Movie Review: Prediction Murder - A Ruby Herring Mystery

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Solid mystery, likeable cast

Cons: The Hallmark cheese

The Bottom Line:

Psychic’s death – cold case

Is Ruby’s first crime report

Average franchise

“Any Interest in Knowing What the Future Holds?”

There are a couple of Hallmark’s mystery movie franchises that I keep thinking of dropping.  I’m not sure if I would have watched Prediction: Murder, the newest Ruby Herring Mystery, if I weren’t hunting for new TV to watch.  It was entertaining, but this franchise continues to be flawed.

As this movie opens, Ruby Herring (Taylor Cole) is celebrating a promotion.  She is moving up from consumer affairs to crime reporting at the TV station where she works at in Seattle.  This promotion comes as the Seattle PD is reopening several prominent cold cases, including that of a psychic who was murdered.  This case has been unsolved for five years now, and is the last one her father, John (John Wesley Shipp), reported on before he retired as a reporter.

Ruby has hardly finished celebrating her promotion before she receives a note purporting to tell her where the murder weapon used to kill the psychic is.  Naturally, she calls detective Jake Killian (Stephen Huszar) on her way to check out the tip.  Is it the gun?  Will it lead to the killer?

The mystery itself is solid.  We have several viable suspects and enough red herrings to keep us guessing.  I did get caught up in the mystery and was very curious how it was going to end.

On the other hand, this movie has a higher than usual dosage of Hallmark cheese.  Ruby’s time on camera reporting the news is especially problematic, but there are spots throughout the movie.  I’m blaming the writers and the actors for it equally.  It is pretty amazing to me how some franchises seem to suffer from it more than others.

There is a fun sub-plot involving Ruby’s ex showing up for their fifteen-year high school reunion, complicating Ruby’s love life.

As I get into the film, I do appreciate the characters.  They are enjoyable, and I feel like the cast is having fun working together to bring them and the story to life.

The Ruby Herring franchise continues to be a mixed bag.  If you’ve enjoyed the first two movies, my prediction is you’ll enjoy Prediction: Murder.  If you aren’t already a fan, there is nothing here to change your mind.