You may never have seen the movie Fletch, the 1985 comedy starring Chevy Chase, Joe Don Baker, and Tim Matheson. That doesn't necessarily mean that you cannot quote the movie at will, as nary a day goes by that someone isn't reeling off one-liners from this classic "guy" film. There's rarely the need to go to the video store for the DVD, or to put it way up your Netflix list - Fletch is a regular staple on cable stations. But he's had enough of the "edited for content", commercial-laden showings; it's time for him to have his own copy.  Grab a Fletch DVD for his Christmas stocking or Father's Day - and a bloody Mary, a steak sandwich, and a steak sandwich.

In Fletch, Chevy Chase plays Irwin M. Fletcher, or simply "Fletch", a newspaper journalist writing under the pseudonym Jane Doe - and dropping aliases throughout the movie, from the famous (Ted Nugent) to the obscure (John Cocktoston). In the opening, we find Fletch posing as a beach transient, investigating some nefarious drug-dealing on the Los Angeles beaches.  Fletch soon comes across one Alan Stanwyk (Matheson), a local, well-heeled businessman who has been looking for a bum like Fletch to kill him - for $50,000 in return - and end the misery that bone cancer is causing him and his family, which would receive a healthy insurance payout for his non-suicidal death.  Fletch is happy to oblige, yet also is curious, and that curiosity leads to some interesting findings, including a crooked police chief (Baker), an oblivious wife, Gail Stanwyk (Dana Wheeler-Nicholson), and a host of other characters.  We're not going to ruin the ending for you - buy the DVD! - but rest assured this flick will keep him in suspense and stitches (more so in stitches) throughout the movie.

Fletch is what it is - an easily predictable but highly amusing comedy-drama (we use the word "drama" very lightly) starring one of the century's greatest comedians in Chase.  It's worth watching at least once just to hear the origin of some of the most oft-quoted movie lines around these days, even 20+ years after the fact.  But don't think he'll be satisfied with the occasional cable showing; this one is one he will want as a keeper.  Buy him a Fletch DVD today, and he'll love you forever - or at least for five, ten minutes tops (watch it with him and you'll understand).