Look. I like Jon Hamm. You like Jon Hamm. Jon Hamm went on “Comedy Bang Bang” and freestyle a song bout the sitcom “Taxi,” forever cementing him in my mind as a sweet baby who is a delight. He stars and produced a new adaptation of the novel “Confess, Fletch” where he stars as reporter turned detected I.M. Fletcher, AKA “Fletch.”
Yes, this is the same character that Chevy Chase brought to the screen twice in the ‘80s. Though in those films it was more or less Chevy Chase being “Chevy Chase as Fletch.” In this new film, directed by Greg Motoloa, Hamm’s take on the role is much closer to the book version by Fletch’s creator, the late Gregory MacDonald.
Based on the 1976 novel on the same name, the second published with the character, “Confess, Fletch” has Hamm alongside, Lorenza Izzo, Marcia Gay Harden, Kyle MacLachlan, Roy Wood Jr. and John Slattery. Yes! We get that “Mad Men” reunion you’ve been waiting for. Fletch comes back to Boston after spending some time in Italy only to find a dead woman in the Airbnb his girlfriend booked for him.
The cops all think he did it, but Fletch soon works his investigative journalist skills to disprove them. This is such fun and funny movie. Plus, it plays fair with the mystery! If you pay attention you can actually solve who it is. The movie also makes me happy as it reminds of me something. Movies. Specifically, that in this day of reboots and superheroes—and I like superheroes, don't twist this—that the mid-budget studio movie can still be a thing.
That’s why it’s all the more infuriating that for reasons unknown, Paramount has decided to not market this movie at all. It’s been dumped into extremely limited released in theaters and video on demand, with it coming to Showtime for streaming later this month. Here is a movie that is such a delightful, refreshing change of pace, and it’s been given absolutely zero chance at the box office.
I want, nay, need more movies in this series with Jon Hamm. This is why, dear reader, this week I am imploring you to rent “Confess, Fletch” from the video service of your choice. It’s such a great movie, such a great time, and has been given the wrong end of this stick for reasons only known to boring accountants in a tower somewhere.
It’s been a VERY long time since a new movie made me to want to go to bad as hard as “Confess, Fletch” does. I’m gonna buy this as soon as it hits physical media. Heck, I may buy a bunch of copies and give them out at Christmas. I want this movie to do well, I want to get a sequel. If you too have companied about it all being “reboots and remakes” then give this one a chance. It’s VERY worth your time. See you next week.
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