Midnight Run (1988)

Directed by: Martin Brest | 126 minutes | action, comedy, adventure, crime, thriller | Action: Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin, Yaphet Kotto, John Ashton, Dennis Farina, Joe Pantoliano, Richard Foronjy, Robert Miranda, Jack Kehoe, Wendy Phillips, Danielle DuClos, Philip Baker Hall, Tom McCleister, Mary Gilles, John Toles-Bey , Matt Jennings, Jimmie Ray Weeks

Bounty hunter Jack Walsh captures Jonathan Mardukas, as agreed with Eddie Moscone (Joe Pantoliano) from the agency that hires him for this kind of job. But when Jack wants to collect his bounty, the rules suddenly appear to have changed. He can still earn the promised $100,000, but then he must also take Mardukas from New York to Los Angeles and deliver him there before midnight on Friday.

The job seems easier than it is. Mardukas has not endeared himself to the mafia. As an accountant to Jimmy Serrano (Dennis Farina), he has funneled millions of dollars out of guilt. Serrano of course wants his money back and uses man and power to track down Mardukas and force him to return his money. The FBI has been wanting to rob Serrano for a long time, and FBI Agent Alonzo Mosely (Yaphet Kotto) thinks he can get it done by putting Mardukas in front of him and thus getting the much-needed burden of proof. The fact that competitor bounty hunter Marvin Dorfler is not only after Jack’s $100,000 bounty, but also has a grudge against him, doesn’t make the journey any easier.

The chemistry between Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin in ‘Midnight Run’ is rarely successful and the director has given the gentlemen plenty of room for improvisation. When Mardukas / Grodin asks his travel companion out of the blue if he has ever had sex with animals, Walsh / De Niro denies being surprised, but then reacts very sharply by saying with a grin that he has just seen some chickens that looked very tasty. The mellow voice of Grodin, who tries to make the constantly swearing, selfish Walsh a better person, combined with his silky smile, makes you feel sorry for the rock-hard Walsh. The whole film stays nicely in the middle for who this trip is actually the worst.

The supporting roles are also very good, with the highlight being a fantastic Yaphet Kotto who, as FBI agent Alonzo Mosely, is always teased by Walsh in a very original way with his sunglasses and who in turn always steals Marvin Dorfler’s cigarettes. His restrained anger and frustration at all the failures are sublimely played.

‘Midnight Run’ is one of the best buddy movies ever. It’s a big party of acting fun, insanely witty dialogues, crazy and exciting entanglements and terribly fun running gags.