Our Price: £7.06 (subject to change)
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
Director Martin Brest rocketed to the top of Hollywood's A list with the blockbuster success of Beverly Hills Cop, and this 1988 follow-up is even better. Midnight Run is a genuine rarity--an action comedy that's dramatically satisfying--thanks to a sharp script by George Gallo, the superb teaming of Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin, and Brest's consummate skill in combining suspense and humour with well-developed characters. De Niro plays a maverick bounty hunter whose latest assignment is Grodin, an accountant accused of embezzling from the Mob. De Niro thinks he's in for an easy job, transporting Grodin (who's afraid to fly) from New York to Los Angeles, but soon discovers that both the FBI and the Mafia are hot on Grodin's trail. Equal parts road trip, action thriller, and a quirky character study, Midnight Run moves at a breakneck pace but still gives De Niro and Grodin time to create rich, memorable performances as two men who seem to be opposites, but gradually develop mutual respect and admiration. Mainstream entertainment at its best. --Jeff Shannon
See you in LA, folks!
Review date: 2007-08-04 Rating: 8 out of 10
After starring in loads and loads of serious movies in a row, Robert Deniro needed to do something light and felt that Midnight Run was just what he was looking for. Originally a Paramount project, the suits wanted to team him up with Cher for some sex appeal (oh, dear GOD no!) but director Martin Brest (teehee) vehemently opposed this idea and the project ended up at Universal.
The role of Jonathan Mardukas ended up going to deadpan Charles Grodin (though a young Bruce Willis auditioned) since Martin Brest (teehee) felt that he had the best chemistry with Deniro. I'm glad he didn't make that compromise. Can you honestly imagine Midnight Run with Cher??? Deniro is Jack Walsh a tough, ex-cop bounty hunter who is offered $50, 000 by a shady bail-bondsman to capture crooked accountant Jonathan 'The Duke' Mardukas and escort him from NY to LA for a court appearance. The Duke embezzled millions of dollars from crime boss Jimmy Serrano (the always great Dennis Farina) and gave it all to charity so it's not just California justice who wants to get their hands on him. The FBI also want The Duke for their own purposes and The Duke is a clever and cunning enough to chuck as many spanners in the works as possible. So it's not just a simple matter of hopping on a plane...or an easy Midnight Run.
With Marvin Dorfler (John Ashton) another sleazy bounty hunter after them too and loads of double crosses Midnight Run becomes a sort of action/comedy Planes, Trains and Automobiles character drama with enough F-words to give TV censors a nervous breakdown. Back in the stinkin' early 90s the stinkin' BBC dubbed out every stinkin' swear word with the most hilariously awful stinkin' choices. Why? Honestly, this kind of thing makes me wonder what the hell is going on the minds of these censors. Do they honestly think that they're making the world a better place by not exposing full-grown adults to an ancient Anglo-Saxon word for making love? But that's a separate rant altogether.
Those familiar with Brest's (teehee) previous mega-hit Beverly Hills Cop will find a lot of Midnight Run's pacing and cinematography familiar. He is the kind of director that only makes a movie every five years or so but I have a feeling that Gigli has ended his career for good. Don't let that tarnish your feelings toward this film though. Even if Midnight Run didn't have a clever and funny script the chemistry between Deniro and Grodin is worth it alone. We've seen odd-couple buddy/buddy types before but they do it with class.
Although it's nearing 20 years old, Midnight Run seems timeless in way (despite the very liberal 80s attitude towards smoking), mostly because it knows it's nothing but pure entertainment that, for once, isn't dumbed down for the lowest common denominator. These days we get crap like Epic Movie and Talladega Nights. Where did the R-rated comedies go? What grim times we live in.
Not sure about Danny Elfman's score though. Totally the wrong choice of composer, my only complaint.
The HD-DVD sports a 1080p 1.85:1 image that is not entirely perfect. While the daytime scenes surely sparkle, the darker scenes can seem a bit too grainy. Though this is obviously due to film stock and lighting rather than the DVD lack of quality. A couple of slim extras are included.
It's road movie with bounty hunters, mafiosos, cops, the FBI and one accountant who they all wanna get a piece of.
It's hilarious and with so many different scenes the pace never lets up.
Danny Elfman's score is to die for, it is superb, I've been trying to track down the OST for ages (£25 quid on Ebay is the cheapest I could find it). The music really makes every scene that bit more special.
The DVD does lack extras: there aint any!! Which is a big shame but this is one DVD movie that doesn't need extras to get you to buy it, the film is whats important here.
Sit back and enjoy this flick anytime, even better with a cold beer and Walsh will make you wanna light up a smoke (he does in nearly every scene!).
Great film, get it.
Midnight Run is a rare gem, a top class action comedy with one of the most unusual screen "buddy" partnerships in cinematic history, which has sadly been somewhat overlooked by the majority of people and that's a great shame because it boasts great characters, great comedy, great action scenes, a wonderful plot and a brilliant script with stand-out performances from Dennis Farina, Charles Grodin and in particular Robert De Niro who proves what a great comedic (as well as character) actor he is.
Expertly directed by Martin Brest, who directed Beverly Hills Cop (and Scent Of A Woman), this is in my opinion a much better movie than the much lauded Eddie Murphy movie and a must see, particularly if you are a fan of Robert De Niro. In fact it is so good I'd give the movie five stars if it weren't for the lack of extras on the DVD but (especially at a budget price) this is definitely one well worth adding to your collection.
De Niro and Grodin are as well matched and blend so perfectly, you'd think they were a long running team.
Thank God they're not. This movie is just so spot-on everywhere that it would be a crying shame if some bereft of ideas idiot producer dreamed up a sequel.
It's a perfect, self-contained jewel. Just leave it.
"Aliens" apart, no sequel has ever been a patch on the first one, and when you get into the franchise class of film, you think by no.III, "How can these actors have any pride at all?"
The acting is what it's all about. Even down to Jack's daughter. Little screen time, but showed she had the same integrity as her dad and demonstrated his.
Every character was properly drawn, and almost everyone did frustrated impatience really well.
Moscone, because he had no control, and everything was in the balance, Walsh because he was being needled all the time, Moseley ditto and Cerrone (who I'm sure won't mind me mentioning that he did not seem to be coping at all well with his anger...) because he was surrounded by real idiots.
Mardukas was the exception, because just sort of floats in the middle, the source of all the trouble, and passes the time getting to know Jack, whether he wants to or not.
Charles Grodin held his own well. Definitely not being eclipsed by De Niro, not mugging too much, and getting loads of laughs.
You can watch this more than once. I can pay no higher compliment.