" A change in director marks this installment—a surprising shift, as I thought that was a key strength of the franchise. Although recent films haven't lived up to expectations, a fresh perspective seemed like a good idea; however, it didn’t quite work out. The issues aren’t solely the director’s fault, as the story itself is weak. This is undoubtedly the worst film in the series and arrives at a time when an improvement was desperately needed. It's unclear where the franchise will go from here. The problem isn’t that the movie is inherently bad, but rather it doesn’t feel like it belongs within the Jesse Stone world. The introduction of new characters, particularly the claim that the deceased girl Cindy was a close friend of Jesse's, feels jarring. We have no prior knowledge of her, and simply declaring her important doesn’t make sense given our familiarity with Jesse’s history in Paradise. This character felt like an enigma. It didn’t resonate with me; perhaps a prequel could address the issues raised by this film, but I am doubtful that will happen. This installment seems to be a nightmare for those involved in its creation. The writers should have incorporated flashbacks to explain any inconsistencies. Sticking to Robert B. Parker's books would have been preferable. Aside from the flawed storyline, it’s passable as an individual movie. Many Jesse Stone fans are disappointed with this one, and I hope the next film will be better—a sentiment I’ve expressed for several films now, but the quality continues to decline. Tom Selleck remains the primary reason to watch this film, delivering a strong performance supported by a good cast. It's unfortunate that they aren't developing more compelling stories with these characters. My interest nearly waned, but there are only a few installments left, so I intend to finish watching them, hoping for improvement. 6/10

Source on TMDB