Fletch

Fletch

Gregory McDonald's lightweight mystery novel about an undercover newspaper reporter cracking a police drug ring is transformed by screenwriter Andrew Bergman (Blazing Saddles, and writer/director of The Freshman and Honeymoon in Vegas) into a fairly sarcastic and occasionally very funny Chevy Chase vehicle. Enjoyment of the film pivots on whether you find Chase's flippant, smart-ass brand of verbal humor funny, or merely egocentric. If you don't like Chase, there's really no one else worth watching (Geena Davis is sadly underused). Chase seems born to play I.M. "Fletch" Fletcher, a disillusioned investigative reporter whose cynicism and detached view on life mirrors the actor's understated approach to comedy. Fletcher offers Chase the opportunity to adopt numerous personas, as his job requires numerous (bad) physical disguises, and much of film's humor centers on the ridiculous idea that any of these phony accents or bad hairpieces could fool anyone. These not-so-clever disguises are put to use when Fletch becomes involved in the film's smart but continually self-mocking two-part mystery. As well as trying to gather drug-smuggling evidence against the LAPD for a long-overdue newspaper story, a rich and apparently terminally ill stranger also offers Fletch a large payoff to kill him. While the film does a fairly good job juggling both of these plots, not to mention tossing in a love interest as well, it's subservient, for better or worse, to Chase's memorable one-liners and disguises. Followed by two forgettable sequels that lack both the original's wit and Chase's attention span. --Dave McCoy

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Mystery
Production: MCA Universal Home Video
  1 nomination.
 
IMDB:
6.9
Metacritic:
68
Rotten Tomatoes:
76%
PG
Year:
1985
98
13,064 Views
Meet the only guy who changes his identity more often than his underwear.
Fletch. Until last week, he was just another mild-mannered reporter fighting for truth, justice and a window office. Now he's being threatened, shot at, accused and arrested. And that's by the people he's trying to help. But there's still one thing even more dangerous than his work. His love life.

Dr. Joseph Dolan:
So where do you know Alan from?

Fletch:
We play tennis together at the club.

Dr. Joseph Dolan:
Really? The California Racquet Club?

Fletch:
Yes.

Dr. Joseph Dolan:
That's my club too. I don't remember seeing you there.

Fletch:
Well, I haven't played in a while because of these kidney pains.

Dr. Joseph Dolan:
Right. Now, how long have you been having these pains, Mr. Barber?

Fletch:
That's Babar.

Dr. Joseph Dolan:
Two bs?

Fletch:
One. B-A-B-A-R.

Dr. Joseph Dolan:
That's two.

Fletch:
Yeah, but not right next to each other. I thought that's what you meant.

Dr. Joseph Dolan:
Isn't there a children's book about an elephant named Babar?

Fletch:
I don't know. I don't have any.

Dr. Joseph Dolan:
No children?

Fletch:
No, elephant books.

...

Dr. Joseph Dolan:
You know, it's an odd name, Babar...I don't recall seeing it on the club register.

Fletch:
Well, I don't formally belong. I'm a guest of my aunt.

Dr. Joseph Dolan:
Your Aunt?

Fletch:
Yes. Mrs. Smith.

Dr. Joseph Dolan:
June or Margaret?

Fletch:
Uh-huh, right.

...

Dr. Joseph Dolan:
You know, it's a shame about Ed.

Fletch:
Oh, it was. Yeah, it was really a shame. To go so suddenly like that.

Dr. Joseph Dolan:
Ahh, he was dying for years.

Fletch:
Sure, but... the end was really... very sudden.

Dr. Joseph Dolan:
He was in intensive care for eight weeks!

Fletch:
Yeah, but I mean the very end, when he actually died. That was extremely sudden.

...

Dr. Joseph Dolan:
Drop your shorts and bend over.

Fletch:
No...we don't have to, I mean, maybe I just haven't been doing enough calisthenics...you know, my kidneys feel a lot better now, maybe if I just bent over like this every morning......

[Dolan inserts his finger into Fletch's anus with an audible "pop" sound]

Fletch:
[singing] Moon River......[talking] Whew...ever serve time, Doc?

Dr. Joseph Dolan:
Breathe easy.

Fletch:
Yeah...breathe easy... Ahh!! Using the whole fist, Doc?!

...

[After the proctological exam]

Dr. Joseph Dolan:
Well, I can't seem to find anything wrong with you, Mr. Babar.

Fletch:
Well, I'm sure it's not for a lack of looking.


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