Jane Doe: Vanishing Act (TV Movie 2005)

Jane Doe: Vanishing Act: Directed by James A. Contner. With Lea Thompson, Joe Penny, William R. Moses, Jessy Schram. Frank Darnell, director of the Central Security Agency (CSA), is at a loss when Miles Crandall, the genius who writes top-secret satellite communication software for his Pentagon-contracted company, disappears from a private jet flight, apparently by parachute, over the desert. CSA vet Cathy Davis, who retired to be a mother to husband Jack ad their kids, is secretly called in to solve the riddle, ironic given her cover as game designer for the US Puzzle Co. They soon realize the escape was staged, the question remains by whom and why. Meanwhile, Nick an unpopular bright nerd runs for class secretary, his haughty sister Susan fails to join the cheerleaders.

“Lea Thompson plays an ex-government agent, now a wife and mother. She is re-drafted by her ex-beau, played by Joe Penny, to help on a strange case. Thompsonu0026#39;s work now is devising puzzles, and the government has a beaut. How can a man riding in a plane knock out the pilot, have the plane dip under the radar, and disappear from the plane in ten seconds? These types of cases were what the dashing dilettante Banacek toyed with in the u0026#39;70s. The setting here is a little more ordinary but somehow more likable, thanks to its cast of Thompson, William R. Moses, and Joe Penny. Itu0026#39;s great to see all of them again, even if itu0026#39;s only semi-regular TV.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis is pleasant enough fare from Dean Hargrove, who brought you the clean entertainment of Matlock, the Perry Mason TV movies, Jake and the Fatman, and many episodes of Columbo – in fact, he was the producer of the NBC Mystery Movie, which the Hallmark rotations emulate. These shows arenu0026#39;t as good as McCloud, Columbo, et al., but make for enjoyable watching.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBy the way, all these Hallmark TV mystery movies have ratings of 6 or 7 on IMDb, which are a little on the high side, but no comments. Hmmm.”