Fletch (1985) * * *

Directed by:  Michael Ritchie

Starring:  Chevy Chase, Tim Matheson, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Joe Don Baker, Richard Libertini, Geena Davis, Kenneth Mars, George Wendt

Being an investigative reporter must be tough sledding, so it takes a cynical person to be one.     Chevy Chase epitomizes cynicism and quick wit in this role based on a series of novels.    Fletch (real name Irwin Fletcher) is a role Chase was born to play.    He keeps an ironic distance between himself and the plot, which consists of drug deals, corruption, and its share of chases.     We have seen Chase in this type of role (Foul Play, Seems Like Old Times) and it fits him like a glove.      He may be snarky (before it was cool to be snarky), but underneath we can sense he's kidding.   

Fletch is posing as a beach junkie while investigating drug trafficking on the Los Angeles beaches.     He is approached by a man in a suit named Alan Stanwyk (Matheson), who says he is dying from cancer and offers Fletch $50,000 to kill him.    Alan claims a violent death will pay more on his life insurance policy and take care of his family.    Fletch smells a rat, but agrees to the scheme while investigating further.     Is there a connection between Alan and the drug trafficking?    Fletch unveils some real estate scams and other misdeeds.    

Posing under a variety of disguises and names (such as Harry S Truman, Don Corleone, and Gordon Liddy), Fletch works to get the story while avoiding new enemies such as the police chief (Baker).    One person at least questions his faux name, which shows that at least someone was paying attention to pop culture in the film.     The others don't really have a clue.     Amazingly, Fletch stays one step ahead of everyone while romancing Alan's pretty wife Gail (Wheeler-Nicholson).    When he does take time to nap, he dreams of being the Lakers' new star player (with an afro to boot).

The Fletch role is part verbal volleying with his co-stars and part slapstick.     It wouldn't be a Chevy Chase film without at least one fall or trip.     Through it all, not much seems to get to Fletch, which allows the audience to not take it all too seriously.    He gets the job done while creating mischief along the way.    Fletch is not ambitious, nor deep.     It takes Chase's strong comedic presence and builds a movie around it.     It is not the type of film that holds up under scrutiny, but this isn't the type of film you scrutinize anyway.