Every Fletch Movie, Ranked Worst to Best
Fletch #Fletch
It seems like mystery movies are more popular than ever before right now, and in particular comedic capers like Knives Out and its sequel Glass Onion have proven to be popular with audiences and critics alike. Everyone loves a good mystery with twists along the way, but it’s even more fun if you can laugh along the way. An older generation of readers may have found some of that same enjoyment in Gregory Macdonald’s series of Fletch novels that follow the adventures of the idiosyncratic journalist I. M. Fletcher, also known as “Fletch.” Fletch’s deductive reasoning comes in handy as he gets drawn into various schemes, conspiracies, and crime cases across the Los Angeles area. Macdonald wrote 11 books in the Fletch series, with the final installment Fletch Reflected hitting bookstores in 1994.
As with many popular novel series, Fletch also became a film franchise. Chevy Chase took on the role in the 1985 comedy Fletch from director Michael Ritchie. It came during the peak of Chase’s career, as he had already starred in a successful string of comedies including Foul Play, Caddyshack, Spies Like Us, and National Lampoon’s Vacation. The film’s success prompted the 1989 sequel Fletch Lives, but sadly the series never went any further than that. While a third film was rumored and developed for years, it wasn’t until 2022 that Greg Mottola’s Confess, Fletch was released. Instead of bringing back Chase, Confess, Fletch was essentially a reboot that recast Jon Hamm in the titular role. Here is every Fletch film, ranked worst to best.
Fletch Lives
Comedy sequels are notoriously challenging. While there are a few outliers, the majority of comedy film sequels simply reiterate the same jokes as their predecessors or miss the original intentions entirely. Films like Caddyshack II, Airplane II, Vegas Vacation, The Hangover: Part II, Beverly Hills Cop 3, and Weekend at Bernie’s 2 are evidence of this trend. Despite these glaring examples to the contrary, Fletch Lives is actually a fairly satisfying sequel. Chase retains the mix of irreverence, self-infatuation, and deductive brilliance that makes Fletch such an entertaining character, even if the mystery he’s in isn’t quite as interesting as the first film.
The primary issue with Fletch Lives is its story. While both Fletch and Confess, Fletch were based on installments in the original series, Fletch Lives tells a completely original story that only features the same characters. As a result, Fletch is placed in the middle of a convoluted mystery where he’s told that he’s inherited the lavish plantation of his great aunt in Thibodaux, Louisiana. The film spends so much time showing Fletch’s fantastical vision and eventual disappointment with the downtrodden establishment that the mystery feels negated.
Related: Why Fletch is Arguably the Best Mystery-Comedy Movie
Fletch Lives is also harder to rewatch now due to some of the racially insensitive depictions of African-American characters and the fantastical depiction of life on a plantation. In a profile interview with The New Yorker, Chase’s Community co-star Donald Glover stated that he made many racist jokes while they were filming. Considering the additional reports by Gawker on Chase’s insensitive behavior, Fletch Lives seems somewhat diminished in a modern context.
Confess, Fletch
Confess, Fletch has a difficult task in front of it. Considering that Chase’s depiction of the titular character had already become iconic and solidified itself with generations of fans already, any actor that inherited the role would naturally be met with an inherent amount of skepticism. However, Hamm was able to completely reinvent the role without detracting two heavily from the original depiction. Instead of simply impersonating what Chase had already done, Hamm showed a version of Fletch that was more in line with the original novels. The stakes feel slightly more realistic, as Fletch is accused of a crime that he didn’t commit and forced to defend his honor.
Confess, Fletch actually has the most well constructed storyline of the three films, even if the original Fletch is slightly funnier. The film follows Fletch after he discovers the body of his neighbor Laurel Goodwin after returning to a Boston home he rented; despite calling the police, Fletch is identified as the main suspect. Even though the story focuses on Fletch looking into the other suspects to avoid jail time, Hamm adds a levity with well-timed comedic lines. Considering that Mottola has experience with sharply witted comedies like Superbad and Adventureland, the mix of humor within the intrigue works brilliantly. Confess, Fletch also benefits from an outstanding supporting cast that also includes Kyle MacLachlan, John Slattery, Marcia Gay Harden, and Roy Wood Jr.
Related: Confess, Fletch 2 Script Now Being Written
Fletch
Fletch is one of the most perfect comedies of the 1980s and deservedly received a cult following as a result. The film’s great structure explains Fletch’s idiosyncratic nature and unusual profession so quickly that it immediately begins the main story with little exposition; since the first film was more directly inspired by the original novel, the mystery revolving around the millionaire’s fortune is more well-developed. Fletch is investigating a drug trafficking trade on the beaches of Los Angeles, and decides to go undercover as a homeless man in one of the film’s most amusing sequences. It’s here that he’s approached by the businessman Alan Stanwyk (Tim Matheson), who offers him a generous sum of money to kill him. An intrigued Fletch decides to pursue the baffling story further.
What’s essential in the film that Fletch Lives occasionally forgets is that while Fletch is a quirky character, he’s no bumbling fool. In fact, Fletch’s unusual behavior and ridiculous disguises only help him get to the bottom of the cases he’s investigating because everyone else seems to doubt his seriousness. Fletch also understands the motivations behind the titular character better than any of the subsequent installments; while Fletch is willing to take advantage of Stanwyk’s resources, he’s ultimately trying to solve a case. In Fletch Lives, Fletch comes across as too selfish and lazy; in Confess, Fletch, he’s directly drawn into the mystery only to clear his name. Even though Chase’s Fletch himself would never admit to being a “good guy,” he doesn’t subtly hint that the wacky journalist might actually have a heart.