Mystery Movie Review - Three Pines

The bestselling Inspector Gamache mystery series by Louise Penny is the basis for this television series.  The books are up to 18 in the series at this writing. There was a made-for-TV movie of the first book, Still Life, staring Nathaniel Parker in 2013.  But this television series is through Amazon Prime and stands out as exemplary.  The first season has eight episodes containing four murders in two-part segments.  A season two is hoped for but no definitive decision has been reached by Amazon studios yet.

What it's about:

Three Pines is a police procedural where murders are investigated in the small Canadian town of Three Pines in Quebec.  "The empathetic and astute Chief Inspector Gamache is tasked with solving a number of mysterious and perplexing murders in the strange but beguiling village of Three Pines. Assisted by his trusted team; the combative and troubled Sargent Jean-Guy Beauvoir, the intelligent Indigenous working mother Sargent Isabelle Lacoste, and the accident-prone rookie Agent Yvette Nichol, the group are initially treated suspiciously by the village's residents. Despite the cool welcome, Gamache can't help but find himself oddly drawn to this unusual place and its eccentric residents, including the owners of the Bistro, Gabri and Olivier, artists Peter and Clara, psychologist turned bookshop owner Myrna, gallery owner Bea, and the irascible poet Ruth. 

The deeper Gamache delves into the secret lives of these people who have found sanctuary from the outside world in Three Pines, the more it affects him. The series also interweaves a dark, mysterious, serial-story, which uncovers police failings to properly investigate cases of missing Indigenous women, as well as corruption at the heart of the provincial Sûreté du Québec police force." IMDB "Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec police force sees things that others do not: the light between the cracks, the mythic in the mundane, and the evil in the seemingly ordinary." Wikipedia

Cast:

Alfred Molina (DaVinci Code, Chocolat, Spider-Man2) as Inspector Gamache

Rossif Sutherland (son of Donald Sutherland) is Sargent Jean-Guy Beauvoir

Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers plays Sargent Isabelle Lacoste

Sarah Booth plays Agent Yvette Nichol

Tantoo Cardinal (Dances with Wolves, Longmire, Wind River) plays Bea Mayer

Rotten Tomatoes 78% 

"A collection of intelligent two-hour mysteries that fans of Agatha Christie or even Columbo should watch." Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com  

"For now, this short-but-sweet adaptation offers a sweeping cinematic taste of cultures and stories that are deserving of the global platform Prime Video offers, all while doing justice to the best-selling novels on which they’re based." Amber Dowling of Variety

"The adaptation for television depicts the mistreatment of First Nations people in Canada and has drawn praise for its unflinching realism." Dan Bilefsky of New York Times

Trivia:

• Filmed in Montreal, Quebec, Canada by Amazon Studios production company. Specifically, outdoor scenes in the village are filmed in Saint-Armand.
• Alfred Molina says Gamache's super-power is his intelligence and compassion.
• While the show is based in a fictional town, it is believed that Three Pines is based on author Louise Penny's hometown, Knowlton-located in the town of Brome Lake in Southern Quebec.
• The Canandian author of the books, Louise Penny, is also executive producer on the series

My Thoughts:

I love Alfred Molina's portrayal of Inspector Gamache. He gives a stellar performance making Gamache a true example of what a police officer should be.  The other cast members elevate their characters as well.  The cinematography is both unobtrusive, grand, and atmospheric in turns.  The slight mystical touches are deft and nuanced.  I highly recommend this polished and stylish adaptation of the novels and eagerly hope for another season.  This is absorbing mystery television.

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