Starring Jon Hammm Lorenza Izzo, Marcia Gay Harden, Kyle MacLachlan, Roy Wood Jr. John Slattery, Ayden Mayeri and Annie Mumolo. Screenplay by Zev Borow and Greg Mottola, based on the Fletch books by Gregory Mcdonald. Directed by Greg Mottola. Music by David Arnold. Budget $21 million, running time 98 minutes.
The great thing about the success of Knives Out and to a much lesser extent those two woeful Poirot films is that once again light-hearted crime capers and murder mysteries are back in vogue with Hollywood.
Confess, Fletch sees the return of the amateur sleuth and criminal investigator, Fletch in his first film since Fletch Lives in 1989, which itself was a sequel to the first Fletch film, Fletch in 1985 both of which starred Chevy Chase.
This time it's Jon Hamm in the title role bringing a huge dollop of charisma to the role of the sleuth as he's caught up in a kidnapping, murder and a missing Picasso, which sees him framed for murder. So laid back, he's almost horizontal, Hamm makes this Fletch far more likeable than Chase's version, and wisely dumps the multiple disguise shtick of his predecessor, along with the comedic styling of Chase and his character's rather creepy obsessive flirting. Instead we get a Fletch more mellow, relatable, and not as unpleasant.
With a great supporting cast to back him up, from Fletch's Italian girlfriend, Lorenzo Izzo, to Roy Wood Jr and Ayden Mayeri as detectives convinced of Fletch's guilt, to a next-door-neighbour as played by Annie Mumolo, and Fletch's old boss, John Slattery, all there bring a wealth of levity, although this is Hamm's film to carry or drop and it's pleasing to report that this is a thoroughly funny and entertaining little flick that quite wisely doesn't outstay its welcome, coming in at a deeply satisfying 98 minutes. What we get is a complicated whodunnit that keeps you guessing as to what the hell is going on. With lovely locations, an energetic soundtrack and a terrific cast this is an enjoyable film, which sadly loses its way in the final act but luckily not enough to derail it, and there's a somewhat casual and flippant attitude to the murder victim, which under minds proceedings a little.
Still it's a witty and fun film and I hope we'll see more of Hamm's Fletch.
8/10
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