The Fletch Collection Reviews

• Best Chevy Chase Movie, period.

  
  By ABAZFH25304ZG on 2004-08-13
  Waiter: You a member of the club senor? Fletch: No I'm not I'm with the Underhills. Waiter: They already left senor? Fletch: That's all right, he'll be back, he went out for his urinalysis. Waiter: Would you like to order something senor I'll put it on the Underhill's bill? Fletch: Ahh, very good, I'll have a bloody mary, a steak sandwich, and..... a steak sandwich. Waiter: Thank you very much senor. Fletch: It's the nicest place...
  
  If Chevy had a bright spot in his career, this is certainly one of them. Every line, every minute, all ad libbed, no script, no idea what he will say next, just Chevy doing what he does best. Christmas vacation, Vacation, CaddyShack, no comparison to the original Fletch. If you've never seen this movie, you absolutely have to and considering it's from 1985, where have you been? I think I've seen this movie 100 times and I think I'll watch it 100 more before I go the way of the dodo. If you're having a bad day at work, lost your job, lost a girlfriend or boyfriend or just want to smile, pop this DVD in and start laughing from start to finish. If you don't even chuckle while watching this zany farce, you might need mental help for sense of humor submission.
  
  What a great moment in movie history when the Doctor asks Fletch to "drop your shorts and bend over Mister Babar" Moments later you hear Chevy hurl out the song "MOOOOOOOOOOOOOON River! Thank you doc, you ever serve time? Doctor: Breathe easy... Fletch: "you using the whole fist doc?"
  
  Other good notables are the sweet acting of Tim Mattheson and Genna Davis. Tim Mattheson, most known for his lead role as head fraternity brother (Otter) in Animal House, does a 180 and tries for the evil husband with a financial darkside. This movie also makes for some great pickup lines for the single males. Try this one when you see a beautiful woman in a towel. "Can I borrow your towel for a sec, my car just hit a water buffalo." Cherish Fletch forever and enjoy Chevy when he knew how to make people laugh.
  
  

• Fletch

  
  By A1OGPR0AKZ4K7D on 2008-03-26
  Irwin Fletcher "Fletch" is a newspaper reporter writing as Jane Joe that does what it takes to get the story. Many of his stories require him to go undercover, as his current assignment does. He is on a trail to expose those involved in a drug smuggling ring, but has learned some of the players are even part of the police department. While sniffing out leads, he is lead in another direction when a wealthy man approaches him mistaking Fletch for a transient. He tells Fletch that he is suffering from a terminal illness, and would like to hire Fletch to kill him. Since life insurance policies don't pay out in cases of suicide, he wants to make sure his wife is well provided for in the future. Fletch being the curious guy he is decides to investigate the millionaire's claim. When he discovers that his dying millionaire is not dying, but is in fact hiding a secret life as well as a second wife, the "chase" is on!
  
  This is one of Chevy Chase's finest performances! He takes his comedic genius up a step for this film. The disguises, mannerisms, and funny dialogue showcase him perfectly. No one can slide those one-liners in like he can.
  
  
  

• My Favorite Comedy of ALL TIME!!!

  
  By A2XBBQ36STNJ0G on 2000-11-21
  GET THIS MOVIE!!! I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!! Chevy Chase made a few bad movies when he got started but this ISN'T one of them. As an undercover investigative reporter, Irwin M. Fletcher looks into the local drug traffic, only to get caught up in insurance fraud, police corruption, embezzlement and another man's suit.

  He's Baba au Rum - Holistic Teamster, Magic "Fletch" Christian - Los Angeles Lakers, Ted Nugent - Beach Bum, Igor Stravinsky - Real Estate Developer, Harry S. Truman - Insurance Agent, G. Gordon Liddy - Ajax Supervisor, and a host of of others.

  Look for Larry "Flash" Jenkins ("Ferris Bueller's Day Off"), Joe Don Baker, Tim Matheson, and the beautiful Dana Wheeler-Nicholson. Plus Geena Davis, George Wendt ("Cheers"), Richard Libertini ("The In-Laws") and Tony Longo ("Eraser"). M. Emmett Wash is the rubber-gloved doctor who examines his patients VERY thoroughly. And there's William Sanderson of TV's "Newhart". And finally Burton Gilliam of "Blazing Saddles". Whew!!!

  Chase's one-liners and trickery are so subtle that it probably confounds most professional movie critics. They're always tuned to either the person he's playing or the role he's fulfilling. The autopsy scene is not to be forgotten, but you may have to turn up the volume for the full effect (sorry about that!).

  Learn the one-liners here and you'll have an automatic response for most everday situations. Excellent soundtrack as well.
  
  

• "I'm afraid I'm goona have to pull rank on you here..."

  
  By A1V5G1O9TRGO7M on 2000-10-18
  Fletch is my personal favorite comedy and without a doubt, one of the funniest movies ever made. Chevy Chase is perfectly cast as Irwin Fletcher, a wise cracking newspaper reporter working undercover on a beach to expose a drug running operation. At the same time, he is mistaken for a junkie by shady millionare Alan Stanwyk (Tim Matheson) who asks Fletch to murder him. Fletch agrees but launches an investigation into finding out why this man wants to be killed. This isn't lowbrow humor, it's quick witted and very fast. Fletch requires a few viewings before one is able to grab all the jokes, but it's well worth it. I've seen this movie about 30 times and each and every time I watch, it remains as funny as the first time I saw it. If you've liked Chevy Chase in Caddyshack or National Lampoon's Vacation, than you'll love him here. The dialogue is witty and extremely quotable. Chase's Fletch often disguises himself as he investigates the two mysteries, his cheap disguises and alias' (Ted Nugent, Don Corleone, Dr. Rosenpenis) are hysterical, Chase is a master of deadpan wisecracks, this movie is a perfect showcase for his talent.Aside from the brilliance of Fletch as a comedy, Fletch functions perfectly as a well made mystery movie. I disagree with one reviewer who praised the movie as a comedy but said it wasn't a very good movie. Fletch is a very good movie and aside from Chevy Chase, there are many other reasons for the success of this classic. Screenwriter Andrew Bergman has written one of the trickiest scripts in Hollywood history, it manages to be flat out hilarious, and captivating in the same light. Whenever I watch this film with a new viewer, they are always surprised as to how much the storyline grabbed them. Another plus with this movie is Harold Faltermeyer's superb synthesizer score. It's similar to his earlier Beverly Hills Cop score, maybe even better, it helps set the tone of this movie perfectly. Last but not least, we have the direction, all under the sure hand of Michael Ritchie. He keeps things moving and maintains a comedic tone which occasionally borders on seriousness to help the story progress. Balancing tones isn't easy, in this film it's done so well, it's hardly even noticable.Fletch is all around, an excellent film, but before everything else, it's a VERY funny film. A true cult classic. For audiences whom have seen Beverly Hills Cop, think along those lines, I always thought it would be amusing to see what would happen if Chase's Fletch met with Eddie Murphy's Axel Foley of the Cop films. If you've seen those than you have a good idea of what to expect with Fletch, a film loaded with belly laughs as long as you're willing to pick up on them.
  
  

• Cut To The Chase

  
  By A1GN8UJIZLCA59 on 2001-12-04
  Chevy Chase is at his (...) best in this extremely funny film. He stars as Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher who is an investigative reporter for a L.A.. newspaper. He has gone undercover to expose drug smuggling activity among the L.A.P.D. Along the way he is approached by a rich aeronautical tycoon who claims to be terminally ill and wants Fletch to murder him in order to enact a large life insurance policy for his wife. Mr. Chase dons numerous disguises and uses fake names like Don Corleone, Daniel Poon and Gordon Liddy to hilarious results. He throws out one classic line after another and basically chews up every scene. There are some famous names like Geena Davis, George Wendt and Tim Matheson who are in the film, but this movie is all about Mr. Chase and everyone else takes a backseat.
  
  
• Arnold Babar
  By A3TOCV39IGQU71 on 2005-06-03
  holy crap this is probablly one of the funniest movies Ive seen in my whole life. The actor Chevy Chase is at the top of his game in every scene. He is the Mona Lisa of comedians. Always looking serious but still managing to crack you up.He has a huge gallery of alter egos in this movie ranging from such names as Igor stravinsky, Ted Nugent, Arnold Babar, Dr.Rosenrosen(Rosenpenis) to only name a few.The scene where he sees himself on the Lakers is a classic but my favorite is the rollerskating guru.this one will be smoking till the end of all times!
  
  
• Love that shape.
  By A2ZFVCX438C35V on 2003-02-01
  Fletch must be the second most widely quoted movie, after Caddyshack. Chase plays a perfect Fletch in Andrew Bergman's adaptation of Greg McDonald's private dick novel. The screenplay does a decent job of cleaning up Fletch for the screen. The print character is a little seedier (smokes dope) and a little suaver with the ladies.

  "Movie Fletch" plays up the undercover angle of the character to enhance Chase's strengths. Chevy has a great screen presence and can hold your attention in his many disguises. The excellent pace of the film leaves the viewer little time for distraction. How many times have you caught this on TV and only stopped watching because of a commercial break?

  The Fletch books have recently been reprinted and are about as enjoyable and light as mystery/crime novels get. Pick an old one up .... Start with Fletch and move on from there if you dig it. The book character may not be as goofy as Chevy's but he still has plenty of charm and wit.

  This DVD version could be a little cleaner and sharper. Not to mention the lack of "bonus material". Let's hope another version is coming down the pipe.
  What kind of name is Poon anyway?
  
  

• 2 Paws Up!!!
  By A1YZ467M8EPSV on 2004-01-14
  I watched this with my master today, and boy did he laugh a lot. I like when he laughs because that means he is happy and then he pets me more. The movie had a lot of action, and a lot of humor too! I was a little scared of the Doberman guarding the realtor's office. Those dogs mean business, let me tell you!!! They could easily tear a dog like me in half, so I keep my distance. But yeah, great movie!!!
  
  
• Worth owning
  By A18OC5IKBDYCR6 on 2003-08-28
  I have a somewhat modified rating system. There are movies that suck; those are one star. There are mediocre movies; those get two stars. There are good movies; those get three stars. There are movies which you watch and suspect you'll watch again; those get four. And then, of course, there's the movies you watch for the first time -- and then, on the way home, still laughing, go to the store, buy, wake up your wife, and force her to watch, but of course she doesn't really get it, and is mostly irritated at you, but you don't regret it because man, it's really just that funny, and you skip work the next day and watch it a couple more times, and by the end of the week you and all of your buddies telling a waiter "I'll have a steak sandwich and... a steak sandwich" and giggling. Monty Python's "Holy Grail" is the, well, the grail shaped beacon of these movies; "A Fish Called Wanda", perhaps "There's Something About Mary." These are comedies with staying power; humor which uses more than shock and vulgarity, motivated by the lunacy of the human condition.

  If you haven't seen "Fletch", well, frankly, I'm jealous. I'll never get to see it for the first time again, and there just aren't that many treasures like this out there.

  And if you have seen it, you know you want to see it again, and you'll end up watching enough times to justify the cost, and, what the heck. Charge it to the Underhills.
  
  

• Love This Movie
  By A1TJMJQ2SK4V40 on 2003-11-14
  This is Chevy Chase at his best. The fast one liners are perfect and he manages to have one for every conceivable occasion. Yes, he does have a cynical and detached view of the world, but that sort of humor suits me. It's not everybody's cup cup of tea, but Chase at his best reminds me of (upcoming blashemy) Groucho Marx.
  
  
• In all it's anamorphic widescreen brilliance!
  By A2UWJWG6RKDD6P on 2005-03-15
  The best movie. I believe there's not a week goes by that I don't mutter a line from this movie.
  
  Every one of fletch's characters have that one witty line that bears repeating! "Awh gah gah darn!" At times I'll go to restaurants and give them names like "Claude Henry Smoot" (From Fletch Lives!) and "John Coctostoso"
  
  ...It's all ball bearings these days!
  
  
• 400 dollars for lunch???
  By AYYOPF6RG019D on 2005-03-28
  My fellow devotees, what else can be said? I saw this movie in the theater in 1985 (as a teenager) and have seen it over 100(!) times since then (no exaggeration!). Needless to say, I know it so well, I don't have to watch it anymore. It's become part of my consciousness. Of all the movies with lotsa one liners, THIS IS #1--As another reviewer remarked, no matter how far apart my brother and I drift from one another, and it's become quite far these days, we always have 'Fletch'. It's practically its own language, and for those of us who 'know it', you can converse with someone else in 'Fletch' without anyone else having a clue about what you're talking about. My mom is always lost whenever my brother and I 'get into it'... What's funny is that she laughs at some of it even though she has no clue what the hell we're talking about. For those who haven't seen it or don't like it, this is the role Chevy Chase was born to play. Nothing before (no, Caddyshack has its moments, but nothing like this) or after 'Fletch' even comes close (no, not even SNL). This is the BIBLE for Chevy Chase. In any genre, in any time period, this is both a masterpiece and a classic. This is Mt. Everest-----By the way, the sequel sucked, and if Kevin Smith (and Jason Lee) make their own, I hope they're ready to scale some lofty heights...
  
  
• Jane Doe Edition= Great Pcture and Sound, Lousy Extras
  By AJHWUHJN5ET30 on 2007-12-21
  I did not own the previous DVD of Fletch when this came out, so I bought it right away. The sound quality gets an A, and the picture quality gets a B+ (At times, there is a lot of grain particles. This is common of most 80's movies, though.) The disc claims it has been remastered, which it has. I rented the previous version and watched this new one right next to it, and I could tell an incredible difference in picture quality and sound from the previous version. The special features aren't great (they get a D or a D-), maybe worth one view.
  
  BOTTOM LINE: If you don't own the previous DVD, get this one by all means.
  If you are a fan, and own the previous version, this new one is worth it for the picture and sound upgrade.
  If you own the previous version, but don't care about picture or sound/ don't tend to double- dip on DVDs, skip this new release.
  
  NOTE: I watched the new DVD on a HDTV through an HD DVD player. This improves the picture and sound quality from a non- High Def DVD player and/ or TV.
  
  Fletch is a great comedy, and one of my favorite 80's films.
  
  
• The Chevy Chase Masterpiece!
  By A2BX9LG94GZ17U on 2007-02-03
  It has been a long time coming, but this Chevy Chase masterpiece makes its return to DVD. For some time now, you could only find this DVD on ebay or used sites for extravagant ammounts of money. However, you can't keep a good man down. I.M. Fletcher that is. While some critics lump this movie in with alot of other 80's garbage that seems to all blend together, Fletch is different. Besides being a cult classic, it showcases Chevy Chase's talents in a way that only a few movies ever have, and is genuinely funny. It was the character he was born to play, and he does so flawlessly. Whether he is Fletch, or one of his many alter-ego's, Chevy Chase will leave you rolling on the floor with laughter, and wanting more. Fletch is BACK on DVD, and thats good news for everybody.
  
  
• One of the best, if not the best, Chevy Chase role of all time
  By A2TWLP80OY28S6 on 2007-06-03
  When I was about eight years old, Fletch was released in the movie theaters. And I absolutely loved it. Everything about it was cool, from the dorky tall guy humor, to the car chase in the Alfa, to the Harold Faltermeyer soundtrack. Indeed, it sat at the top of my list (along with Beverly Hills Cop (Special Collector's Edition), another detective-who-impersonates-people-with-hilarious-results flick with a Faltermeyer score) of Movies To Live By, for many years. I used lines such as, "Can I borrow your towel? I just hit a water buffalo" with my classmates, but all I drew were blank stares and comments like, "you're weird." Such was third grade.
  
  Many years later, I made the mistake of selling my VHS copy of Fletch in a bulk auction with about thirty-three other tapes. I was moving, so it made sense, but I regretted losing my only copy -- and there was no DVD available to replace it!
  
  So now the movie has been released on DVD (a second time after a gap of a few years) in the "Jane Doe Edition," so named for Irwin Fletcher's by-line. And now that I am married, and my wife has seen the movie with me, I am aware of the movie's shortcomings. In fact, if you don't like Chevy Chase, you might think this movie is just downright dumb. But I find it so easy to identify with a character who uses his wits to get himself out of trouble that I can easily overlook some less-than-credible plot elements and the use of Geena Davis as a doormat.
  
  Here's how the story goes: Fletch is an investigative reporter pretending to be a junkie, blending in on the LA beach with many who are the real thing. He is trying to find out the source behind the drugs so that he can make headlines in the newspaper he works for. At the same time, he is offered $50,000 and a foolproof escape plan to kill a wealthy man named Alan Stanwyk, who says he is dying of bone cancer.
  
  Much of the story revolves around Fletch pretending to be other people while he gently pries information out of gullible and confused bystanders. In a typical scene, Fletch passes for a government messenger (Mr. Poon) who has to collect information on allegations about the company Stanwyk has married into. He interviews the CEO of Boyd Aviation, who also happens to be Alan Stanwyk's father-in-law, and finds out all kinds of information that helps get to the bottom of the unusual proposition. Whether this seems credible or not is beside the point. The characters Chase comes up with take center stage, as he wriggles his way into any subculture he pleases by using a few props and a quick wit.
  
  The "Jane Doe Edition" does have a few extras, of course, besides the external sleeve that reveals various Fletch identities, depending on perspective. In the Special Features you will find a chuckleworthy mockumentary in which an amateur filmmaker does some interviews with people who worked on the movie. There is also a brief bit in which the make-up artists and producers talk about the many disguises Fletch uses. Besides the obligatory trailer, you will also find a clever montage piecing together some of the funniest moments of the movie, grouped loosely by category: foreign phrases, noises made with the mouth, et cetera. It's fun for long-time fans in particular.
  
  One of my only misgivings about the DVD is the lack of any new Chevy Chase material. There are no interviews with him, no commentaries, nothing more recent than what he did in the original movie. His career is not exactly red-hot these days; would it have been so difficult to get him on board? My guess is that his asking price was a bit too high, but there are legions of twenty- and thirty-something American men who make this movie a part of their own personal philosophy and religion. It is this cult following which should keep the "Jane Doe Edition" sales strong for years to come.
  
  
• The Film Chevy Chase Will Be Remembered For
  By A2V3P1XE33NYC3 on 2003-09-06
  You really take your life in your hands every time you sit down with a Chevy Chase film. Let's face reality here: Chevy Chase is responsible for several of the worst movies ever made. Does it take more than a few minutes to see the mind numbing folly of "Nothing But Trouble," "The Three Amigos," and "Spies Like Us"? Chase has sure had his truly embarrassing moments on the big screen. What redeems the guy is this 1985 classic, the truly great "Fletch." With the possible exception of the "Vacation" films and "Fletch," Chase rarely found a vehicle that played up to his deadpan, smart alecky comedic delivery. In the role of newspaper reporter Irwin Fletcher, Chase makes the character all his own as he knocks it out of the ballpark in this ultra funny, well-crafted film based on a plot involving drug trafficking, bigamy, and murder. If I had to draw up a list of the top five films I have watched the most, "Fletch" would appear somewhere on that list. I've probably watched this movie forty or fifty times since it originally came out, and I never tire of his corny impressions and awesome lines. "Fletch" is an unmitigated classic.

  Fletch writes articles for a big Los Angeles newspaper under the pseudonym Jane Doe, and he's always on the lookout for a good story. After going undercover on a local beach where he poses as a drug addict and mixes with other users and dealers, Fletch finds himself in the middle of a murder for hire deal when a rich executive named Alan Stanwyck (Tim Matheson) wants Fletch to do him in for a stack of money. Further problems with more questions than answers follow: who is Alan Stanwyck, and why are the police acting suspicious on the beach where all that heroin is floating around? Fletch's investigations into Stanwyck's past uncover a plethora of dirty deals: bigamy, drug dealing, and possible links between the police department and the crooked executive. As Fletch narrows down the scope of these scams, he continually dukes it out with his indifferent editor who never believes anything the reporter says. The investigation takes Fletch to Utah, on high-speed car chases through the city, into a jail cell with a gun pointed at his head, and into the arms of Stanwyck's beautiful wife. Fletch never doubts he will crack the case wide open and get the scoop of the year at the paper, but sometimes it looks as though he won't get out of this one alive. One of the best things the movie has going for it is this multi-layered mystery story, which is loaded with great twists and turns all the way to the end.

  If "Fletch" was merely a murder/mystery story, it wouldn't achieve immortality; it's the comedy that makes this one an enduring cult classic. Fletch has a habit of using outrageously cheap disguises in order to pump people for information, and along with these costumes he always throws out a fake name to go along with it. At various times during the course of the film, Fletch claims his name is Harry S. Truman, Don Corleone, John Cocktosten, Dr. Rosenrosen, Ted Nugent, Mr. Babar, and Mr. Poon (a name that Fletch reveals is of "Comanche Indian" lineage). He gets away with such outrageous behavior because he talks fast and most people don't listen to everything he says. Most of Chase's lines in this movie are hilariously inappropriate, and it quickly becomes apparent that there are very few comedians/actors who could toss out this type of dialogue and get laughs. Chase does it easily and believably. It takes several viewings just to pick up on everything he says.

  The supporting cast in "Fletch" is stellar, with Richard Libertini as Fletch's editor Frank, Geena Davis in a small role as a newspaper employee who worships the ground Fletch walks on named Larry, Joe Don Baker as the psychotic Police Chief Karlin, George Wendt as the seedy heroin dealer Fat Sam, George Wyner as the relentless attorney of Fletch's ex-wife, and M. Emmet Walsh as the "handy" Doctor Dolan. Everyone does a great job serving as cannon fodder for Fletch's sharp barbs. These barbs are some of the best you will hear in a motion picture: "Can I borrow your towel? My car just hit a water buffalo," and "Oh. Do you have the Beatles White Album? Never mind, just bring me a cup of hot fat. And the head of Alfredo Garcia," and "I would have been here sooner, but a manure-spreader jackknifed on the Santa Ana. You should see my shoes." Anyone else trying to pull this off would fail miserably, but again, Chase does a wonderful job with the jokes.

  The DVD release is wickedly lackluster. We don't get anything in the way of extras except a trailer and some production notes, but at least the movie does come in a widescreen format. I've heard that some of the discs don't have ANYTHING but the movie on them, but I haven't seen one of these flawed discs personally. Either way, why is there no commentary from Chevy Chase on here? Could you imagine how great it would be to hear him wax philosophically about the G. Gordon Liddy segment, or his encounters with Gail Stanwyck at the resort? We desperately need a special edition version of "Fletch" in the near future. Just writing this review makes me want to watch the movie again, and I know I'll laugh at it as hard as I did the forty other times I've seen it. "Fletch" is simply a massively entertaining treat.
  
  

• An easy favorite.
  By A1D3XQC2DIT on 2005-03-09
  Even better than the National Lampoon's Vacation series, Chase's performance in Fletch is second only to that in Caddyshack.
  
  This classic movie is, unfortunately, lesser known to anyone who did not grow up in the 80s. Chase's one liners are hilarious, though not always quotable due to lack of context. Fletch goes back to the old school funny that only the Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray class can provide. This is either one of the funniest serious movies or one of the most serious funny movies. Whichever it is, you should definitely see it if you have not.
  
  
• Doc, you got your whole fist up there? Ever do time?
  By A35WVFSULRE1G9 on 2005-07-16
  The great SNL alum at his best. Chevy Chase was the man in the eighties, Caddychack, Fletch, Vacation. What happened, oh yeah, he got off the drugs. Whatever, Fletch is a riot. Chevy at his best, serious face, but cracking oneliners that are forever remembered. Plotline simple and easy to figure out, but watching Chevy switch from identity to identity is genious. He also adlibbed alot of his lines. Too bad he went on to a talk show where his lines were not scripted nor improvised very well. He needs to be in front of a movie camera, then his talents explode. You could be the biggest hardcore mean guy, if you don't chuckle at this, you need to be locked up,....Dr. Rosenpenis,....crazy. Go to a party, quote some of his lines, guaranteed people will chime in. One heck of a funny film. Purshase this DVD and charm a date or friends, just watch out for that water buffalo in the road, Chevy was God then. Please Chevy, come back and entertain us some more, we miss you.
  
  
• One of the best comedies ever
  By A27LS5V6C6IBHD on 2007-02-03
  What makes this movie so great is that all of the most important parts are so well executed. First Chevy Chase has NEVER been this funny before or since. Next the writing is amazing, more quotable lines this side of the Big Lebowski. I cannot tell you how good this movie really is just buy it you will LOVE it!
  
  
• Great to see the DVD, thanks Chevy for caring so much!
  By A35M164R0LI3A5 on 2007-05-04
  One of my favorite movies and I am very glad that it has finally been released on DVD. The documentary kind of made a joke about "forgetting" to interview Chevy. That is all fine to try and come up with an explanation as to why he is absent, but ridiculous at the same time. Everyone else who was interviewed appears to have fond memories of this great movie! Chevy, you must have been too busy, huh? It really would have been nice to hear your thoughts on the movie. And we hear about deleted scenes, but don't actually get them. Again, great movie, decent DVD, but a "missed opportunity!"
  
  
• Missing In Action
  By A39EZIC80Q2K5D on 2007-05-08
  This DVD edition of "Fletch" features a pristine print of the film with great sound and that's the reason to buy it. The bonus features are a DVD producer appearing on camera, desperately trying to be funny and failing, whilst trying to disguise the fact that Chevy Chase didn't participate in this DVD release. It's too bad, as he provided extras for the release of "National Lampoon's Vacation." As studios reap huge rewards off having stars and others involved with their disc releases, it becomes more and more important for the talent to be compensated and my guess is perhaps they couldn't make a deal for Mr. Chase's valuable time. Still, if you love the film you'll love the transfer... but some DVD producers are best served staying behind the scenes. Way, way behind.
  
  
• 5 stars for movie - zero stars for "extra features"
  By A53S8VVT1IHA7 on 2007-05-26
  wow, the studio is this desperate for a cash in? Retail price of $20 for a "new edition" that interviews only a handful of cast members and never Chevy Chase? Claim that there are "deleted scenes" and only show about 5 camera stills of them? If this 'bonus features' producer really does like the movie so much then he should be utterly ashamed at himself for misleading fans this way. Old cast members tell you their favorite Fletch moments - big deal. This is worth buying it all over again? And a seperate chapter for 'best moments' when the previous chapter interviewed people talking about the exact same things? Maybe Chevy was never interviewed because he knew what a desperate cash-in attempt it was for this unworthy "rerelease". Save your money and stick w/ the bare-bones original.
  
  
• Movie - 5 Stars, Extras - NO STARS
  By A1XQQMYRGFC3Q on 2007-08-14
  The exec at Universal who approved of the extras on this DVD needs to be fired... or better yet, escorted to the Hollywood border and banished for life. I have never seen worse extras on a DVD - these extras are so bad, I would rather have a version of the DVD without them.
  
  The extras completely disrespect this film.
  
  I want my money back.
  
  The film is probably Chevy Chase's best work... and one of the few good mystery films to come out of Hollywood since CHINATOWN.
  
  So what do we get for extras? A completely self-indulgent film starring the *producer of the extras* who thinks that he is funny - but he is not. He does a pile of lame gags that are not funny, and interviews some cast and crew memebers - which would be okay, except at least half of the interviews are about *him* - the producer of the extras! He's some guy in his late 20s who obviously thinks the world revolves around him. After a few minutes, you're tired of the guy - his ego is *massive* and his talent is miniscule.
  
  No Chevy Chase interview - which is weird because Chase has done all kinds of low budget films lately - many haven't even been released (BAD MEAT).
  
  Also - nothing about the Fletch novels by Greg Mcdonald - the *source* of the character and story. The novels were so popular that they bought the rights to use the novel's logo for the movie. But from these extras you would never even know there was a book - let alone and entire series. And you's never know these books are big award winners, and bestsellers. They just ignore the books completely.
  
  Instead of any behind the scenes, instead of anything about the books, instead of anything about the director (who made some great stuff - and made Robert Redford into a big star), instead of anything that focuses on the very clever plotting of the story (from the book), we get a short about the extras producer and a bunch of random clips from the film.
  
  Someone at Universal should lose their job over this.
  
  See the movie, avoid the extras at all costs.
  
  - Bill
  
  
• I have to agree with the others!
  By A2AE10QQVZIK9W on 1999-12-07
  Destined to be a cult-classic, this is easily Chevy Chase's best film. In fact, it's one of the best comedies Hollywood has produced since the Marx Brothers. Fletch also serves as a masterclass in the now-defunct sub-genre of the comedy-thriller. This seemed all the rage in the 80's (the equally superb Beverly Hills Cop and Midnight Run being fine examples); a good storyline, strong villains and plenty of wisecracks. Bring back these kind of films!
  
  
• One of my all-time Top 5 Funny Movies
  By A3URMIVRQLZVMO on 2000-12-15
  "Fletch" may be the movie with the most JPM (Jokes per minute), some outrageously funny, and some very subtle (such as Fletch's boss holding the coffee pot..."Can I help you with that?". If you dont' laugh at least once during this movie, you absolutely have no sense of humor.

  Chevy Chase IS I.M. Fletcher. Given Chase's style, I don't see how this character could have been played by anyone else. And it's a good thing, too. There are few films where the lead character is so completely dominant. There isn't a single scene without him, and only a few shots that do not either have him on screen or are shot from his perspective. So the burden of pulling this film off falls squarely on Chase, and he delivers in spades.

  This doesn't mean that the rest of the cast doesn't have a significant contribution. 2 of them stand out: Richard Libertini, as Fletch's hi-strung boss, and William Traylor as Ted Underhill, who unwittingly finances some of Fletch's adventures. The rest put in solid, if unremarkable performances.

  There is a plethora of quotable dialogue ("If you shoot me, you're going to lose a lot of those humanitarian awards") and memorable scenes (such as the VFW-type dinner) to keep you laughing. A definate classic.
  
  

• "...put it on the Underhills' bill..."
  By A21B2TJBWCSK1R on 2003-07-08
  For my money, Fletch is the best film Chevy Chase ever made. I can pop it in my player almost any time and still find the movie just as funny, no matter how many times I've seen it. And yet, the film is too often dismissed as just another dated piece of 1980s pop-culture. Or worse, it is deemed the sole highlight of Chase's career that subsequently went downhill over the years.

  So why does Fletch continue to inspire such a strong and loyal following after almost 20 years? Insanely quotable dialogue, a colorful assortment of character actors and, of course, Chevy Chase's inimitable, vintage smart-aleck mode.

  Chase shows a stellar range of physical comedy in this movie. His technique ranges from broader displays, such as the dream sequence when he imagines himself as the unusually aggressive L.A. Lakers star power forward, to more subtle bits such as when he bangs his nose into a door, posing as the accident-prone Mr. Poon.

  Capitalizing on the immensely popular action comedy, Beverly Hills Cop, Fletch adheres to the same formula: the maverick protagonist who has a problem with authority, the use of multiple disguises to get in and out of dicey situations for comedic effect, the obligatory car chase, and even the hopelessly dated synth-soundtrack by Harold Faltermeyer. Fletch deviates in one significant aspect: Chase's character never uses a gun (he also repeatedly gets the bejeezus kicked out of him).

  Fletch is essentially a vehicle tailor-made for Chevy Chase. It plays to Chase's strengths; in addition to his affinity for physical comedy, the movie is famous for showcasing his trademark deadpan delivery of dialogue and his knack for playing a wide variety of characters - abilities he perfected on Saturday Night Live. Chase expertly juggles Fletch's numerous aliases. From the likes of the absent-minded, Dr. Rosenrosen to Mr. Underhill's country club "friend," John Cocktosten, Chase makes each one distinctive and hilariously memorable.

  Another aspect of Fletch that makes it so memorable is the strong supporting cast. The film features character actors like Joe Don Baker as the slimy Chief of Police Karlin (who brings a wonderfully scary intensity to his role), George Wendt as the amiable drug dealer Fat Sam, Tim Matheson as the double-dealing bigamist Alan Stanwyk, M. Emmet Walsh as the probing Dr. Dolan, and a young, pre-Thelma and Louise Geena Davis as Larry, Fletch's ever loyal co-worker. One of the joys of the movie is how Chase interacts with all these people and how they react to his flippant, off-handed remarks. Watch him in action in the hospital sequence as he confuses and befuddles the staff in order to get the information he wants -- it's not only what he says to them but, more importantly, how he delivers the dialogue that makes it so funny.

  More so than in any other film, Fletch is classic Chevy Chase. While he's in exceptional form in Caddyshack and National Lampoon's Vacation, they don't showcase his unique talents as befittingly as Fletch. In every scene, Chase does a fantastic job carrying the picture.
  
  

• Worth owning
  By A18OC5IKBDYCR6 on 2003-08-28
  I have a somewhat modified rating system. There are movies that suck; those are one star. There are mediocre movies; those get two stars. There are good movies; those get three stars. There are movies which you watch and suspect you'll watch again; those get four. And then, of course, there's the movies you watch for the first time -- and then, on the way home, still laughing, go to the store, buy, wake up your wife, and force her to watch, but of course she doesn't really get it, and is mostly irritated at you, but you don't regret it because man, it's really just that funny, and you skip work the next day and watch it a couple more times, and by the end of the week you and all of your buddies telling a waiter "I'll have a steak sandwich and... a steak sandwich" and giggling. Monty Python's "Holy Grail" is the, well, the grail shaped beacon of these movies; "A Fish Called Wanda", perhaps "There's Something About Mary." These are comedies with staying power; humor which uses more than shock and vulgarity, motivated by the lunacy of the human condition.

  If you haven't seen "Fletch", well, frankly, I'm jealous. I'll never get to see it for the first time again, and there just aren't that many treasures like this out there.

  And if you have seen it, you know you want to see it again, and you'll end up watching enough times to justify the cost, and, what the heck. Charge it to the Underhills.
  
  

• Why aren't movies like this anymore???
  By on 2006-02-16
  This is one of the funniest movie's I've ever seen!
  Chevy Chase does great, especially in his portrayal of the mechanic that just fixed my car... THE PUNK...IT'S STILL BROKEN.. (any mechanic who thinks I'm referring to them should seriously consider buying a new tool set, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE and I will stand on your street corner with a sign of warning to all your potential clients until you make the repair I paid for)
  
  I've seen this movie about 10 times and enjoy it as much as I ever did. Definitely worth purchasing as a gift or for yourself.
  
  
  
• A Realistic View of a Classic
  By A3IXOTBQ767WJ7 on 2000-06-03
  Fletch has long been one of my all-time favorite movies. It's hip and fast-talking, doesn't play to a dumbed-down audience, and never ceases to crack me up, no matter how many times I see it. At one point, I had pretty much the entire movie memorized, and still probably know most of it.

  But let's be realistic. Fletch is a hilarious movie -- a cult classic -- but it's not without its flaws. It's filled with great one-liners, but the script runs roughshod over Gregory McDonald's plot, obscuring it. Could the adaptation have been better? Maybe, but it's doubtful that would've made it a better movie.

  Looking objectively, it's just not a great film. Looking subjectively, it's one of the best comedies ever made. This is one you just have to judge for yourself.
  
  

• I Never Get Tired Of This Movie
  By A1108YC0J9YDDO on 2000-04-28
  Fletch is one of the best comedies I've ever seen. The constant barrage of one-liners never stops. This is one of the few comedies I've seen that kept me laughing so much, I missed stuff. As I remember, this is one film that a lot of big name critics bashed. This film is also the reason I don't listen to those critics anymore!
  
  

• Fletch Lives
• Spies Like Us
• I Am Legend (Widescreen Single-Disc Edition)
• Three Amigos!
• Foul Play