Midnight Run (1988)

If I had known about Midnight Run when I made my Favorite Movies of 1988 list, I'd certainly have included it! Robert De Niro stars as Jack Walsh, a world-weary cop-turned-bounty hunter who's been assigned to pick up criminal Jonathan "The Duke" Mardukas (Charles "Why Isn't This Guy More Famous" Grodin) from his hideout in New York City and transport him to Los Angeles in five days time. The Duke was once an accountant for the mob in Chicago, and they're hunting him for revenge after he stole millions from them, and the FBI is also conducting a search for him after he jumped bail. Jack locates him easily but finds the transportation aspect of the job more complicated than he planned, as they're forced to switch from plane to train to car to bus through a series of hilarious and often action-packed mishaps. Along the way the gruff and hard-headed Jack finds himself unwittingly forming a friendship with the soft-spoken and slightly neurotic Duke.

This movie is really damn good, working equally well as a comedy, an action movie, and a road movie. Robert De Niro is perfect in his role, bringing the bluntness and rough edges necessary to make Jack a hilarious but also sympathetic character. Charles Grodin is just as terrific, acting as the perfect foil with his mild-mannered demeanor. They have a palpable chemistry that makes them incredibly interesting to watch, which is really what makes the film work. And seriously, why isn't Grodin more famous? He's so funny! I also enjoyed Yaphet Kotto as the flustered FBI agent trying to outwit Jack, and John Ashton is pretty good (though a little sleazy) as a rival bounty hunter.

While the strength of the Midnight Run resides in the performances and chemistry of the two stars, it's bolstered by an excellent script and capable direction. At 126 minutes, it's pretty long for a comedy, but the pacing of the action and grandiose scope of the road trip fit well into the running time. The story is slightly overloaded with characters and plot points, but I liked how that gave it this pseudo-epic feel: it's got haunted pasts, lost loves, high-stakes shoot-outs, enthusiastic use of handcuffs, frequent location changes, mistaken identity, and everything else needed to make a movie as adventurous as it is funny.

4.5/5