Fletch – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Fletch

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie1985

42%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Chevy Chase's wisecracking reporter solves crimes in disguises—if your kid can tolerate 1985's idea of 'hip' comedy.

79%

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Fletch

movie

PG, 1985

42%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Chevy Chase's wisecracking reporter solves crimes in disguises—if your kid can tolerate 1985's idea of 'hip' comedy.

79%

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Screenwise Verdict

Let's be real: Fletch is a relic. The critical ratings are solid because it was genuinely clever for 1985, and Chevy Chase's deadpan delivery had its moment. But that moment was four decades ago.

The humor is dated, the references are obscure, the pacing drags, and the casual sexism is eye-roll inducing. Kids today aren't going to sit through this when they could watch literally anything from the last 20 years. Even preteens who might appreciate the mystery-solving will find the jokes land with a thud.

If you're a parent who loved this as a teen and want to share it? Fine, but manage expectations—your kid will probably be on their phone within 15 minutes. The content isn't inappropriate for ages 12+ (some innuendo and adult themes), but the watchability for modern audiences is borderline non-existent. There are dozens of better detective-comedies that haven't aged into museum pieces.

Age Fit

Common Sense Media's age 12 recommendation feels right for content, but honestly, what 12-year-old wants to watch a 1985 Chevy Chase vehicle? This is really for nostalgic Gen-X parents or teens studying 80s comedy history.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Fletch is a comedy built on sarcasm and deception—the protagonist lies constantly as part of his investigation. While the tone is generally light and comedic rather than mean-spirited, it doesn't model cooperation or kindness in traditional ways. The humor is clever but often at others' expense. No strong emotional health themes or prosocial modeling.

Imaginative

The film showcases creative disguises and investigative cleverness, with Fletch constantly adopting personas and thinking on his feet. The mystery structure invites viewers to piece together clues. However, it's a fairly standard detective-comedy formula from the 80s without groundbreaking originality. The wit and wordplay show creativity, but it's more clever than genuinely imaginative.

Safe

Common Sense Media rates it for age 12, suggesting some mature content. As an 80s comedy, it likely contains sexual innuendo, drug references (given the beach drug trade plot), mild violence, and language. The MPAA rating isn't provided but these films typically got PG-13. No indication of graphic violence or explicit content, but definitely has adult themes and humor that would be inappropriate for younger kids. Not shocking for its era, but not squeaky clean either.

Enriching

Fletch offers entertainment through clever dialogue and mystery-solving, but limited deeper enrichment. It's a comedy-mystery that prioritizes laughs over lessons. Some value in watching critical thinking and investigation, but the protagonist's constant lying and rule-breaking aren't exactly enriching role models. Mostly just fun escapism without meaningful takeaways beyond 'witty reporter solves crime.'

Parent Info

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Why It Might Be Great

Showcases clever investigative thinking and problem-solving as Fletch pieces together a mystery
Quick-witted dialogue and wordplay that rewards attention (if you get 40-year-old references)
Introduces the detective-comedy genre without heavy violence—more verbal sparring than action
Strong critical ratings (79% RT) suggest quality filmmaking for its era

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What to Watch For

Sexual innuendo, drug references, and adult humor throughout—this is definitely not a kids' movie
The protagonist lies constantly and breaks rules, which is played for laughs but not great modeling
Pacing and humor style from 1985 will feel painfully slow and dated to anyone under 30
Some 80s-era attitudes about women and casual sexism that haven't aged well

Conversation Starters

"Fletch lies all the time to get information—when is it okay to bend the truth, and when does it cross a line?"
"What do you think makes a good detective? How did Fletch figure out what was really going on?"
"The movie treats drug dealing pretty lightly—how do you think that would be handled differently in a movie today?"

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