Luke Perry returns as Judge John Goodnight. He rides into the town of Rawlings on a run of bad luck, but quickly encounters an old flame, pretty blonde Carrie Bluepointe (Stefanie von Pfetten), a woman he knew back in Chicago.
Turns out the aspiring actress never made it to San Francisco; she settled down and became a seamstress instead.
Could be John’s luck is turning? Later, he sits down for a game of poker and, finally, thinks he has a winning hand.
That’s when shots ring out. The Spradling gang has hit the local bank. Angered at the untimely interruption of his card game, John sprints into the street and starts blazing away at the outlaws. He shoots down one gang member, then pulls another from his horse and escorts him to jail.
That’s when his fortunes turn again.
Surprise number one: The young boy happens to be Carrie’s son, Will (Cameron Bright). He took up with the Spradling gang because he saw its leader, the vicious Deke (Teach Grant) as something of a father figure. And he doesn’t have a real father.
Oh, that’s the second surprise. The boy is 15, almost 16. And it was just about 16 years earlier when Carrie and John fell for one another.
Now, unless he can find another solution, John has to try a youngster who just might be his own son. In a town hungry for vengeance. And quick to turn on Carrie now that they know her son was part of the hated Spradling gang.
Luke Perry as John Goodnight, dispensing advice to the son he never knew in Goodnight for Justice, Measure of a Man (2012)
Stefani von Pfetten as Callie, the girl John Goodnight fell for as a young man in Goodnight for Justice, Measure of a Man (2012)
Review:
Luke Perry continues to be likeable in the role of Judge John Goodnight, this being the second of three “Goodnight for Justice” films he made for Hallmark.
The light-hearted touches that made the first film enjoyable are back as well. The rest of the cast is all new, though Stefanie von Pfetten makes for a fetching leading lady.
Unfortunately, endings are a problem for these films. And this one might be more ludicrous than the first. Just wait til you see the makeup of the Spradling gang.
And in one of the sillier scenes you’ll see, Goodnight has Deke under his gun, just waiting to be arrested. What does he do? Puts down his gun and decides to fight him instead of arresting him.
Hey, but up until the last 15 minutes, it’s better than your average 21st Century Western.
Cameron Bright as Will, defending outlaw Deke Spradling at trial in Goodnight for Justice, Measure of a Man (2012)
Teach Grant as Deke Spradling, the outlaw who leads Will down a lawless path in Goodnight for Justice, Measure of a Man (2012)
Directed by:
Kristoffer Tabori
Cast:
Luke Perry … John Goodnight
Cameron Bright … Will
Teach Grant … Deke Spradling
Stephen E. Miller … Sheriff
Stefanie von Pfetten … Callie Bluepointe
Nikolas Filipovic … Bill
Amitai Marmorstein … Jacob
Sean Mathieson … Henry
Runtime: 93 min.
Eric Keenleyside as Lucius Breed, the attorney who wants Will to hang in Goodnight for Justice, Measure of a Man (2012)
Stephen E. Miller as the Rawlings sheriff who becomes John Goodnight’s ally in Goodnight for Justice, Measure of a Man (2012)
Memorable lines:
Deke Spradling, to bank teller: “If you have any intention of going for that gun, you should know my account number is Colt .45.”
Carrie, walking down the street of Rawlings: “How long are you going to follow me?”
John: “Could be 10, 20 miles.”
Carrie: “That’s all?”
John: “You could stop walking right now, turn around and let me introduce myself.”
Carrie: “Or you could stop following me.”
John: “It’s not me. It’s my horse.”
Carrie: “Your horse picks out women for you.”
John: “Sadly, yes.”
The horse shakes its head and whinnies.
Stefanie von Pfetten as Callie, visiting her son Will (Cameron Bright) in jail in Goodnight for Justice, Measure of a Man (2012)
Luke Perry as John Goodnight with Cameron Bright as Will in Goodnight for Justice, Measure of a Man (2012)
Sean Mathieson as Henry, the youngster Deke Spradlig tries to recruit to take Will’s place in Goodnight for Justice, Measure of a Man (2012)
Cameron Bright as Will, trying to act more honorably in his dealings with John Goodnight in Goodnight for Justice, Measure of a Man (2012)
Stefanie von Pfetten as Callie, breaking a stunning bit of news to John Goodnight in Goodnight for Justice, Measure of a Man (2012)
Luke Perry as John Goodnight, trying to convince a frightened shopkeeper he means her no harm in Goodnight for Justice, Measure of a Man (2012)
){kind=link}