I would say this movie would have worked better as a tv movie without the name Fletch attached to it.
But I get it, that's a double edged sword.
On one hand your overall ratings could be a bit better because people aren't going to compare to the original(s), but on the other hand you might get far less people coming to see your movie.
Were the original Fletch movies cinematic masterpieces? Of course not, but they had a charm this Fletch is lacking.
They tried to copy the writing style of the originals here, but that didn't work out as well as they probably hoped.
Chevy's Fletch was a reporter, a poor slob living in an old apartment, always being hounded by some lawyer for alimony. It contributed to the charm of the character.
This debonair Fletch that travels across Europe writing pieces about art and has a rich girlfriend from the start..... no, just no.
They also decided to let go of the original Fletch soundtrack (I liked that 70's Fletch sleuth music).
What I also really missed was the narrating voice that Chevy did, that sort of black and white era detective movie inner monologue between scenes.
And although the character Fletch is an amalgamation of different things, one of his main trademarks was the disguises. Not this Fletch, he at most changes his jacket and his name, but that's about it.
What's left? A mildly entertaining movie for a rainy afternoon when nothing else is on.
Maybe reboot this character under another name and move it to Hallmark Channel?
To be clear. Jon Hamm has a lot of charm and I like the character he created here, so maybe keep the character but lose the name and connection to Fletch? With some tweaks I could see this a starting point for a series of tv movies.
But I get it, that's a double edged sword.
On one hand your overall ratings could be a bit better because people aren't going to compare to the original(s), but on the other hand you might get far less people coming to see your movie.
Were the original Fletch movies cinematic masterpieces? Of course not, but they had a charm this Fletch is lacking.
They tried to copy the writing style of the originals here, but that didn't work out as well as they probably hoped.
Chevy's Fletch was a reporter, a poor slob living in an old apartment, always being hounded by some lawyer for alimony. It contributed to the charm of the character.
This debonair Fletch that travels across Europe writing pieces about art and has a rich girlfriend from the start..... no, just no.
They also decided to let go of the original Fletch soundtrack (I liked that 70's Fletch sleuth music).
What I also really missed was the narrating voice that Chevy did, that sort of black and white era detective movie inner monologue between scenes.
And although the character Fletch is an amalgamation of different things, one of his main trademarks was the disguises. Not this Fletch, he at most changes his jacket and his name, but that's about it.
What's left? A mildly entertaining movie for a rainy afternoon when nothing else is on.
Maybe reboot this character under another name and move it to Hallmark Channel?
To be clear. Jon Hamm has a lot of charm and I like the character he created here, so maybe keep the character but lose the name and connection to Fletch? With some tweaks I could see this a starting point for a series of tv movies.