Confess, Fletch Review: Jon Hamm Finds His Perfect Post-Mad Men Role
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The Pitch: Irwin M. “Fletch” Fletcher (Jon Hamm), an investigative journalist of some repute, arrives in Boston to help his lady friend Angela (Lorenza Izzo) retrieve some of her father’s paintings from an eccentric art dealer (Kyle McLachlan).
But before he can unpack his bags, he finds a dead body in the apartment he’s borrowing. Pegged by two homicide detectives (Roy Wood Jr. and Ayden Mayeri) as the primary suspect, Fletch has to clear his name, secure the missing artwork, and fend off the advances of Angela’s stepmother (Marcia Gay Harden).
Cards on the Table Time: Since he broke into the global consciousness through his still-outstanding work as morally bankrupt ad man Don Draper in AMC’s Mad Men, Jon Hamm has seemed content to serve as a utility player: For the better part of 15 years, he has taken on bit parts and juicy character roles in films and TV series, big and small.
Or it could be that he’s been lying in wait for the perfect gig, as he’s already proven he can win awards as a conflicted, soul-searching antihero. When does he get the chance to truly combine his unholy charisma with his roguish comedic chops and Gene Kelly-like physical grace?
Hamm’s moment arrived when he took on reins of the long-gestating efforts to bring the character of investigative reporter Irwin M. Fletcher aka Fletch to the big screen. It’s an idea that has bounced around Hollywood for ages with Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence and Clerks director Kevin Smith taking a crack at it, and names like Zach Braff and Jason Sudeikis considered for the titular role.
Hamm is both producer and star of Confess, Fletch, the wonderful reboot of this franchise landing in theaters and on demand this week. The gents who have tried to bring Fletch back to life, following the hideously misguided 1989 Chevy Chase effort Fletch Lives, likely could have done fine work, but Hamm slips these dual roles on like a broken-in Lakers cap.
On screen, Hamm is as loose as he’s ever been, navigating the twists and turns of the unfolding murder mystery with a knowing grin and a ready quip. No matter if he’s navigating a Vespa through the streets of Rome in an early scene or taking a punch from Angela’s ex, Fletch looks like he’s having the time of his life, because he’s constantly one step ahead of everyone else.
The rest of the cast responds accordingly, raising their game to his level. Though there’s still a mystery to be solved, it’s a blast to watch Hamm banter with Wood throughout and to trade insults with old buddy John Slattery, on hand to play Fletch’s former editor.
Confess, Fletch (Miramax)
Always Searching For Paradise: Behind the camera, Hamm and co-producers Bill Block and Connie Tavel chose the creative team for this project wisely, giving the director’s chair to Greg Mottola (The Daytrippers, Adventureland) and letting Mottola and TV vet Zev Borow (Chuck, Outer Range) tackle the script.
Both men had the somewhat uncomfortable job of gently moving aside the beloved Chevy Chase films in an effort to bring the tone of their film closer to its source material: the writing of Gregory Mcdonald. Gone are the goofy costumes and strained absurdity, replaced by a nice layer of grit and an anti-authoritarian streak.
At the same time, Mottola and Borow keep things light throughout. They fold in a fantastic scene with Annie Mumolo (Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar) as a flighty pothead unbothered by the chaos she’s creating around her, and update the story to the present day with playful digs at Instagram influencers, EDM, and the state of modern journalism.
What matters is that the team seems to instinctively know that this isn’t the kind of movie that brings home boatloads of awards or changes the cultural conversation. They do the job of telling the story and telling it well, while sneaking in nods to other films about layabout sleuths like The Long Goodbye and Cutter’s Way and setting the stage for future Fletches.
The Verdict: That last part, the question of the future, is where they may run into some trouble. Film comedies don’t tend to do well at the box office or on streaming services, especially when those flicks are entirely free of meme ready scenes or loud gross-out moments.
From what Hamm has said in interviews, his hope is that this is the first installment in a new franchise. The deck is stacked against them as they attempt to cut through the noise of the MCU and the return of other ’80s properties like Top Gun. But with its lived-in charm, snappy dialogue, and Hamm’s star appeal, Confess, Fletch has all the ingredients to be a sneaky success.
Where To Watch: Confess, Fletch sounds off in theaters and on demand starting September 16th.
Trailer:
Confess, Fletch Review: Jon Hamm Finds His Perfect Post-Mad Men Role
Robert Ham
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