Confess, Fletch has one major problem that no amount of clever dialogue or talented supporting actors can overcome: it isn’t Fletch. At least, it isn’t the Fletch we remember. Greg Mottola’s attempt to revive Gregory McDonald’s wisecracking investigative journalist is pleasant enough, occasionally funny, and perfectly watchable, but it never approaches the comic spark of the 1985 film starring Chevy Chase.
Buy Confess, FletchJon Hamm takes over as Irwin M. “Fletch” Fletcher, who finds himself caught up in two mysteries after traveling to Boston to investigate a collection of stolen paintings. Before he can track down the artwork, however, he discovers a dead woman in the house he has rented and promptly becomes the prime suspect. Naturally, Fletch decides that the best way to clear his name is to investigate the murder himself.
The premise provides plenty of opportunities for Fletch’s trademark wisecracks, aliases, and ability to irritate practically everyone he encounters. Unfortunately, Hamm doesn’t possess the comedic chops that Chevy Chase brought to the role. Chase could turn a throwaway line into a miniature explosion of personality. His Fletch was cocky, obnoxious, mischievous, and completely fearless, and Chase’s comic instincts made even the most ridiculous situations seem perfectly natural.
Hamm’s approach is considerably more restrained. He is charming and likable, and there are moments when his dry delivery works, but too often he seems to be waiting for the joke rather than generating it. The difference is especially apparent when compared with the original Fletch, which is packed with bizarre disguises, absurd encounters, and Chase’s wonderfully loose comic timing. Hamm plays Fletch as a clever guy who happens to say funny lines. Chase played him as a comedian who happened to be investigating a murder.
That doesn’t mean Confess, Fletch is a failure. Mottola, whose previous work includes Superbad and Adventureland, keeps the movie moving at a comfortable pace, and the supporting cast is strong. Marcia Gay Harden, Kyle MacLachlan, Annie Mumolo, Roy Wood Jr., and John Slattery all have amusing moments, with Slattery particularly enjoyable as Fletch’s former newspaper editor. The movie also captures some of the appealing rhythms of an old-fashioned detective comedy, even if the mystery itself isn’t particularly compelling.
The biggest problem is that the film seems almost embarrassed by the broad comedy that made the original so memorable. Confess, Fletch wants to be a sophisticated, low-key mystery, and there’s nothing wrong with that approach in itself. But when your protagonist is Fletch, subtlety isn’t necessarily an advantage. The character works best when his arrogance, improvisational skills, and sheer comic nerve collide with increasingly ridiculous circumstances.
Confess, Fletch is a decent little mystery comedy, and Hamm is an agreeable leading man, but agreeable isn’t enough. The original Fletch was funny because Chevy Chase could make a ridiculous line, a stupid alias, or a completely unnecessary lie seem like the most important moment in the world. Hamm never quite reaches that level. Confess, Fletch isn’t bad, it just spends too much time reminding us how much better Fletch was.
