Fletch Lives 1989

Dave Kehr, Chicago Tribune: With arbitrary laugh lines coming along to strip the credibility from every situation and the integrity from every character, there's hardly a moment in the new film that seems as authentically alive as a California Raisins commercial. Read more

Chris Willman, Los Angeles Times: In this meager sequel, as in its popular predecessor, Chevy Chase demolishes every easy target in sight with a quip of the tongue. Some of the lines are funny, but after a while you just want to smack him. Read more

Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel: The sequel, like the original, is entertaining in a slightly stale, basically sitcomy way. Read more

Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer: Being so sour about Fletch makes one feel like Kvetch, but seriously, is all it takes to be a screen comic the ability to flare the nostrils and to fall down? Read more

Vincent Canby, New York Times: Mr. Chase is such an agreeably low-pressure comedian that a movie has to be very inept to be as irritating as Fletch Lives. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: Fletch Lives is one more dispirited slog through the rummage sale of movie cliches. Read more

Mark Kermode, Time Out: The humour throughout is alternately mindless, sexist, racist, and homophobic, and would probably offend if you managed to stay awake. Read more

Variety Staff, Variety: Chevy Chase is perfectly suited to playing a smirking, wisecracking, multiple-identitied reporter in Fletch Lives. Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: If you appreciate his kind of drop-dead deadpan, you'll enjoy the journey south. Read more

Rita Kempley, Washington Post: Chase may be 12 years past Prime Time, but the 45-year-old pratfaller has never been better. He and Fletch were made for each other as surely as Kojak and Tootsie Pops. Read more