Fletch (1985)   Starring: Chevy Chase, Joe Don Baker and Dana Wheeler-Nicholson Distributor: Fabulous Films Ltd / Fremantle Media Enterprises RRP: £14.99 Certificate: PG Release Date: 15 February 2016

Until last week, Fletch was just another mild mannered reporter fighting for the truth, justice and a window office. But things change when he goes undercover as a minor league junkie to trace some drug traffickers. Whilst on this assignment he meets Stanwyk who says he is dying of bone cancer and asks Fletch to murder him, so that his wife will benefit from the insurance. But something doesnʼt seem quite right. And as Fletch dons various guises in an attempt to discover the truth, he finds himself being threatened, shot at, accused and arrested. And thatʼs by the people he's trying to help...

Based on the novels by Gregory McDonald, Chevy Chase stars as investigative reporter Fletch in this comedy thriller. The film has aged rather badly (the '80s hair styles don't do it any favours) considering it was released in the same year as Back to the Future and The Goonies.

The two plot strands that run through the movie are neatly tied together, in a rather pointless twist. Personally I think the film would have worked better if the two stories had remained that - two separate investigations for Fletch to follow. While it no doubt ties everything up neatly, it stretches everything to breaking point. And, if the cops where really engaged in their dodgy activity, at some point one of them would have seen the guy watching the beach (and Fletch) for several weeks.

The end film is a product of its time. I was never a fan of Chase's particular brand of humour - smug confidence - but he actually fits the character here rather well.

There's only one extras, in the form of the movie's original trailer (1 min, 21 sec). If you remember the movie fondly from its original release, and you haven't already picked this up on DVD in the past, then it might be worth owning this.

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Nick Smithson