The Great Pretender (1991) (TV)

Director:

Gus Trikonis

Writer (WGA):

Stephen J. Cannell (written by)

Release Date:

14 April 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A newspaper reporter, who has just won a trial against his newspaper which had fired him, suffers dangerous reprisals at his work. |

Plot Keywords:

Unsold TV Series Pilot

Cast

Bruce Greenwood	...	Earle Brattigan
Gregg Henry	...	Wilson Leer
Jessica Steen	...	Kate Hightower
Donald Moffat	...	Owen Milner
Aharon Ipalé	...	Panos Bratso
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Martin Brinkman
H. Richard Greene	...	Albert Eastlake
Robert Ito	...	Hasamu Mochadomi
Harris Laskaway	...	Giancarlo Strano
Don Keith Opper	...	Marco
Elizabeth Hoffman	...	Rose Outland
Gianni Russo	...	Davey DeSapio
Freddye Chapman	...	Karen Winter
Lloyd Alan	...	Len Clairmont
Bari K. Willerford	...	Lonnie

Also Known As:

Dead End Brattigan

Runtime:

Germany:93 min | Spain:100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Germany:12 (video premiere)

Company:

Stephen J. Cannell Productions

Makes you realise how good Fletch was!

Earl Brattigan wins back his job with The Post Ledger but finds himself stuff writing a column reviewing yesterday's rejected stories. However on his first day back he come across the story of an electrician killed by electrocution from his own wind farm. When he looks into it he uncovers a conspiracy to develop the land involving mobsters, Asian businessmen and senators.

This plays like a low-rent version of Fletch, with Greenwood playing the wise cracking reporter - scheming his way into stories. The whole film is narrated by his colleague Wilson, who provides a wry but rather hackneyed voiceover. However this makes you realise how good Fletch was - Chevy Chase was better as the reporter and it was actually funny. This is quite stale; Greenwood doesn't have the charisma of Chevy Chase, nor does the script have the humour of Fletch. This is not to say Fletch was a classic but it is miles better than this.

This is poorly plotted and is without any real sense of fun. Brattigan wants to be a wise cracking journalist getting the big stories by sneaky funny methods, unfortunately he just comes across a irritating, even bland. Bruce Greenwood doesn't have what it takes to carry off this role. The other actors also lack the ability to bring any spark to this - Wilson (Gregg Henry) is an unbelievable frat-boy sidekick, Hoffman is a boring love interest while the others are stereotypes - shifty Asian businessmen, Italian mobsters etc. The only interesting actor is the appearance of James Cromwell as the newspaper's owner - he has since gone on to much better things including Babe, Clear & Present Danger and LA Confidential.

A bland piece of film making that lacks spark, wit or excitement, this type of thing can be funny (watch Fletch) but without any of these qualities this is a waste of time.