Early on in Confess, Fletch—the long in development reboot of Chevy Chase’s pseudo-detective comedy series—Irwin “Fletch” Fletcher (Jon Hamm) is walking around Rome with Angela (Lorenza Izzo), whose father had been kidnapped, yet she’s already been taken in by the charms of Fletch. As the two discuss their romantic history, Fletch mentions that he’s been married multiple times, stating that he’s “very easy to fall in love with.” Over the course of Confess, Fletch, this idea will be proven true, as this decent mystery-comedy is entirely elevated by Hamm, who finally gets an opportunity to show off how delightful he can be when given a comedy to sink his teeth into.
In Confess, Fletch, the title character arrives at an apartment he’s staying at in Boston and finds a dead woman. Fletch calls the cops, is completely open with the situation, and is immediately seen as the primary suspect in the murder. Fletch is also in the middle of his own investigation, attempting to find Angela’s father, whose disappearance also seems to be tied to his stolen art collection. As a freelance journalist and former investigative reporter of note, Fletch must try to prove his innocence while also trying to investigate his own mysteries.
Fletch’s investigation brings him in contact with a variety of fun characters, including Detective Monroe (Roy Wood Jr.) and his new partner Griz (Ayden Mayeri), who assume that Fletch is the killer; Kyle MacLachlan as Horan, an art dealer and germaphobe; the aloof Eve (Annie Mumolo; and Angela’s stepmother, known as The Countess (Marcia Gay Harden). But the most enjoyable of these dynamics is John Slattery as Frank, a writer friend of Fletch. Years after Mad Men, it’s still great to watch Hamm and Slattery play off each other—even if they don’t get nearly enough time together.
Yet like the original Fletch movies, Confess, Fletch is largely relies on the charm of Hamm, and as always, he’s a delight. Confess, Fletch is sort of just the right vehicle for Hamm: one that largely centers around his magnetism, but also allows him to be goofy and fun in a way he rarely gets to be in films and television. Sure, he’s made comedic performances in projects like Bridesmaids, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, but it’s kind of wonderful to see Hamm attempting to lead his own comedy.
Thankfully, Confess, Fletch is a better comedy than an engaging mystery. With a story that focuses on a murder, an art theft, and an abduction, there’s just too much going on in Confess, Fletch’s mystery, which never quite ties together in a satisfying way. Confess, Fletch tries to pull the rug out from under its audience in the conclusion, but considering the cast of characters we’re introduced to, the mystery reveals itself early on, as the audience waits for the film to catch up with them.
While Confess, Fletch isn’t as broad as the original Fletch—or as broad as we know Hamm can get when it comes to comedy—this blend of genres works for co-writer and director Greg Mottola (Superbad, The Daytrippers) and co-writer Zev Borow (Outer Range). Mottola directs this murder mystery with a warm camera that highlights the fun of this mystery, rather than the potentially bleak narrative. Mottola has also shown with films like Adventureland and The Daytrippers that he excels at permeating comedies with moments of darkness and drama that might come as unexpected. Confess, Fletch isn’t exactly going for dramatic stakes, but it’s also not a drama-free romp through Boston and Rome.
Maybe the most shocking aspect of Confess, Fletch is that despite being in development hell for decades, this eventual product is far better than it has any credit being. With Kevin Smith originally attempting to reboot this franchise with Jason Lee, to Jason Sudeikis planning on assuming the role in more recent years, it seemed like a new Fletch movie would never come. Granted, that isn’t to say that Confess, Fletch is a comedic mystery masterpiece, but considering the road it took to get here, Confess, Fletch has its moments, some decent performances, and plenty of potential, if this series is to continue in the future.
That all being said, Confess, Fletch is decent—not quite a great mystery, not an excellent comedy, but fully enjoyable for what it is. A major part of that is Hamm’s ability to play up his charms, while also showing his gifts as a comedic actor. It might’ve taken decades for Confess, Fletch to get made, and hopefully, it won’t take years for another film in this franchise to get made, as Hamm and Mottola are onto something here, they’re just not quite there yet.
Rating: B-
Confess, Fletch comes to theaters and digital on September 16.