Fletch
1985movie
''Fletch,'' directed by Michael Ritchie and adapted by Andrew Bergman from the novel by Gregory Mcdonald, is an enjoyable paperback of a film, a lightweight, breezy experience that, by never pretending to be anything more than what it is, disarms criticism. When first seen, Fletch has gone undercover, disguised as ''a minor-league junkie,'' cruising the beaches at Santa Monica to gather material for a story about the possible connection between Los Angeles cops and the drug trade.
98 minutes ‧ PG ‧ 1985. Roger Ebert. May 31, 1985. 3 min read. Why did Chevy Chase want to play I.M. Fletcher, the laconic hero of Gregory McDonald’s, bestsellers? Was it because Chase saw a way to bring Fletch to life? Or was it, more likely, because Chase thought Fletch was very much like himself? The problem with “Fletch” is that the central performance is an anthology of Chevy Chase mannerisms in search of a character. Other elements in the movie are pretty good: the supporting characters, the ingenious plot, the unexpected locations.
