Fletch has arrived on Blu-ray and it's high time to re-evaluate the movie, nearly a quarter century after it first hit theaters. Directed by Michael Ritchie and starring, quite memorably, Chevy Chase, Fletch didn't exactly burn up the box office. It was modestly successful during its initial run but quickly gained a substantial cult following. Many connoisseurs of mainstream '80s comedies consider it a classic. The trouble is, Fletch hasn't aged especially well. Ultimately the movie has more negative aspects than positive ones, making it difficult to recommend to anyone not already a fan.
The original novel by Gregory McDonald serves as the basis for Andrew Bergman's screenplay. Normally I'm not one of those, 'The book was so much better,' type of moviegoers - mainly because I hardly ever read. McDonald's book is tailor-made for people who don't do a great deal of reading. Not because the writing isn't high quality - it is - but because his style of prose is so cinematic to begin with. In novel form, the dual plot lines are flawlessly intertwined and dominated by dialogue. And I do mean tons of dialogue, to the point where it almost reads like a screenplay minus scene headers and character names. It's engrossing and can be read at lightning speed, even by slower readers (such as myself). Ironically, as movie-ready as the book seems to be, these plots haven't been adapted very well by Bergman.
For those who don't know what those dual plot lines are, I will reveal as little as possible as the mysteries play out cleverly. Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher is a reporter spending some time under 'deep cover' as a drug-addicted beach bum. His investigation concerns the source of drugs on a beach frequented by teenagers. The dealer, played by George Wendt, sits on the beach all day, never seeming to pick up nor receive any product. Fletch is convincing enough in his addict guise to be approached by a rich businessman looking for someone to murder him. He claims to have cancer and wants to be put out of his misery, while still allowing his family to receive his life insurance. Fletch smells something rotten in this request, as the man doesn't seem sick and no one close to him is aware of the supposed cancer.
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