`Fletch', a tremendously good film in its own right, is part of a breed of Eighties films that doesn't seem to be made anymore. Much like the original `Beverly Hills Cop', `Fletch' isn't an overly humorous film, but rather a film featuring a comic star reacting to serious situations with comic responses. The film itself deals with some serious subjects murder for hire, police corruption, and drug trafficking and apart from the hero of the film, Fletch, a.k.a. Irwin Fletcher (Chevy Chase in his best role ever), every character treats the events of the film with great seriousness. Only Fletch himself treats everything like it's a comedy, albeit a dark comedy. Because of this, the film `Fletch' can't properly be termed a comedy; instead, it's more an action/drama with heavy doses of humor from its star. If a movie like this were made today, it'd probably be just an action film with a few good wisecracks, or a slapstick comedy that couldn't treat anything seriously.
Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher, the title character and driving force behind `Fletch', is a Los Angeles reporter who delights in tormenting the establishment with scathing exposé articles. While conducting research undercover for an article about drug dealers, Fletch is approached by millionaire Alan Stanwyck (Tim Matheson), who has a strange proposition for the disguised Fletch: he wants to pay Fletch fifty grand to murder him. Intrigued by the proposition, Fletch starts digging into Stanwyck's past, and starts to uncover a strange case involving tax shelters, drug dealers, and a large number of people to suddenly want to kill him.
The story's flawed, but at least it's interesting there's enough twists and turns to keep the viewer guessing throughout the film as to what's going to happen next. What makes the film, though, is Chevy Chase as Fletch. Unable to treat anything seriously, the know-it-all Fletch is completely believable because so many other characters despise him. For all his great one-liners, snide comments, and sarcastic remarks, the other characters treat him the same way `real' people probably would they'd respect his work, but they'd hate the man. As for the audience, Fletch comes across as abrasive, but his dogged persistence to find the truth makes him endearing, and Fletch always manages to come up with the snappy comebacks most people only wish they could think of. Chevy Chase also gives Fletch enough idiosyncratic quirks his love of the Lakers, his often-sloppy work to make Fletch be human, and not some superhuman caricature. Fletch's sarcastic nature also makes the film unpredictable just when you think you know where a scene's headed, Fletch blurts out a line that sends it spinning in a completely unexpected direction. `Fletch' is a film completely defined by its title character, but that character alone is enough to make the movie highly enjoyable.
`Fletch' is an amusing, underrated movie. If you find Chevy Chase to be completely self-absorbed, smug, and unfunny and some people do don't bother with it. However, this is Chase's best film by far, and if you like Chase, or have no opinion about the man's brand of humor whatsoever, see this movie. You won't be disappointed. Grade: B+
Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher, the title character and driving force behind `Fletch', is a Los Angeles reporter who delights in tormenting the establishment with scathing exposé articles. While conducting research undercover for an article about drug dealers, Fletch is approached by millionaire Alan Stanwyck (Tim Matheson), who has a strange proposition for the disguised Fletch: he wants to pay Fletch fifty grand to murder him. Intrigued by the proposition, Fletch starts digging into Stanwyck's past, and starts to uncover a strange case involving tax shelters, drug dealers, and a large number of people to suddenly want to kill him.
The story's flawed, but at least it's interesting there's enough twists and turns to keep the viewer guessing throughout the film as to what's going to happen next. What makes the film, though, is Chevy Chase as Fletch. Unable to treat anything seriously, the know-it-all Fletch is completely believable because so many other characters despise him. For all his great one-liners, snide comments, and sarcastic remarks, the other characters treat him the same way `real' people probably would they'd respect his work, but they'd hate the man. As for the audience, Fletch comes across as abrasive, but his dogged persistence to find the truth makes him endearing, and Fletch always manages to come up with the snappy comebacks most people only wish they could think of. Chevy Chase also gives Fletch enough idiosyncratic quirks his love of the Lakers, his often-sloppy work to make Fletch be human, and not some superhuman caricature. Fletch's sarcastic nature also makes the film unpredictable just when you think you know where a scene's headed, Fletch blurts out a line that sends it spinning in a completely unexpected direction. `Fletch' is a film completely defined by its title character, but that character alone is enough to make the movie highly enjoyable.
`Fletch' is an amusing, underrated movie. If you find Chevy Chase to be completely self-absorbed, smug, and unfunny and some people do don't bother with it. However, this is Chase's best film by far, and if you like Chase, or have no opinion about the man's brand of humor whatsoever, see this movie. You won't be disappointed. Grade: B+