Fletch

Rating:
Summary: The F in Fletch is also for Funny
Review: Chevy Chase stars as I.M Fletcher in the 1985 screen adaptation of Gregory McDonald's mystery series Fletch. Fletch is an undercover journalist investigating drug trafficking and the L.A.P.D, when he's approached by a stranger who asks to be killed for money. As the movie progresses, Fletch discovers that there's a connection between the man and the drugs, and the entire ordeal is very funny.

The film relies entirely on the comedic styles of Chevy Chase, as it's he that brings the sarcastic and witty Fletch to life. Through out the film, Fletch incorporates a variety of poor disguises and often introduces himself as different people, such as when he's a drug addict named Ted Nugent. Another highlight is when Fletch fanaticizes about himself playing professional basketball while wearing a giant Afro-wig.

The synthesizer sound track is not as memorable as Beverly Hills Cop's, "Axel F", but it complements the film nicely. Cinematography and directing are usually not aspects focused on in comedies, but in Fletch the two are as high quality as the writing. Fletch is rated PG and relies on clever humor and sight gags rather than raunchy jokes, which makes the comedy smart and inoffensive, unlike recent comedies such as National Lampoons' Van Wilder.

The most important aspect of comedy is the jokes, and the ones in Fletch are great, but its Chase's delivery that makes them fantastic. Whether its Fletch's one-liners, such as distracting a Doberman Pincher with, "Look, defenseless babies!" or instances such as when he claims to be real estate developer Harry S. Truman, the whole movie is outstanding. From start to finish, Chase delivers a performance that's sure to bring a smile to one's face and fill the room with laughter.

Rating:
Summary: "I'm afraid I'm goona have to pull rank on you here..."
Review: Fletch is my personal favorite comedy and without a doubt, one of the funniest movies ever made. Chevy Chase is perfectly cast as Irwin Fletcher, a wise cracking newspaper reporter working undercover on a beach to expose a drug running operation. At the same time, he is mistaken for a junkie by shady millionare Alan Stanwyk (Tim Matheson) who asks Fletch to murder him. Fletch agrees but launches an investigation into finding out why this man wants to be killed. This isn't lowbrow humor, it's quick witted and very fast. Fletch requires a few viewings before one is able to grab all the jokes, but it's well worth it. I've seen this movie about 30 times and each and every time I watch, it remains as funny as the first time I saw it. If you've liked Chevy Chase in Caddyshack or National Lampoon's Vacation, than you'll love him here. The dialogue is witty and extremely quotable. Chase's Fletch often disguises himself as he investigates the two mysteries, his cheap disguises and alias' (Ted Nugent, Don Corleone, Dr. Rosenpenis) are hysterical, Chase is a master of deadpan wisecracks, this movie is a perfect showcase for his talent.Aside from the brilliance of Fletch as a comedy, Fletch functions perfectly as a well made mystery movie. I disagree with one reviewer who praised the movie as a comedy but said it wasn't a very good movie. Fletch is a very good movie and aside from Chevy Chase, there are many other reasons for the success of this classic. Screenwriter Andrew Bergman has written one of the trickiest scripts in Hollywood history, it manages to be flat out hilarious, and captivating in the same light. Whenever I watch this film with a new viewer, they are always surprised as to how much the storyline grabbed them. Another plus with this movie is Harold Faltermeyer's superb synthesizer score. It's similar to his earlier Beverly Hills Cop score, maybe even better, it helps set the tone of this movie perfectly. Last but not least, we have the direction, all under the sure hand of Michael Ritchie. He keeps things moving and maintains a comedic tone which occasionally borders on seriousness to help the story progress. Balancing tones isn't easy, in this film it's done so well, it's hardly even noticable.Fletch is all around, an excellent film, but before everything else, it's a VERY funny film. A true cult classic. For audiences whom have seen Beverly Hills Cop, think along those lines, I always thought it would be amusing to see what would happen if Chase's Fletch met with Eddie Murphy's Axel Foley of the Cop films. If you've seen those than you have a good idea of what to expect with Fletch, a film loaded with belly laughs as long as you're willing to pick up on them.

Rating:
Summary: 2 Paws Up!!!
Review: I watched this with my master today, and boy did he laugh a lot. I like when he laughs because that means he is happy and then he pets me more. The movie had a lot of action, and a lot of humor too! I was a little scared of the Doberman guarding the realtor's office. Those dogs mean business, let me tell you!!! They could easily tear a dog like me in half, so I keep my distance. But yeah, great movie!!!

Rating:
Summary: Retch
Review: The movie is just plain bad, not horrendously so. Chevy Chase has less talent then Anna Kournikova. What plummets this to One Star is that it somehow has gained cult status. Maybe the government is putting doping agents in our water, for whatever reason hundreds or more think this is legendary cinema. They are wrong and I am right.

Rating:
Summary: Love This Movie
Review: This is Chevy Chase at his best. The fast one liners are perfect and he manages to have one for every conceivable occasion. Yes, he does have a cynical and detached view of the world, but that sort of humor suits me. It's not everybody's cup cup of tea, but Chase at his best reminds me of (upcoming blashemy) Groucho Marx.

Rating:
Summary: Meet Fletch. He's intelligent. cool. charming. and on DVD.
Review: Irwin Fletcher (Chevy Chase), or Fletch, as he is known to his friends, is an investigative reporter who wirtes under the name of Jane Doe ("Hey, it's better than Irwin"). While working a drug story at the beach, he is propositioned by Alan Stanwyk (Tim Matheson), a wealthy buisnessman, to kill him for fifty grand, claiming he is dying of cancer. Sensing a scam, Fletch goes undercover to find clues, and gets help from fellow journalist Larry (Geena Davis), in order to crack the case. He winds up in trouble with the police, finding the drug source, fiding out Stanwyk's motives, and in another man's suit.

The 80's Chase classic, with Chase in top form as Fletch. Matheson is great as Stanwyk, and everyone else does a great job. Direction by the late Michael Ritchie and writing by Andrew Bergman are excellent. The disc comes in widescreen, with very little grain. The sound is in Dolby Surround 2.0, and sounds great for a movie this old. The extras are lacking, with production notes, cast and crew bios, and a trailer. Not much, where's the SPECIAL EDITION?

FLETCH
(1985, PG)

Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher: Chevy Chase
Chief Karlin: Joe Don Baker
Gail Stanwyk: Dana Wheeler-Nicholson
Frank Walker: Richard Libertini
Alan Stanwyk: Tim Matheson
Dr. Dolan: M. Emmet Walsh

Director: Michael Ritchie
Writers: Gregory McDonald (novel), Andrew Bergman

MOVIE: 5
VIDEO: 4.5
AUDIO: 5
EXTRAS: 3
MENUS: 3
OVERALL: 4

Rating:
Summary: The Film Chevy Chase Will Be Remembered For
Review: You really take your life in your hands every time you sit down with a Chevy Chase film. Let's face reality here: Chevy Chase is responsible for several of the worst movies ever made. Does it take more than a few minutes to see the mind numbing folly of "Nothing But Trouble," "The Three Amigos," and "Spies Like Us"? Chase has sure had his truly embarrassing moments on the big screen. What redeems the guy is this 1985 classic, the truly great "Fletch." With the possible exception of the "Vacation" films and "Fletch," Chase rarely found a vehicle that played up to his deadpan, smart alecky comedic delivery. In the role of newspaper reporter Irwin Fletcher, Chase makes the character all his own as he knocks it out of the ballpark in this ultra funny, well-crafted film based on a plot involving drug trafficking, bigamy, and murder. If I had to draw up a list of the top five films I have watched the most, "Fletch" would appear somewhere on that list. I've probably watched this movie forty or fifty times since it originally came out, and I never tire of his corny impressions and awesome lines. "Fletch" is an unmitigated classic.

Fletch writes articles for a big Los Angeles newspaper under the pseudonym Jane Doe, and he's always on the lookout for a good story. After going undercover on a local beach where he poses as a drug addict and mixes with other users and dealers, Fletch finds himself in the middle of a murder for hire deal when a rich executive named Alan Stanwyck (Tim Matheson) wants Fletch to do him in for a stack of money. Further problems with more questions than answers follow: who is Alan Stanwyck, and why are the police acting suspicious on the beach where all that heroin is floating around? Fletch's investigations into Stanwyck's past uncover a plethora of dirty deals: bigamy, drug dealing, and possible links between the police department and the crooked executive. As Fletch narrows down the scope of these scams, he continually dukes it out with his indifferent editor who never believes anything the reporter says. The investigation takes Fletch to Utah, on high-speed car chases through the city, into a jail cell with a gun pointed at his head, and into the arms of Stanwyck's beautiful wife. Fletch never doubts he will crack the case wide open and get the scoop of the year at the paper, but sometimes it looks as though he won't get out of this one alive. One of the best things the movie has going for it is this multi-layered mystery story, which is loaded with great twists and turns all the way to the end.

If "Fletch" was merely a murder/mystery story, it wouldn't achieve immortality; it's the comedy that makes this one an enduring cult classic. Fletch has a habit of using outrageously cheap disguises in order to pump people for information, and along with these costumes he always throws out a fake name to go along with it. At various times during the course of the film, Fletch claims his name is Harry S. Truman, Don Corleone, John Cocktosten, Dr. Rosenrosen, Ted Nugent, Mr. Babar, and Mr. Poon (a name that Fletch reveals is of "Comanche Indian" lineage). He gets away with such outrageous behavior because he talks fast and most people don't listen to everything he says. Most of Chase's lines in this movie are hilariously inappropriate, and it quickly becomes apparent that there are very few comedians/actors who could toss out this type of dialogue and get laughs. Chase does it easily and believably. It takes several viewings just to pick up on everything he says.

The supporting cast in "Fletch" is stellar, with Richard Libertini as Fletch's editor Frank, Geena Davis in a small role as a newspaper employee who worships the ground Fletch walks on named Larry, Joe Don Baker as the psychotic Police Chief Karlin, George Wendt as the seedy heroin dealer Fat Sam, George Wyner as the relentless attorney of Fletch's ex-wife, and M. Emmet Walsh as the "handy" Doctor Dolan. Everyone does a great job serving as cannon fodder for Fletch's sharp barbs. These barbs are some of the best you will hear in a motion picture: "Can I borrow your towel? My car just hit a water buffalo," and "Oh. Do you have the Beatles White Album? Never mind, just bring me a cup of hot fat. And the head of Alfredo Garcia," and "I would have been here sooner, but a manure-spreader jackknifed on the Santa Ana. You should see my shoes." Anyone else trying to pull this off would fail miserably, but again, Chase does a wonderful job with the jokes.

The DVD release is wickedly lackluster. We don't get anything in the way of extras except a trailer and some production notes, but at least the movie does come in a widescreen format. I've heard that some of the discs don't have ANYTHING but the movie on them, but I haven't seen one of these flawed discs personally. Either way, why is there no commentary from Chevy Chase on here? Could you imagine how great it would be to hear him wax philosophically about the G. Gordon Liddy segment, or his encounters with Gail Stanwyck at the resort? We desperately need a special edition version of "Fletch" in the near future. Just writing this review makes me want to watch the movie again, and I know I'll laugh at it as hard as I did the forty other times I've seen it. "Fletch" is simply a massively entertaining treat.

Rating:
Summary: Worth owning
Review: I have a somewhat modified rating system. There are movies that suck; those are one star. There are mediocre movies; those get two stars. There are good movies; those get three stars. There are movies which you watch and suspect you'll watch again; those get four. And then, of course, there's the movies you watch for the first time -- and then, on the way home, still laughing, go to the store, buy, wake up your wife, and force her to watch, but of course she doesn't really get it, and is mostly irritated at you, but you don't regret it because man, it's really just that funny, and you skip work the next day and watch it a couple more times, and by the end of the week you and all of your buddies telling a waiter "I'll have a steak sandwich and... a steak sandwich" and giggling. Monty Python's "Holy Grail" is the, well, the grail shaped beacon of these movies; "A Fish Called Wanda", perhaps "There's Something About Mary." These are comedies with staying power; humor which uses more than shock and vulgarity, motivated by the lunacy of the human condition.

If you haven't seen "Fletch", well, frankly, I'm jealous. I'll never get to see it for the first time again, and there just aren't that many treasures like this out there.

And if you have seen it, you know you want to see it again, and you'll end up watching enough times to justify the cost, and, what the heck. Charge it to the Underhills.

Rating:
Summary: Fletch !
Review: Great comedy movie that has its one liners and hilarious parts where fletch tries to maintain his cool. This movie has great scenes ,characters ,and parts. If you love comedy youll like this movie , and if you like chevy chase you will too ,enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: "...put it on the Underhills' bill..."
Review: For my money, Fletch is the best film Chevy Chase ever made. I can pop it in my player almost any time and still find the movie just as funny, no matter how many times I've seen it. And yet, the film is too often dismissed as just another dated piece of 1980s pop-culture. Or worse, it is deemed the sole highlight of Chase's career that subsequently went downhill over the years.

So why does Fletch continue to inspire such a strong and loyal following after almost 20 years? Insanely quotable dialogue, a colorful assortment of character actors and, of course, Chevy Chase's inimitable, vintage smart-aleck mode.

Chase shows a stellar range of physical comedy in this movie. His technique ranges from broader displays, such as the dream sequence when he imagines himself as the unusually aggressive L.A. Lakers star power forward, to more subtle bits such as when he bangs his nose into a door, posing as the accident-prone Mr. Poon.

Capitalizing on the immensely popular action comedy, Beverly Hills Cop, Fletch adheres to the same formula: the maverick protagonist who has a problem with authority, the use of multiple disguises to get in and out of dicey situations for comedic effect, the obligatory car chase, and even the hopelessly dated synth-soundtrack by Harold Faltermeyer. Fletch deviates in one significant aspect: Chase's character never uses a gun (he also repeatedly gets the bejeezus kicked out of him).

Fletch is essentially a vehicle tailor-made for Chevy Chase. It plays to Chase's strengths; in addition to his affinity for physical comedy, the movie is famous for showcasing his trademark deadpan delivery of dialogue and his knack for playing a wide variety of characters - abilities he perfected on Saturday Night Live. Chase expertly juggles Fletch's numerous aliases. From the likes of the absent-minded, Dr. Rosenrosen to Mr. Underhill's country club "friend," John Cocktosten, Chase makes each one distinctive and hilariously memorable.

Another aspect of Fletch that makes it so memorable is the strong supporting cast. The film features character actors like Joe Don Baker as the slimy Chief of Police Karlin (who brings a wonderfully scary intensity to his role), George Wendt as the amiable drug dealer Fat Sam, Tim Matheson as the double-dealing bigamist Alan Stanwyk, M. Emmet Walsh as the probing Dr. Dolan, and a young, pre-Thelma and Louise Geena Davis as Larry, Fletch's ever loyal co-worker. One of the joys of the movie is how Chase interacts with all these people and how they react to his flippant, off-handed remarks. Watch him in action in the hospital sequence as he confuses and befuddles the staff in order to get the information he wants -- it's not only what he says to them but, more importantly, how he delivers the dialogue that makes it so funny.

More so than in any other film, Fletch is classic Chevy Chase. While he's in exceptional form in Caddyshack and National Lampoon's Vacation, they don't showcase his unique talents as befittingly as Fletch. In every scene, Chase does a fantastic job carrying the picture.