I didn’t think this movie would ever come to be. But here we are. Confess, Fletch is now out in the world. And you know what? It’s actually pretty good.
Throughout Hollywood history, there have been numerous accounts of films falling by the wayside and entering the dreaded production hell. While some eventually trail off and never get to see the light of day, there are some that persist for years in the hopes that they might, hopefully, end up being a semi decent product. Fletch was possibly one of the most iconic of these tales. The award winning novels by Gregory Mcdonald first hit producers’ desks back in the early 1980s, and the two subsequent film adaptations, Fletch and Fletch Lives, starring Chevy Chase as the titular character, were relatively successful. (They have since been elevated to cult status.) After a while, Irwin Fletcher sort of faded away. But as the 1990s rolled along, as with all things Hollywood, the idea of rebooting the franchise was soon brought up.
Writer/director Kevin Smith was attached to direct from the mid 1990s to early 2000s and he had the idea to bring Chase back for the sequel. That didn’t quite pan out and Jason Lee (Dogma, My Name Is Earl) stepped into the iconic shoes of Fletch. By mid 2000s, however, Smith had exited the project with Scrubs and Ted Lasso creator, Bill Lawrence, taking over directing duties and Zach Braff attached to star. By 2014, Zach Braff had left the project and Jason Sudeikis had stepped into Fletch’s shoes. It was a pattern that kept repeating and it looked like we’d never see our favourite investigative journalist “of some repute” on screen ever again. But then magic happened.
Fletch Lives, Again!
When it was announced that Jon Hamm (Mad Men) would be taking over the role of Fletch, I was once again preparing myself for disappointment. But then we got a trailer and it looked like this might actually happen. Now the trailer to Confess, Fletch had me surprised in both a good and a bad way. Good, because we finally have another Fletch film. Bad, because Chevy has always been my Fletch and Hamm’s performance was not the cheeky, slapstick Fletch I had always known. And so I went into this film expecting to hate it. I predicted that this review was going to be all about how none of it matches up to the original.
10 minutes in, however, and I was in love. This Fletch could be my favourite Fletch of all.
Now don’t get me wrong, I am not disregarding the original films or Chevy Chase’s performance in the slightest. Those two stories will forever be classics and nothing can change that, but with Confess, Fletch, we see a different viewpoint of the character. Jon Hamm steers away from the more obvious slapstick humour of the 1980s and makes Fletch more of a sly fox. He delivers a Fletch that is charming, yet sneaky, and very, very intelligent. There’s a smart, dry humour happening here that feels a lot truer to who the character was in the books. The wit is so perfectly executed that there is never a dull moment throughout its snappy 98 minute run time.
Hamm knocks it out of the park. There is a certain ease in the way he embodies the role, making you fall more and more in love with this endearing performance. There is just no way you can hate this man at all. The way he pulls off his sleights of hand is so enchanting to watch. There’s an art in the way he channels every tiny detail. The shine in his eyes. The upturn of his lips. It’s effortless. And while you’re not going to be laughing off your chair, you’ll no doubt me smiling and thinking to yourself “Damn it, this is one smart fool!” I love Chevy to bits and his portrayal will stay in my heart forever, but Jon Hamm has now become my perfect idea of who Fletcher is.
Fletch, Too
In a world know filled with classic whodunit tales such as Murder on the Orient Express, and the hugely popular Knives Out, Confess, Fletch comes to us at just the right time to deliver a different take on that good old formula. It keeps you smiling, laughing, and guessing all the way through.
It honestly feels like an old school film, especially in the way it takes its time. Which is what makes the whole movie work. The story has been so carefully fleshed out that you are left discovering each clue alongside Fletcher. It’s like playing a game. Can you match wits with the greatest investigative journalist? I was left guessing right to the very last minute, which is a refreshing change from what I usually get from these big flashy blockbusters.
While this may not be the biggest of box office draw, Confess, Fletch is nevertheless a charming enough film to garner an audience and win over fans and critics alike with its dry intelligent humour and dashing performances. Even, as I wind up this review, I still find myself thinking, “I can’t believe we actually got another Fletch film. And it’s actually this good.”
Our long wait has truly paid off. And even if nobody is saying this, I will. Damn it Fletch, don’t let this be the last time we see your beautiful face again. We need to see more of you. Hollywood, if you are somehow reading this, we need a sequel. Just, don’t take another 23 years to do it this time yeah?
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