Wikipedia

Fletch Lives

Fletch Livesis a 1989 Americancomedymystery filmstarringChevy Chaseand thesequeltoFletch(1985), directed byMichael Ritchiefrom a screenplay by Leon Capetanos, and based on the character created byGregory Mcdonald.

Fletch Lives
Theatrical release poster, parodying that ofGone with the Wind
Directed byMichael Ritchie
Written byLeon Capetanos
Based onCharacters
byGregory Mcdonald
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyJohn McPherson
Edited byRichard A. Harris
Music byHarold Faltermeyer
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • March 17, 1989(1989-03-17)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$8 million[1]
Box office$39.5 million[2]

Plot

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Fletch, a reporter inLos Angelesfor theLos Angeles Times,is contacted by the executor of his late aunt's will, attorney Amanda Ray Ross. Ross informs Fletch he has inherited his aunt's 80-acre (32 ha) plantation, Belle Isle, inThibodaux, Louisiana.Upon arriving, Fletch is disappointed to find the mansion terribly dilapidated, but he agrees to keep on its caretaker, Calculus Entropy. Fletch has dinner with Ross at her home, and she tells him of an anonymous $225,000 bid for Belle Isle.

Fletch awakens the next morning to find Ross dead. Fletch is charged with Ross's murder and taken into custody, nearly being raped by his cellmate Ben Dover, spared only because Dover is released on bail. Dover's lawyer Hamilton "Ham" Johnson manages to get Fletch released. When Fletch declines a second, even larger, offer of $250,000 for Belle Isle, this time presented by realtor Becky Culpepper, he starts getting harassed. First, a hired group ofKu Klux Klansmenharasses him. Then, an arsonist burns down the mansion. Finally, Ben Dover tries to kill Fletch during a raccoon hunt with some locals. Fletch discovers the land on Belle Isle is polluted bytoxic waste.He determines to uncover the identity of the anonymous buyer, whom he suspects is attempting to intimidate him into selling.

He learns the localmegachurch,Farnsworth Ministries, is interested in obtaining the Belle Isle property. Fletch investigatestelevangelistJimmy Lee Farnsworth, and discovers Farnsworth's daughter is Becky Culpepper. The toxic chemicals in the soil of Belle Isle are traced back to Bly Bio, a chemical waste facility in Mississippi. Fletch obtains an invoice from the plant's manager, which proves that Ham Johnson ordered the waste dumped on the Belle Isle land.

Fletch confronts Ham with the evidence at a costume party fundraiser hosted by Ham at his home. Ham admits he polluted Belle Isle out of revenge for the way he feels Farnsworth took advantage of Ham's mother shortly before she died. Farnsworth persuaded her in her confused mental state to give away her valuable land, on which the church then built a profitable amusement park. Ham intended to devalue the land owned by Farnsworth Ministries. He killed Ross when she realized his plan. Becky is captured by Dover and brought to Ham's mansion, and Ham orders Dover to kill Fletch and her. Fletch creates a distraction by spilling out the urn containing Ham's mother's ashes, and Becky and he escape. They flee to the Farnsworth Ministries church nearby, interrupting a televised service in progress. Ham follows them, intending to kill Fletch, but Ham is shot by Calculus. Afterwards, Calculus reveals himself to be FBI Special Agent Goldstein working undercover as part of an investigation of Farnsworth Ministries' financial dealings.

Returning to Los Angeles with Becky, Fletch is thrown a welcome home party by his co-workers and receives a $100,000 insurance claim check for the mansion fire. His ex-wife's alimony lawyer, Marvin Gillett, appears, offering to forego all future alimony payments in exchange for the Belle Isle property. Fletch happily signs over the polluted land.

Cast

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Reception

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Onreview aggregatorRotten Tomatoes,35% of 31 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.7/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Chevy Chase remains ideally suited for the role, butFletch Liveslacks its predecessor's wit, relying instead on silly disguises, cheap stereotypes, and largely unfunny gags. "[3]Metacritic,which uses aweighted average,assigned the film a score of 40 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[4]Audiences polled byCinemaScoregave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.[5]

Roger Ebertgave it 1.5 out of four stars.[6] The Los Angeles Timeswrote: "Some of the lines are funny, but after a while you just want to smack him."[7]

Box office

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The movie debuted at No. 1.[8]It went on to gross $39.4 million worldwide.[2]

References

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  1. ^Box Office Information forFletch Lives.Archived2014-07-14 at theWayback MachineThe Wrap.Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  2. ^abBox Office Information forFletch Lives.Box Office Mojo.Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  3. ^"Fletch Lives".Rotten Tomatoes.Fandango Media.RetrievedApril 28,2024.
  4. ^"Fletch Lives Reviews".Metacritic.Fandom, Inc.RetrievedDecember 20,2022.
  5. ^"Home".CinemaScore.Retrieved2022-12-21.
  6. ^Roger Ebert(1989-03-17)."Fletch Lives:: rogerebert:: Reviews".Chicago Sun-Times.Archivedfrom the original on September 30, 2007.Retrieved2022-04-01.
  7. ^CHRIS WILLMAN (1989-03-17)."MOVIE REVIEW: 'Fletch Lives' Takes Bad Jokes, Bad Taste to Deep South - Los Angeles Times".Los Angeles Times.Archivedfrom the original on July 2, 2015.Retrieved2012-08-05.
  8. ^Easton, Nina J. (1989-03-21)."WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Chevy Lives... 'Rooftops' Collapses - Los Angeles Times".Articles.latimes.Archivedfrom the original on March 6, 2016.Retrieved2012-08-05.
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