Film reviews: Confess, Fletch, Hong Kong: City on Fire, Spirited

**

Fletch, a smart alec investigative journalist with a gift for sniffing out leading roles in contemporary film noir plots, is inextricably linked with Chevy Chase, even though he only played him in two films in the 80s, neither of which were great.

Perhaps the connection is that, unlike contemporaries Belushi, Murray and Ackroyd, Chevy is famous without being famous for anything. Anyway, there’s more to Fletch than Chevy Chase, so I was up for this renewal, and to the idea of Hamm in the role.

Based on one of George Mcdonald's many Fletch novels, this sees him being framed for murder when his upmarket Boston Airbnb comes complete with a dead body. He has to throw off the police so he can try to find out what happened to the priceless paintings stolen from the father of his Italian girlfriend (Izza), who has now been kidnapped.

The film opens with aplomb. Hamm’s casual assurance dealing with the police after phoning up to report the murder seems perfect for the role. His calm, relaxed flippancy seems bold, even heroic, given the seriousness of the situation.

It looks like this new Fletch might really work. But without something substantial to work against, flippancy is just flippancy, and the film soon begins to leave its star high and dry. There is a heap of plot going on but we never quite know if that's our primary concern or just a means to an end to generate comic set pieces.

Slowly, depressingly, I could feel that initial enthusiasm slipping away, and couldn’t drum up the energy to cling on to it. Fletch is an odd role. On the one hand, he is the cleverest man in the room, always outsmarting those around him, on the other he is a dope, the sap who is played by others. He's simultaneously Humprey Bogart and Bob Hope.

Watching the film was peculiar in that I can’t remember the last time I saw a narrative about a resourceful male civilian protagonist, not blessed with superhuman powers.

Directed by Greg Mottola Starring Jon Hamm, Lorenza Izza, Roy Wood Jr, Ayden Mayeri, Marcia Gay Harden and Kyle MacLachlan. In cinemas. Running time: 97 mins.

Hong Kong: City On Fire (15)

***

The colon on this behind-the-battlelines look at the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong is well chosen: It was the title of the 80s HK crime thriller directed by Ringo Lam that Tarantino supposedly ripped off for Reservoir Dogs. And it hammers home the fact that the thriving film location Hong Kong - that glittery, sordid, hyper condensed, no square foot unused Hong Kong - has probably gone forever.

Our shady fantasy has become their full-on nightmare. Filmed between 2019 and 2021, the doc follows four Hong Kongers as they try to fit participating in a civil war with their relationships and studies. The incredibly raw and powerful footage puts you right inside the violent confrontations with Police.

It isn't just the water cannons and tear gas; perhaps most disturbing is a scene at the University where traumatised students wail at their principal about being tortured and raped by the police. It’s a powerful, shocking vision, but a limited one: you don’t get to see much of life beyond the frontline, so there’s no clear view of how deeply wider Hong Kong society has been affected.

Directed by Choi Ka Yan and Lee Hiu Ling. Featuring Yan, AJ, Jennie and Ching Long. Mostly subtitled Cantonese. Showing for one night only at Odeon cinemas, Tuesday, November 22nd. Running time: 90 mins.

Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell in Spirited (Image: Apple TV)

Spirited (12A)

*

The question facing anybody planning to do a new version of A Christmas Carol is how to find a fresh, novel angle to the tale of Scrooge.

The new angle hit upon by this Apple Original production is to take history's most-told ghost story, and turn it into a horror movie. Or, rather, a musical; but one that will send shivers down the spine and make your blood run cold.

I blame myself. I saw Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds on the poster and thought 'that’s got to be fun'. Even the Dickens angle didn’t phase me; Scrooged is one of Bill Murray’s best roles. But why must they sing? Mamma Mia, why make a musical where nobody can sing?

You'd have thought the Gal Gadot Imagine fiasco would've taught Ferrell but he seems to be the keenest and really looks like he's enjoying himself clumping through the big numbers. Bursting into song appears to have replaced stripping down to his undies as his prefered form of onscreen humiliation. The script's take is to make the redemptive ghosts part of a large corporate set up complete with HR department.

Considering the staffing levels you'd have thought they could manage to show more than one person the error of their ways each year. As The Ghost of Christmas Present, Ferrell heads up the Three Ghost team sent out to turn round the “unredeemable” Reynolds. He’s a cynical PR man who sows division to generate publicity for his clients. His latest ruse is to start a culture war over real versus artificial Christmas trees.

The film takes various tame topical jabs at online toxicity. Reynolds and Ferrell are two performers who've spent the last few years away from the big screen, preferring to vigorously milk the bountiful generosity of the streaming services. I understand that; during a rush, you go where the gold is, and the pickings have been easy.

But saddling Apple with a lavish, unfunny musical with badly sung dull songs sung and perfunctory choreography is just plain mean. A visit from somebody scary to show them the error of their ways seems merited for all concerned. Spirited, away.

Directed by Sean Anders Starring Ryan Reynolds, Will Ferrell, Octavia Spencer, Sunita Mani, Patrick Page and Tracey Morgan. In cinemas and streaming on AppleTV+. Running time: 127 mins.

Go to http://www.halfmanhalfcritic.com/ for a review of the BFI’s The Draughtsman’s Contract on Blu-ray.