Midnight Run
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Movie Reviews of Midnight Run
Movie Review: Perhaps the best "buddy" film ever made
Summary: 5 Stars
The story focuses on a man that has jumped bail named Johnathan "The Duke" Mardukas ( Charles Grodin). Mardukas is the ex-account of a Las Vegas mob boss named Jimmy Serrano ( Dennis Farina). The Duke embezzled millions of dollars from Serrano and gave it away to charity before being arrested. Eddie Marcone (Joe Pantoliano)is the bail bondsman that bailed The Duke out of jail. Marcone only has 5 days left, before the bond is forfieted and he is out $100,000. So he sends bounty hunter Jack Walsh (Robert DeNiro)to retrieve The Duke and bring him back. Unfortunately, Jimmy Serrano wants The Duke dead, and sends two hitmen to kill him. Not to mention the fact that the F.B.I. want to be the ones who bring The Duke to justice. If things couldn't get any worse, there is also a rival bounty hunter named Marvin ( John Ashton)who is trying to bring The Duke in himself. Now it is up to Jack to keep The Duke alive and in one piece, while avoiding Marvin, the FBI, and the two mafia hitmen that are hot on their tails. However, with The Duke constantly trying to escape Jack's custody, Jack begins to realize that he is in for much more than he bargained for.Midnight Run is without a doubt the best "buddy" film ever made. The reason is because Jack and The Duke's friendship takes the whole movie to develop. Nothing about their relationship is cut and dry. The Duke will do something to make Jack like him one minute, and then upset him the next with repeated escape attempts. The film also features the perfect mix of action and comedy as well. There are certain points in the film that are extremely funny and entertaining. The dialogue in this film is first rate. Then you are also drawn into the film because there are so many obstacles Jack and The Duke must overcome on their way to L.A.. There are tons of close calls in this film. The two mafia hitmen, the FBI, and Marvin the bounty hunter are all equally close to catching up with them. Robert DeNiro has had a lot of great performances. However, I still feel after all these years that his performance in "Midnight Run" is one of the best he ever gave. Charles Grodin manages to be just as good, and even better than DeNiro at times. DeNiro and Grodin's personalities are so different, that they end up making the perfect pair.
After all these years, "Midnight Run" is still a favorite of mine. I have seen the film many times, and it seems to get better after each viewing. Overall, the film features first rate laughs, an action packed story, and great performances from DeNiro, Grodin, Dennis Farina, and Joe Pantoliano. This is definately a must own film.
A solid 5 stars...
Movie Review: "We got him, We got the Duke!!!"
Summary: 5 Stars
Wow! How we LOVE this film to pieces, and I scratch my head at those who don't get it. I never saw this lovely gem back in the `80s, "But I was just a kid..." My dad took me to see "Roger Rabbit," and that was my main interest. I actually do remember seeing a theatrical TV spot for "Midnight" at the time. "These guys have 5 days to get from New York to Los Angeles..." For years; I pondered what film that commercial was for. I'd skipped many syndicated viewings of "Midnight" over time (probably best I missed the edited `cut' anyway), until a couple years ago. My sister & mother had tuned-in on of the 100+ movie channels, and I sat in for the latter half. Both the "In the next life" & "The desert run chase" scenes were what clinched it for me. I also scratch my head as to `how?' this film escaped me for 20 years.
As of this date; I am a total devotee to "Midnight." I recently won a vintage `Advance' poster off E-Bay, which was put out right before the movie was released. I've nicknamed it "The White Poster." It's 27X40, and has this same pose (from an actual still) of De Niro & Grodin fleeing. The day-by-day taglines are listed above the picture. Sorry; this poster seems to be one-of-a-kind. Good news is that the Nostalgia Factory has "Midnight" press kits/stills available, for those of you hunting merchandise. I bought the soundtrack album from an Amazon seller as well. If you Google "Erasing Clouds - Midnight Run," you'll find a nice little article about the film too.
I don't own the HD version, but my thanks to those of you who've written reviews. Hopefully; Universal will put out a Blu-ray copy in the future? Like most of you; I hold great hope for a future commentary track + those deleted scenes we all know exist. I'd love to hear Martin Brest's own story about his "baby." For those of you who see the "Rain Man (Special Edition)," check out the commentary tracks by both Barry Morrow & Ron Bass. They will give you some insight into Brest's involvement in both "Rain Man" and "Midnight."
"The tough bounty hunter & the sensitive criminal" are definitely at the heart of this film. It's a true labor of love from the creators/crew & all the actors. They're what really make this film a lasting gem! The icing on the cake are Danny Elfman's score, and also Grodin's facial expressions. I can't help but think about "Midnight," whenever I see a package of Chorizo at my supermarket. That's still on my taste-test list.
"See you in the next life": the Blu-ray review.
Movie Review: brilliantly conceived, masterfully executed--oh, and HILARIOUS
Summary: 5 Stars
Unless you've got a serious allergy to foul language, movies really don't come any better than 1988's "Midnight Run". George Gallo's script is intricate and ingeniously detailed, and the top notch cast including Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin, Yaphet Kotto, John Ashton, Dennis Farina, and Joe Pantoliano really go to town with it. Of course, director Martin Brest of "Beverly Hills Cop" fame did an incredible of a job as well (he makes a cameo appearance in the movie as well). There are so many little details that perhaps seem irrelevant at first, but the way things end up coming together is uncanny--it's the kind of movie you could watch 5 times and still notice a detail that previously went over your head. The pairing of De Niro as the tempermental Jack Walsh with Charles Grodin as the deadpan Jonathan Mardukas (aka "The Duke") is uncanny, and Dennis Farina, formerly of the Chicago Police Department, is characteristically brilliant. Even the soundtrack is cool and meshes brilliantly with scene after scene. With the great drama, suspense, and hilarity (including a number of classic one-liners) that run throughout this cross-country romp, this is an action-adventure-comedy of the best kind; hell, it even works great as a thriller. Grodin's 'big moment' here is the hilarious "Litmus Configuation" scene which fondly recalls a similar scene with him in it from 1972's "The Heartbreak Kid". I also want to point out that, with the surprisingly bittersweet ending, the relatively low amount of violence, and the fact that none of the 'good guys' die, "Midnight Run" ends up being a borderline feel-good movie.
This DVD release is very nicely done--thankfully, it's in widescreen format, and also features the theatrical trailor which contains some bits left out of the finished movie, and a very entertaining and insightful "Making of 'Midnight Run'" as well.
Movie Review: Nearly the last GOOD movie De Niro ever made
Summary: 5 Stars
Sounds blasphemous when you consider we're talking about the man who's still considered the best actor in America. But the truth is that in recent years Robert De Niro has appeared in dozens of lousy movies he must be doing to cash in on his credibility. Maybe he has his eye on a happy retirement paved with Hollywood dollars. If so, fine, more power to him, but a shame he has squandered his talents so profligately. MIDNIGHT RUN from way back in 1988 was nearly the last time I can remember him playing well in a good picture. He was on a sort of streak, having just come off of BRAZIL, THE MISSION, THE UNTOUCHABLES and ANGEL HEART-not all of them classics, but movies with a certain ambition and striving for something far beyond MEET THE PARENTS. After MIDNIGHT RUN there would be STANLEY & IRIS and GOODFELLAS, and then the catastrophic drop off into near-total mediocrity. Although to be fair HEAT, JACKIE BROWN and RONIN have their partisans.
And talk about drop off points, what happened to Charles Grodin? Grodin was always going to be harder to cast than De Niro, that's not his fault, but in MIDNIGHT RUN he matches De Niro so perfectly, note for note, scene for scene, that it's exhilarating to watch him. He does the kind of thing someone like John Lithgow became famous for, only he does it with the stagy hamminess Lithgow does it with. And yet Grodin hasn't made a movie in ten years or more, and that was probably better than some of the schlock he was doing, the "Beethoven" movies for example, or the execrable I MARRIED AN AXE MURDERER. Or how about the inexcusable "The Muppets Go To Walt Disney World"? Maybe there's a graylist going on right now where real talent is given the silent squelch. Seems like Grodin can't even get a part in MEET THE PARENTS, really much more his kind of movie than De Niro's.
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Movie Review: De Niro's funniest movie, funnier than Analyze This and Meet the Parents
Summary: 5 Stars
This Movie is exellent from start to finish. Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin are so funny together. De Niro is fed-up bounty hunter Jack Walsh. He is working for backstabbing Los Angeles Bail Bondsman Eddie Moscone played by Joe Pantoliano. Moscone agrees to pay big bucks to Walsh for bringing back mob accountant and bail jumper Jonathan (The Duke) Mardukas played by Charles Grodin. The Duke was in jail for stealing 15 million dollars from his employer, mobster Jimmy Cerano played by Dennis Farina, then giving the money to charity, then hiding from the angry mobster in NY after skipping bail. Walsh finds the Duke with the intent to bring him back to LA. The plot unfolds as Cerano wants to kill the Duke and meanwhile the FBI, lead by agent Alanzo Mosley played by Yaphet Kotto, also wants to find Mardukas to testify against Cerano. So, to get his money from the bail bondsman, Walsh must fight off Cerano, the FBI and an intrusive ignorant rival bounty hunter named Marvin Dorfler, played by John Ashton. As a result, the trip accross the country for Walsh and the Duke is a crazy, hilarious and exhausting trip. It is a trip to be remembered for sure. Grodin and DeNiro will be friends in the next life. The question is, how will the trip accross the country end in this life? Finding that out will make you laugh and keep you on the edge of your seat. Enjoy