Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
Ice Blues is the fourth movie in Donald Strachey mystery series.
After funding gets cut for the Safe Zone, a state program for runaway children, Timmy “Tim” Callahan (Sebastian Spence) gets busy raising money for the project. The program is very close to his heart, and he wants to see it succeed. As Tim is leaving work, he walks into a multi-level parking garage with Senator Lauren Platt (P. Lynn Johnson), who congratulates him for raising $220,000 in such a short time. He’s still 2.5 million short of his target goal.
After the senator leaves, Tim is approached by a stranger with an anonymous donation for the Safe Zone project. As they talk, a man on a motorcycle drives up to them and starts firing off a gun. Tim ducks behind a car and the mysterious man jumps over the railing and out of the garage. Tim manages to call Donald Strachey (Chad Allen), his life partner and private eye, as the assailant drives away.
The next day, the mysterious man who had approached Tim is found dead in Donald’s Toyota Tercel. After the police rope off Donald’s car as a crime scene, Tim goes to work. While at work, he receives a package of untraceable bonds worth three million dollars.
Suspecting that dangerous people are looking for the bonds, Donald hides Tim and begins to investigate. With the help of his assistant, Kenny Kwon (Nelson Wong), Donald uncovers ties to a previous murder case and a crime family that will stop at nothing to get the bonds back.
Some Thoughts:
Ice Blues is the fourth and final installment in the Donald Strachey mystery series. While the made for TV production values are no different from the previous three movies (Shock to the System, Third Man Out, On the Other Hand, Death), the series feels as if it has hit its stride. Both Allen and Spence are comfortable in their portrayal of the Donald and Tim, and Kenny Kwon is given just enough screen time.
This is far from a perfect movie, the plot is convoluted and full of holes, so any true armchair sleuth will find it disappointing. Also, there are continuity problems, the most obvious being the weather. There will be snow on the ground in one scene, and green grass in another. But if you’re looking for a light story with endearing characters, this is a good choice. The entire Donald Strachey mystery series relies on charm instead of solid storytelling and it works. The characters are so endearing that they pull you in and make it possible to ignore the glaring issues.
By the end of this silly film, I was happy and wishing that another one was in the works. However, this series hasn’t seen a new entry since 2008.
The Final Verdict:
Ice Blues is a fun movie for those who like a bit of fluff with their mystery. There’s not a lot of suspense and the plot is full of holes, but the characters are fun and will keep you entertained.