Irwin M. “Fletch” Fletcher (Jon Hamm) arrives back in the U.S. on the search for his fiancée’s stolen art collection only to find a dead body in the apartment he has rented. Accused of murder he continues to investigate the stolen art whilst simultaneously trying to clear his name. 

Confess, Fletch is the third film in the Fletch series following 1985’s Fletch and 1989’s Fletch Lives, both of which starred Chevy Chase as the titular anti-hero. The films are based on a series of eleven books written by Gregory McDonald that were released between 1985 and 1994. Whilst it has been quite some time I remember finding the Chevy Chase films really funny and was looking forward to Jon Hamm’s interpretation of the character. Thankfully I was rewarded as Hamm’s deadpan delivery and quizzical expressions really suit the self interested Fletch. 

For those who are unaware of the character, Fletch is an ex-investigative reporter who takes on freelance cases that are a mix of detective work and journalism. The key characteristics of Fletch is that he is fiercely intelligent whilst giving the impression that he is lazy and uninterested thanks to his incredibly dry and sarcastic sense of humour. The result in this film is that we get a traditional and clever whodunnit mystery wrapped up in a very entertaining comedy featuring an array of peculiar characters. 

Jon Hamm is perfect as the arrogant, sarcastic Fletch. I was particularly amused by the running joke that he kept telling everyone how good an investigative journalist he used to be. Whilst the surrounding supporting cast are suitably oddball to give Hamm a perfect foil. Roy Wood Jr. and Auden Mayeri who play the policemen who are on his tail are particularly funny. Wood Jr. plays the jaded and experienced Inspector Monroe who is currently sleep deprived due to the arrival of a newborn into his household. Whilst Mayeri plays rookie police officer Griz who has a torrid and very funny time trying to keep tabs on Fletch’s whereabouts. Then there is John Slattery’s newspaperman who loves to hate Fletch that will give fans a Mad Men reunion, Annie Mumolo who plays a madcap neighbour and Kyle MacLachlan who is an art dealer with an aversion to germs. And then there is Fletch new Italian fiancé (Lorenza Izzo) and her step-mother (Marcia Gay Harden) who complicate matters further. 

All in all it is a breezy, funny comedy with a fun mystery wrapped in the middle. Perhaps if we are lucky Jon Hamm will get to return in the role just as Chevy Chase did.