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I watched Confess, Fletch recently. I was looking forward to it, but not so much I decided to see it in theaters. The film just didn’t feel like a cinema viewing. That being said, as soon as it was streaming I got myself a free trial of Showtime just to watch it, so clearly I was invested. I enjoyed it. Confess, Fletch is a good movie, a solid mystery comedy. A big part of what makes it work is Jon Hamm as Irwin M. Fletcher. Now, I would happily watch Hamm play Fletch for a handful of movies, but watching Confess, Fletch I had another idea. Hamm should play Jim Rockford.
Jim Rockford is, if you don’t know, the main character in the old ‘70s procedural The Rockford Files. It is probably my favorite of the classic procedurals. Jim is a private eye who lives in a trailer near the beach in Los Angeles. Every week he’s taking a case, but what makes Rockford stand out as a character is that he’s blue collar and not special. Sure, he’s a charmer, and he usually solves his cases, but he takes punches, he often gets stiffed on his payment, and he definitely isn’t living the life of luxury. That’s part of what makes The Rockford Files work so well.
A big part of the show’s success is James Garner’s turn as Jim Rockford. Garner is great in the role, and to reboot The Rockford Files would require somebody up to the task. Frankly, Hamm is perfect for it. Garner played Rockford when he was a little older, as Hamm is now. A guy who has lived a life and had some experiences. Rockford has some Fletch in him. Hamm played Fletch well, and he would probably be even better as Rockford.
Rockford is like Fletch but a little less quippy and a little more of a reputable guy. Sure, he’ll break the occasional law and pull off the occasional con, but for the right reasons. If Hamm keeps playing Fletch, I’ll keep going to the movies. If they ever want to reboot The Rockford Files, though, Hamm should be the first person they go for.
