Fletch - Movie Review

Fletch is a movie from the 1980s. Fletch was played by Chevy Chase, which you cannot go wrong with him in a movie. The movie is about Fletch who is an undercover reporter for the newspaper. There has been a drug problem on the beaches and he was doing research as to find out where it was coming from. As he starts the investigation he is lead to many different people along the way. I plan to explain several scenes from the movie that contains criminal activity. Along with explaining the scenes, I am going to go over the section of the Model Penal Code that was violated and locate defenses that Fletch could use.

The movie starts out with the main focus and possibly the biggest crime of the movie. Fletch is approached by Alan Stanwyk who is also undercover. Mr. Stanwyk wants to have Fletch come back to his place so make him an offer about something. To get Fletch to his place he offers $1000 to just go and hear him out. Fletch thinks about it for a minute and then decides to go with Mr. Stanwyk, since either way he was going to be able to keep the money. Once they have arrived at Mr. Stanwyk's residence he informs Fletch as to why he is there. Mr. Stanwyk offers $50,000 to Fletch if he kills him come Thursday night. Mr. Stanwyk has everything thought out. He explains to Fletch where the gun will be, how to get in the house, where the keys will be for the car and that there will be a plan ticket waiting for him to go to another county. Fletch decides that he will agree to the plan and follow through. Under the Model Penal Code 5.03 both Mr. Stanwyk and Fletch have committed criminal conspiracies since Mr. Stanwyk offered to pay Fletch to kill him and Fletch agreed. Criminal Conspiracy is an agreement with such other person or person that they or one or more of them will engage in conduct that constitutes such crime or an attempt or solicitation to commit such crime. If Fletch were to be tried for this crime, he could use the defense ignorance of fact. This work if Fletch stated that he thought he was just going to Mr. Stanwyk's house to listen to what he had to say and that he was not agreeing at that point to go along with what he wanted.

On two occasions in the movie Fletch is walking around a country club, which he is not a member of. Fletch has gone to the country club to obtain information regarding Mr. Stanwyk. His wife Gail Stanwyk lives at the country club and Fletch wanted to find out some information from her. While at the country club, Fletch overheard a waiter holler at Mr. Underhill. When Fletch was stopped by staff at the country club, Fletch advised that he knew Mr. Underhill. This is where section 223 of the Model Penal Code comes into play. There are many definitions when it comes to theft and related offenses. Theft is described as the withholding of property of another for an extended period of time, making it unlikely that the owner will recover it. Fletch knowingly takes food and drinks and places the items on Mr. Underhill's tab. Fletch had no intention in paying back Mr. Underhill for what he received. Mistake of fact is the misinterpretation or misunderstanding of fact relating to a situation. This could be a defense for Fletch as it could have been a misunderstanding as to whose tab the purchases were applied to.

Since Fletch had been working undercover on the beaches he has gotten to know some of the drifters on the beach. There was a black man in particular that police have been harassing. Police had arrived at the beach looking for the black man. He took off running and the police followed and caught him. Fletch went running after him to try and help him from being arrested. Once the police caught the man they started punching and kicking him and Fletch was trying to stop it. Although, the cops probably committed a crime with excessive force, Fletch also committed a crime. Section 242.2 resisting arrest or other law enforcement of the Model Penal Code was violated. If someone prevents a public servant from making a lawful arrest, the person creates a substantial risk of bodily injury to the public servant or anyone else. With Fletch interfering he could have cause harm to himself, the officers or anyone else that was there. Interfering like Fletch did can be a misdemeanor charge. Necessity would help prove his innocence as he was trying to help his friend, who the cops were using excessive force on.

Toward the end of the movie Fletch had learned some information about Mr. Stanwyk buying property in Colorado. He knew there was something suspicious about the deal. Fletch decided to go to Colorado and find this realtor that Mr. Stanwyk had been dealing with. Fletch had set up a meeting with him, but decided to go to his house the night before, since he knew the realtor would not be home. Fletch was able to break into his house and obtain the file for MR. Stanwyk. Fletch made sure that he took a picture of the information in his file to keep for evidence. In this scene he broke many laws breaking and entering,