Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Confess Fletch review says the film is a bit of a yawner, despite the best efforts of Jon Hamm and a game cast.

Jon Hamm as the low-key, wise cracking investigative reporter “of some repute” appears to be promising casting.

While he’s not known for his slapstick comedy ala Chevy Chase who made Fletch famous on the big screen over 30 years ago, Hamm has his own old school Hollywood charm that should be enough.

Yet somehow, it isn’t. Confess Fletch comes across as mildly amusing rather than uproariously funny. In fact, it comes across as mildly just about everything. And that’s not quite enough in age day of constant content barrage.

The plot is hardly edge of your seat suspenseful. Fletch haplessly finds himself a suspect of a murder and an art theft, both of which involve characters who sound colorful but aren’t.

They include his Italian girlfriend (Lorenza Izzo), his wacky neighbor (Annie Mumolo) an amorous Countess (Marcia Gaye Harden), and an eccentric art dealer (Kyle MacLachlan), among others.

All the while he is trailed by a pair of oddly chemistry-free cops, played with considerable effort by Roy Wood Jr. and Ayden Mayeri.

The who, what, where and when of it all is not easy to follow, although explanations to Fletch’s editor, played by Mad Men boss John Slattery (their interaction is the highlight of the film), provide a bit of clarity.

But the plot doesn’t really matter. It’s all about the quips, the one-liners, the running  jokes and the whimsical setups.

You would think that director Greg Mattola, the same helmer that brought us Superbad, Adventureland and two seasons of Arrested Development could have come up with something a little crisper, a little spicier.

He has worked with Hamm before, on a little seen, poorly rated film called Keeping Up With the Joneses, which, for some strange reason, I really liked.

To each their own.

Rated R

1 Hour 38 Minutes

If this Confess, Fletch review inspires you to mosey on over to the cineplex, get times and tickets at Fandango.com.

Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Confess Fletch review says the film is a bit of a yawner, despite the best efforts of Jon Hamm and a game cast.