User reviews

Back when dinosaurs roamed (before the internet), every drug store and pharmacy on the planet offered patrons rows and rows of things called "pocketbooks" which people used to "read" (before streaming media and DVDs). In that specific setting, several bestselling authors stood out because of the multiple books featuring their name. One of those standout authors was Gregory MacDonald (no longer with us) and his fictional character was named Fletch. People loved Fletch not only because he was a cool (often unwilling) detective, but because the style of writing was incredibly concise and different. Short sentences. Things happened quickly. Dialog was briief. Narrative deboned with the fat removed. You get the picture. When the first series of Fletch films was made in 1985, Hollywood cast SNL icon Chevy Chase. He was good in the role. Hell, he was awesome. So here we are in the 2020s when, it seems, everything is being remade except your Aunt Bessie's peach cobbler. (And they are working on that.) Older viewers will inevitably compare Hamm to Chase, and possibly find fault. Younger viewers will be OK with this less edgy, more laid back version of Fletch. But then again they really have nothing to compare him to. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Sadly, and surprisingly, mediocre film. All sorts of plot gaps, weak character development, thin plotting, etc. Seems like the folks in charge couldn't decide if they were aiming for a comedy, a thriller, or a mystery and instead ended up with none of the above.

The plotline is so muddled it's hard to know who was responsible for what.

My wife and I "enjoyed" it, because who doesn't like Jon Hamm, but we couldn't recommend it to anyone else. And even Hamm is largely wasted in this role, with his ironic/humorous sense of self completely lost in the mix. It could have been a wonderful movie, a tentpole for a franchise, but instead was just a waste. They end with a set-up for a sequel and we can only hope it's better.

Freelance reporter Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher (Jon Hamm) is in Boston investigating stolen artwork for his friend Angela (Lorena Izzo) the daughter of an Italian count who's been kidnapped with the kidnappers demanding the artworks as ransom. Upon his arrival in Boston, Fletch discovers his townhouse rented on his behalf has been the site of a murder which detectives Monroe (Roy Wood Jr.) and Griz (Ayden Mayeri) are all too eager to believe Fletch is the perp despite him calling the police in the first place. Unphased by the possibility of taking the fall for a frame-up, Fletch travels around Boston interacting with various quirky characters and using his unconventional investigative skills to find the artwork and the true killer.

Confess, Fletch is an adaptation of the second in the Fletch series of books written by author Gregory Mcdonald that had previously been adapted with Chevy Chase with an adaptation of the first book in 1985's Fletch, and a wholly original story with Chase reprising his role in Fletch Lives in 1989. In the time since the release of Fletch Lives, there've been attempts at reinvigorating the comic mystery series with various creative teams and stars including Jason Lee, Zach Braff, and Jason Sudeikis, until eventually Mad Men star Jon Hamm landed the role with Superbad and Paul director Greg Mottola writing and directing with the two having previously collaborated on Keeping Up with the Joneses. The end resulted is a nicely entertaining piece of comic mystery fare that maintains the core appeal of the earlier incarnations while still putting its own spin on it.

Jon Hamm is really solid playing the titular Fletch and his laid back slightly sardonic attitude is captured by the pitch perfect timing of Hamm's performance and Greg Mottola's direction who keeps the gags and exchanges quick and rapid fire with the various quirky characters we meet established and utilized without letting them run rampant with line-o-rama or unstructured improvision. Actors such as Marcia Gay Harden, Kyle MacLachlan, and fellow Mad Men alum John Slattery show up to put their own stamp on these character and the exchanges are quite amusing particularly a running gag with Harden's countess where she keeps giving mixed signals as to her intentions when she invites herself to Fletch's borrowed townhouse.

Confess, Fletch is a welcome bit of light hearted escapism and the only downside is the fact that Paramount seems to not have any faith in this film dumping it as a day and date release before premiering it on Showtime later this October. In prior years this is the kind of smaller film that would've come out in late August or early September and been a modest adult skewing theatrical performer, but in this climate where theatrical audiences are more skewed towards "event" and "tentpole" releases meaning smaller films like this are relegated to streaming. Hopefully enough people discover the movie because it's a solid addition to the series. I'm not sure I like it as much as Fletch, but I definitely like it more than Fletch Lives.

I'm a huge fan of Fletch and also of Jon Hamm but this movie doesn't really work. The writers have made a grave error by making most of the supporting cast quirky weirdoes with funny dialogue but this is the wrong way round - the reason the first two movies worked is that FLETCH is that guy and most everyone else is the straight man.

Here, Fletch is just kind of sleepy as he goes from scene to scene (don't look for a plot, there isn't one) being upstaged by other characters - again, literally the opposite of what makes these movies work. Hamm does have comic timing but is just too damn handsome to believe. Re-casting the role is basically impossible but while I get that Hamm would probably have looked silly in the scruffy gear that Chase wore, he's nonetheless just too stylish.

I was interested to read that the third Fletch movie was at one time going to star Jason Lee and be directed by Kevin Smith - I'd imagine that would have been a far better - and funnier - take on the character.

I was dead set against seeing this - not because I hold the original in such high regard. I'm indifferent to it. It was fine at the time but re-watching it a couple of years ago, it just didn't hold up for me. And with all of the great movies to re-watch over and over again (Goodfellas, Heat, anything Tarantino), why would I bother watching this? Well, to begin with: Greg Mottola. And then the cast. And I have to say, this movie didn't disappoint - as cynical as I was. It kept the spirit of Fletch, and the book, but exceeded what I thought I'd get. It's not at all a throwaway comedy - I will probably rewatch this again sooner rather than later. I could yammer on even more but what's the point - it was a good movie and worth watching. So just watch it.

I really enjoyed this. I've seen the first 2 movies and was prepared for a Chevy Chase replication, but not as good. Jon Hamm somehow managed to keep the character familiar but also completely make it his own. I'm not a huge fan of the original (seen them a couple of times and and liked them but have no strong emotions for them) so I had few expectations but it's clever, it's funny, it doesn't outstays it's welcome and it doesn't try too hard.

It's boardering on being forgettable but that's not a terrible thing. Not every film has to burn itself into your memory and this film does exactly what it should. It entertains for its life cycle.

Really enjoyable and easy to watch.

Funny script, needed more promotion... as it was a well made film with real potential for bringing audiences into the movie theater, but alas studios don't seem to want to get comedies off the ground. Comedy films need solid quality content and aggressive promotion. Jon Hamm is great in the lead and I hope this picks up popularity on video so another sequel with Hamm can be made. Criticism here is I wish Fletch had actually solved the case, but his cleverness was clearly displayed. The cop characters were fun and the mystery had enough going for it to make the whodoneit fun. Nicely done film that took the simple concept and did a lot with it. Comic timing from actors/filmmakers and clever script was most impressive.

So, I'm somewhat familiar with the Fletch movies from the 80s starring Chevy Chase, which I saw before discovering the movies are based on a series of books and OfCourse like most book adaptions, those movies are not true to the source material (what a shocker)

Not sure if this new one starring Jon Hamm is true to the source material or marketed to be. What I saw was not that different from the Chevy Chase films. The big exception was while Hamm's Erwin Flecther used a bunch of fake names to investigate a murder, he's being accused of doing, by a cop brilliantly played by comedian Roy Wood Jr. Who natural looks like the Roger Murtaugh type, Chase's Fletch went a step further by becoming the names he made up as somewhat of a master of disguise in a series of segments in the movie that could pass as Saturday Night Live sketches.

With all that said i can't say either versions are better or worse than the other. All I can say is that both versions are great in their own right, but if you enjoyed the Chevy Chase version, you'll love the Jon Hamm version (unless you are not a fan of the Mad Men star). They both seem to do a good job at making Fletch charming.

Confess Fletch is a breezily entertaining caper with a fun cast of characters and an engaging central mystery led by the ideal person to anchor this. It's a complete story that doesn't overtly sequel bait which is exactly why it deserves one should it ever come to fruition. Just watching Jon Hamm be endlessly charming, adorable and funny is enough to sustain all 98 minutes.

This is a lovely showcase for Jon Hamm's leading man talents. He's got the rare gift of being generically dashing whilst also having great comedic timing which is constantly employed for solid dry wit that never fails to get a chuckle. Even though it's his film, the supporting cast still gets plenty to work with, ensuring everyone is memorable and the film never forgets about them.

Gregg Mottola's direction makes up for what it lacks in visual flair with a general playfulness, especially in the deadpan delivery and the way title cards are dropped. The tone never waivers so it always remains lighthearted and the nice pacing ensures proceedings move at a steady pace. David Arnold's retro score is the ideal choice for the lighthearted tone and fits the throwback nature of the film.

I don't understand why this movie did so poorly at the box office, and from looking at the budget, the studio took a bath on this one. However, it was pleasantly surprising and enjoyable.

I went into this with some trepidation as I was expecting more of the Chevy Chase version, and I didn't feel that anyone else, but him could play Fletch. But, it turned out to have the all too familiar sense of humor of the original, complete with the character names and references from the first movie. Of course, nobody could top Chevy Chase's wit, sense of comedic timing and overall general hilarity; so, this was a tall order to fill big shoes, and while John Hamm is not a "comedian", he did bring that expected dry sense of humor, and sarcasm.

My only complaint is the unnecessary overuse of the F word, and I think the writers/studio thought they needed that to get an R rating.

After the first 15 mins, I lost interest and started getting really impatient and bored. It felt like my wife was forcing me to sit through one of those cheesy Aurora Teagarden mysteries - only this was more inept and boring. It was poorly written and directed, and way too long and dragged out within its convoluted narrative to maintain any interest in the slowly paced albeit normally comfortable 98 min runtime. The humor was stale and not funny at all, the dialogue mostly cheesy and cringeworthy, and even the casting and performances felt called in. Maybe if this had been cut down to a one hour TV-show length run time, I may have enjoyed it. But this was just too bland and messy to sit through the entire runtime. As is says in the film's trailer, There's only one Fletch, and this isn't it.

I was uncertain about Jon Hamm taking over the role made famous by Chevy Chase, not sure he could pull off the funny sarcastic charm the way Chase pulled it off. But after seeing the movie I gotta say Hamm really knocked it out the park, now he is no Chevy Chase, but does play the part in his own funny way.

The film has a fun little mystery that keeps you invested. And there are other characters that Fletch joyfully plays off of. It's well directed by Greg Mottola (Superbad, Adventureland). Now is it anywhere near a classic like the original Fletch (1985), not quite. But still a fun film, that does not take itself seriously.

I would say this movie would have worked better as a tv movie without the name Fletch attached to it.

But I get it, that's a double edged sword.

On one hand your overall ratings could be a bit better because people aren't going to compare to the original(s), but on the other hand you might get far less people coming to see your movie.

Were the original Fletch movies cinematic masterpieces? Of course not, but they had a charm this Fletch is lacking.

They tried to copy the writing style of the originals here, but that didn't work out as well as they probably hoped.

Chevy's Fletch was a reporter, a poor slob living in an old apartment, always being hounded by some lawyer for alimony. It contributed to the charm of the character.

This debonair Fletch that travels across Europe writing pieces about art and has a rich girlfriend from the start..... no, just no.

They also decided to let go of the original Fletch soundtrack (I liked that 70's Fletch sleuth music).

What I also really missed was the narrating voice that Chevy did, that sort of black and white era detective movie inner monologue between scenes.

And although the character Fletch is an amalgamation of different things, one of his main trademarks was the disguises. Not this Fletch, he at most changes his jacket and his name, but that's about it.

What's left? A mildly entertaining movie for a rainy afternoon when nothing else is on.

Maybe reboot this character under another name and move it to Hallmark Channel?

To be clear. Jon Hamm has a lot of charm and I like the character he created here, so maybe keep the character but lose the name and connection to Fletch? With some tweaks I could see this a starting point for a series of tv movies.

You get the impression from very the first scene that the dialogue is supposed to zing back and forth, but there is no rhythm to the scene or the performances and it all just falls flat.

It feels like everyone is making a first read through of the script rather than a performance. This is pretty much how the whole film feels. The direction and editing just give no 'go' to the film and so it plods along like a dull police procedural. I was surprised when I looked at imdb that this wasn't the directors first film - it feels like it was made by someone who hasn't found his feet.

I saw the first Fletch film way back when and while I was never a massive Chevy Chase fan he clearly brought a lot to the role. Jon Hamm meanwhile just doesn't give off any charm or energy at all in any of the scenes and so it makes no sense how people react to him. He feels a bit old for the role too compared to the rest of the cast, as far as it goes.

The locations and lighting are great throughout, the cinematography is fine at times, at other it feels a bit bland too.

Overall I just found nothing really entertaining in the film. Its not a comedy, its has no drama and theres no chemistry between any of the actors.

Overall I quite like the film, Hamm is charismatic and each character has their own recognition and own their role very well. There are fun banters and lots of chamistry between characters to go around.

However I did not like as much the feeling that youre thrown into the middle of the movie in a way,like your ought to know Fletch and his ways. He is already this very defined character with his quirks and ways. Either this shouldve beeen a sequel or there shouldve been a longer introduction because for someone who hasnt read the books it is a bit weird.

Also the story is not bad and feels like one out of the classic movies where it was interesting witty twists and turns that propelled the films not action and explosions. However the story is a bit too convoluted and confusing, with too many turns a bit forced.

All in all, above average and pretty good entertainment but far from excellent. Still I wish theyd make more of these kind of films, fun dialogues, entertaining characters, good stor.

There's a version of us in the infinite multiverse that never let fascists put American democracy in a death grip and is on our third installment of a Jon Hamm-led Fletch cinematic universe.

Same energy as "See How They Run," with ultimately better execution. This is going to make like no money and that's a shame.

Marcia Gay Harden's Super Mario accent is something else lol. If your Italian characters aren't gonna be Italian (lookin' at you too, Lorenza Izzo), cast actors whose accents aren't goofy to the point of parody.

Definitely worth a watch, but it's not really needed to see on the big screen in this economy.

I may not have read any of the Fletch novels, but I watched the original Fletch movie enough as a teenager that I spent most of my college years quoting it. (Yes, I was the irritating roommate who insisted people watch Fletch with me and then laughed just before every punchline). So what did I think about this long overdue reboot? I laughed just as much when I didn't know which punchlines were coming! Hamm nailed it. The cast nailed it. This was the droll murder mystery comedy that I have been waiting for. They captured the vibe of the original without remaking or imitating anything. Every beat felt familiar and original all at once. If every comedy found this kind of pleasant plot-driven and not-trying-too-hard groove, the world would be a better place. How often do VOD movies get sequels?

Director Greg Mottola & star Jon Hamm sadly apply a dryer (even slightly tepid) tone to "Confess Fletch" than their counterparts (Michael Ritchie & Chevy Chase) did in the more slapstick previous 'Fletch' films (1985's "Fletch" & 1989's "Fletch Lives") - despite Mottola writing (with Zev Borrow) a relatively zany plot, involving the titular ex-investigative reporter Hamm chasing stolen paintings around Boston for beautiful Italian heiress Lorenza Izzo (and/or her step-mum Marcia Gay Harden) via art-dealer Kyle Lachlan (and others), while suspected of murder by cops Roy Wood Jnr & Ayden Mayeri (good). It's fun-ish, but nowhere near as much so as it's silly predecessors.

Confess, Fletch is a light story with entertaining banter and characters.

Having two actors from the TV show Mad Men in the cast, one is slightly reminded of the quality of dialogue of that show, where one can just have an *enjoyable* time watching a movie rather than worrying if the universe will be destroyed at the hands of an evil CGI character or if the protagonist will find his kidnapped daughter.

Fletch? My biggest disappointment with the original Fletch movies is that Chevy Chase wasn't as funny as we expected. He did capture the character but I was expecting a national lampoon movie and neither those movies, nor this one delivers "belly laughs".

Unlike Chase, however, Jon Hamm is perfectly cast in this role. I had zero problem accepting him as a charming, wise cracking bum who mooches off of the rich people he navigates through.

I wasn't slightly reminded of the "Monk" series.

A solid "6" but I wanted to give it a boost.

I read all the novels back in the 1990s. I enjoyed the original movies, but never felt like Chevy Chase was really playing Fletch. He was playing Chevy Chase playing Fletch. The movies were funny, but they were missing some of the intelligence of the character from the books.

This version of Fletch was good as well. While it followed the novel closely, it still didn't capture the essence of Irwin Maurice Fletcher as much as I would have liked. Fletch is a smart guy, whose also a smart-ass. He is not a goofball the way Chase and, to a lesser extent, Hamm played him.

Jon Hamm is a much older, retired Fletch. He has retired from journalism and is dating an Italian heiress, Angela (Lorenza Izzo) whose father is kidnapped. She has a step-mother, Countess Sylvia (played by the talented Marcia Gay Harden) who Angela suspects has had her father killed, so she can get his money. Angela asks Fletch to locate some very expensive paintings that belonged to her father. So, Fletch flies back to Boston to look for the paintings. While staying in an airbnb-type place arranged by Angela, he wakes up to find a dead women in the apartment. He is, of course the primary suspect, hence the title of the movie.

Roy Wood Jr, plays Inspector Monroe (replacing Inspector Flynn from the books) who doggedly pursues Fletch even though he is not quite sure if Fletch did it. Ayden Mayeri is Monroe's partner, Detective Griz. She and Fletch have a nice give and take chemistry as they taunt each other. Kyle MacLachlan is an art broker with a fear of germs. Of special note is Hamm's Mad Men co-star John Slattery as Fletch's former Los Angeles editor Frank Jaffe. Their love/hate relationship spices up the proceedings and are very funny.

At only 98 minutes, there is not a lot of fat in the movie, which probably works in its favor. I would have preferred they cut out some of the extra characters (like the nutjob neighbor) and focused more on the mystery and Fletch's investigative work. Still, it was a fun way to spend some time and I am glad the character is back in action. Perhaps in any sequels, they will round out his character a bit more.

Unlike a lot of reviewers, I had never seen the original Chevy Chase movies. In fact I didn't even know this was a reboot. As such, I went in with no context and took the movie at face value. I had a great time! I enjoyed the witty dialogue and all the performances from the cast. The tone was just the right level of lightness so that the movie doesn't take itself too seriously but there is still an interesting story to follow and that keeps you guessing until the end. I've had a few laughs here and there, which is really all I expected from this movie. So all in all I recommend it, and if you're a fan of the old ones just keep an open mind!

I like Jon Hamm as an actor. But I do not like Jon Hamm as Fletch. Honestly, it looks like he's bored for most of the movie and was just phoning it in.

As a third and a revival of the Fletch movies and character, "Confess, Fletch" fails to understand what made the first two films with Chevy Chase worked (though arguably the first movie was much better than the second).

Chevy Chase's a--hole but endearing investigative reporter contrasting and interacting with "normal" people not in on the joke was a big part of why Fletch and Fletch Lives worked. Jon Hamm's Fletch, however, has others playing up their quirks, resulting in Fletch coming off as the most normal person in the movie. That does not work.

The conceit that sees Jon Hamm's Fletch involved in the movie's plot also does not work. In the two previous films, Fletch finds himself involved by chance, and then uses his fundamental decency to ensure the comeuppance of the bad guys. That's not how this version of Fletch plays out, which makes you realize that the titular character is now a very different person.

And unfortunately also much less interesting as a result. Really, there wasn't a good reason to have another Fletch movie, especially without Chevy Chase. No disrespect to Jon Hamm - he just needed a better movie/script to showcase his talent.

I really didn't think Jon Hamm could pull off the role, but does a more than serviceable job here. He captures the spirit of Fletch, although the story doesn't seem to rely on the use the various silly disguises, fast talking, and funny aliases that the original used. Nevertheless, there's enough there to make you believe he's the same Fletch. I sort of liked the fact that Hamm didn't try too hard to make the character his own.

The screenplay could have been a bit more interesting, but still made for a good light-hearted entertainment that'll put a smile on your face as you watch it. I hope this becomes a modest success at the very least to justify another installment.

From earlier this year Jon Hamm takes over one of Chevy Chase's infamous roles as I. M. Fletch (essayed by Chase in 2 films), a one time investigative reporter now a for hire private eye. Things aren't looking great when after a European sojourn where he engages w/the daughter, Lorenza Izzo, of a rich socialite (who is feared kidnapped), comes back Stateside to Boston to find a dead body in the flat he's been set up in. Izzo shows up fearing some of her dad's prized paintings are in the mix for an exchange so Hamm goes to work through the labyrinthine ordeal by staying ahead of the cops Roy Wood Jr. & his younger partner, Ayden Mayeri, an art broker w/a germophobe complex, Kyle MacLachlan, Izzo's stepmom, Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden, while getting help from his old boss at a newspaper, John Slattery (nice Mad Men reunion). Hamm easily settles into the role as if he was born to play it w/his wise acre attitude & not being the best of detectives (or is it an act?) still makes this one of the most infuriatingly likeable characters out there. My only concern is the dumping of this film in theaters w/a quick streaming turnaround may doom its chances at being a franchise or maybe a streaming series...hello Prime, anyone?

While watching the film I was thinking to myself that non of the humour was working. The gags were trite, old, and sadly lacking any spark of humour or originality. The only original bit was Fletch's compulsive baring of his feet, and obnoxiously inflicting said feet at the drop of a shoe. The plot was boring, and the villain came off as slightly repulsive, without even a hint of menace. Only due to wanting to see the entire film to review it was I able to stay in my seat while being thoroughly UN-entertained. Otherwise, I would have walked out, and asked for a refund. Save your money, and watch Chevy Chase's take on the Fletch character for an original, and weirdly funny film with lots of classic slapstick.