Created by Gregory Mcdonald, Irwin Maurice “Fletch” Fletcher, is first introduced on the big screen from Michael Ritchie’s FLETCH (1985) and afterward a sequel, FLETCH LIVES (1989), starring Chevy Chase as the footloose and troubleshooting journalist-turned-shamus. Then it takes more than 3 decades for a third installment to finally materialize. Greg Mottola’s CONFESS, FLETCH is adapted from Mcdonald’s second Fletch novel, published in 1976, with Jon Hamm assuming Chase’s mantle.

Sporting a Lakers’ baseball cap, moseying in Rome on a vespa, bedding an attractive client, insouciantly bantering with the police while being a prime suspect, Fletch has none the characteristics of a diligent PI, he might just as well be a poor man’s James Bond who is none the wiser than us spectators. His emanates one prominent impression, a happy-go-lucky sort who is more prone to play a detective than to be one, regarding other people’s foibles with perpetual amusement.

In the film, Fletch is easily framed for a murder while investigating a case of missing paintings, but instead of laying low, Fletch is keen on teasing inspector Monroe (Wood Jr.), who can barely juggle his vocation with parenting a toddler, and his tenderfoot sidekick Junior Detective Griz (Mayeri, a budding, po-faced comedienne ). Fletch is smart, sort of, but also over-confident in his judgement. He believes that he can charm his way out of any trouble, especially if it is the opposite sex is involved, and most of the time, he is right.

Mottola’s film immerses itself in a retro flair although the story is transposed to a present-day milieu, it never takes the crime too seriously, goofy characters present themselves alternately (Marcia Gay Harden is obviously having a ball with her affected mannerism and accents, and Annie Mumolo is nutty as a fruitcake as an accident-prone nosey parker and oversharer) and menace only flares up in the final reveal, even that, no blood-rushing thrill is induced because no soon than that, the culprit is summarily subjugated.

As a murder mystery, CONFESS, FLETCH lacks bite, but for what it is worth, it captures a very inviting and humorous atmosphere where vulgarity and violence is excluded in this lighthearted whodunit, not to mention that Hamm is on cruise control with his charisma and facility, which is always an eye-catching boon. Still, a more demanding leading role is necessarily required to put him on his mettle, it is somehow disheartening to see that his career hasn’t gone anywhere after MAD MEN (2007-2015).

referential entries: Greg Mottola’s PAUL (2011, 5.6/10); Dan Gilroy’s VELVET BUZZSAW (2019, 6.0/10).

Title: Confess, Fletch

Year: 2022

Genre: Comedy, Crime

Country: USA

Language: English, Italian

Director: Greg Mottola

Screenwriters: Greg Mottola, Zev Borow

based on the novel by Gregory Mcdonald

Music: David Arnold

Cinematography: Sam Levy

Editor: Andy Keir

Cast:

Jon Hamm

Roy Wood Jr.

Ayden Mayeri

Lorenza Izzo

Kyle MacLachlan

Marcia Gay Harden

Annie Mumolo

John Slattery

Lucy Punch

John Behlmann

Eugene Mirman

Kenneth Kimmins

Robert Picardo

Travis Bennett

Nhumi Threadgill

Rating: 6.5/10