CONFESS, FLETCH
Starring: Jon Hamm, Marcia Gay Harden, Annie Mumolo, Kyle MacLachlan, Lorenza Izzo, John Slattery, Ayden Mayeri, and Robert Picardo
Director: Greg Mottola
JACOB
Having never seen the other Fletch films or read the books, I can’t speak to whether Confess, Fletch is a faithful adaptation or a working translation from era to era. What I can speak to is how Miramax and Paramount absolutely dropped the ball on marketing it, because this movie is an absolute delight. The mystery is somewhat so-so as mysteries go, but it’s also not really the point. Jon Hamm is hilarious as the title character, and there’s all manner of bit parts that dial up the funny, especially when Marcia Gay Harden or Annie Mumolo are on screen.
QUENTIN
While Confess, Fletch isn’t quite good enough to have been a theatrical hit, it features enough humor and throwback charm to have been a success for a major streaming service. Although not fantastic, it deserved better than to be quietly dumped on VOD. It’s rarely laugh-out-loud hilarious, but Jon Hamm proves he can deliver snappy one-liners with the best of ‘em, even if they are mostly just chuckle-worthy. Meanwhile, the mystery, though convoluted, will keep you interested. For better of worse, it feels like the classic 80s movies, and it could have been an inexpensive franchise starter for Netflix or Hulu. I’d certainly watch another one.
