As the newest adventures of iconic mystery figure Irwin Fletch reach audiences, Jon Hamm and Greg Mottola recently sat down with Advocate Channel correspondent Rachel Smith to discuss how their newest installment in the series, Confess, Fletch, can affect the lives of their audiences.
With the success of Hamm's other most recent film, Top Gun: Maverick, he notes a trend of nostalgia that seems to be overtaking audiences in recent years. With the uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic, Hamm believes people have been seeking stories and characters they find familiar.
"I think there is something of a nostalgic moment we're having right now," he says. "I think we've been cooped up for a couple years, and people are looking for things that feel familiar or comfortable, and I think certainly you could make that case for the success of Top Gun, and obviously that's a very different movie-going experience."
Confess, Fletch follows the story of Chevy Chase's iconic character Irwin Fletch, this time played by Hamm, as he becomes entangled in another mystery. While the journalist looks into a case of stolen art, he becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation. To prove his innocence, Fletch must first interrogate the other suspects, which range from a missing playboy to his ex-girlfriend.
With mysteries such as Knives Out or Death on the Nile gaining popularity, Hamm likens Confess, Fletch to iconic contemporary detective films. He believes audiences have been craving stories that end in justice being served, as anxieties are rarely solved so easily in real life.
"What we were discussing when we were deciding how to make this movie was there seems to be this moment in time that's happening right now where people are into this kind of detective story and whodunit," Hamm says. "There's a real desire for that, and not to get too psychoanalytical, but I think part of it is people want their problems solved. We have so many problems out there in real life that don't seem to have solutions. When you get to the end of the story, and everything wraps up, and the bad guy gets it, and the good guy gets to solve the problem, that feels cathartic in a way. And if we can do that with a laugh, that's even better."
Director Greg Mottola, shares that the their goal in making Confess, Fletch was to tap into this trend of nostalgia and honor Chase's originals, while also creating a story that is fresh and entertaining.
He says: "We said let's try and walk that line and make it the kind of story people crave or that has those elements. [Let's] pay an homage to the original without trying to imitate."
The character of Irwin Fletch has become iconic to not just mystery enjoyers, but to all fans that were enraptured by his calm and cool demeanor. While Mottola believes his charisma adds to the appeal of the film, he also believes that audiences can learn a thing or two from Fletch.
"Wouldn't it be great to be Fletch? People are very anxious right now for a lot of different reasons. And Fletch just lets it all roll off of his back, and he just does his own thing."
Confess, Fletch was released September 16 in select theaters. If you can't catch it there, catch it on the Showtime channel for free or on Amazon Prime and Apple TV for purchase. Check out The Advocate Channel 's full interview with Hamm and Mottola below.
