I loved the 1985 Fletch adaptation starring Chevy Chase, and I’ve read a few of Gregory McDonald’s novels, and have been eager to see the iconic and laconic investigative reporter return to the screen.

That journey has been long and arduous and has seen many creative people involved in trying to resurrect the character. Greg Mottola finally succeeded, and with Jon Hamm in the title role, everything works.

In fact, this version of the character and the story (based on the second novel in the series) are probably the closest to the literary version of the character. Unfortunately, I don’t think it did well enough to earn a sequel (although Mottola is apparently working on one) because Hamm is wonderful as I.M. Fletcher, he’s got the right look, style and delivery to make the character extremely likable.

Fletch finds himself in Boston at the best of his Italian girlfriend, Angela de Grassi (Lorenza Izzo) who wants him to track down a collection of paintings stolen from her kidnapped (and presumed dead) father’s collection.

Unfortunately, within hours of arriving in Boston Fletch finds himself framed for murder and working with/against a pair of officers, Monroe (Roy Wood Jr.) and Griz (Ayden Mayeri) to find out the truth about the paintings, the murder, and the involvement of art maven, Ronald Horan (Kyle MacLachlan) and Owen Tassserly (John Behlmann).

With a series of name changes and cover stories, Fletch talks to neighbours, fends off his potential mother-in-law, Sylvia (Marcia Gay Harden) and tries to put the pieces together, all while promising an exclusive to his former editor, Frank Jaffe (Hamm’s Mad Men co-star John Slattery).

It’s playful and smart, and Hamm seems to be having a great time. The story had to be updated for the 21st century, as the source material was written in 1976, and several things have changed, but I think the changes work, and show that even now, Fletch works great as a character, and his stories are still damned entertaining.

There’s a swinging score by David Arnold, which too briefly gives a quick nod to Harold Faltermeyer’s Fletch theme (I would have liked more of that please) and the production design is perfect for the story. In fact, everything works for this one, and I hope the film finds more success on streaming platforms than it did at the theatres.

Those of us who love Fletch were more than ready for a sequel/reboot, and perhaps the rest of the world didn’t know who the character was. Hopefully, though, they will seek this one out, it’s a delightful murder mystery and has some really great performances.

And as much as I love the original 1985 film, Hamm is a much better Fletch than Chase. I said it.