![]() ![]() Actors like Joe Pantoliano, John Ashton, Yaphet Kotto, Richard Foronjy, and Robert Miranda all get big laugh-out-loud moments. But it’s Midnight Run’s supporting cast that truly shines. ![]() Charles Grodin is also compelling as the quiet accountant who slowly becomes more daring. De Niro makes him feel like a character who really knows the rough side of life. Unsurprisingly Robert De Niro is outstanding as Jack. ![]() This is further helped by great performances. Which makes the narrative feel more alive than your typical action-comedy. Everyone here feels unique because of their motivations, personal histories, and the way they speak. The main thing that makes everything work though is the interesting, distinct characters at the story’s centre. Like when Jack reveals why he quit the police force or when he and Jonathan steal money from a bar by pretending to be FBI agents. George Gallo’s script contains many brilliant comedic and dramatic moments. This film’s writing is its biggest strength. With his deadline being midnight in five days can Walsh get Jonathan from New York to Los Angeles in time to claim his reward? And can they make it there alive? What Did I Like? Unfortunately, rival bounty hunter Marvin Dorfler (John Ashton), FBI agent Alonzo Mosely (Yaphet Kotto), and mob boss Jimmy Serrano (Dennis Farina), and his cronies are also after Jonathan. Synopsisįormer police officer turned bounty hunter Jack Walsh (Robert De Niro) is offered $100,000 to retrieve mob accountant Jonathan Mardukas (Charles Grodin) when he skips bail. In honour of this news, let’s go back to the 80s and review the original action cult classic. Robert De Niro will produce the film and Aeysha Carr will write the script. It’s a joy to watch but also acts as a painful reminder of a time when this icon of the screen was still cropping up in material equal to his talent and not beneath it.Recently it was announced that Midnight Run will be getting a sequel with Regina Hall (The Hate U Give) set to star. His work in this scene is easily up there with the more feted, showy acting evident in the likes of Raging Bull and Taxi Driver. The emotional awkwardness of this strained encounter, and Walsh’s reaction to his daughter offering her long-absentee father the little money she’s amassed from babysitting, is truly heart-breaking and deeply moving. Father and daughter: De Niro and Danielle DuClos in Midnight Run ![]() This is best illustrated in the middle of the film where Walsh is forced to pay his estranged ex-wife and teenage daughter a visit for help. While director Martin Brest manages to sneak in some unexpected moments of pathos and ends with a scene of earned bromance which is hugely touching, none of this would work without the great odd couple chemistry De Niro and Grodin have, and the former’s adept ability to balance humour with empathy. Midnight Run was released on 20 July, 1988īut key to the film’s success undoubtedly lies in De Niro’s Walsh. Gaining a fair amount of infamy for its excessive cursing, Midnight Run is now considerably tamer than anything produced in the contemporary Hollywood landscape, but it remains a hugely entertaining and good-natured romp. Initially believing his job to be a midnight run (industry slang for easy delivery) Walsh’s work is cut out by a horde of FBI on his tale, a belligerent competitor (John Ashton), his scheming bondsman (Joe Pantoliano) and the criminal who has been embezzled (Dennis Farina). In the film, De Niro’s jaded lawman chances upon his juiciest score in the form of crooked accountant Jonathan Mardukas (Charles Grodin) who has been caught skimming off the mob and has skipped bail. De Niro and Charles Grodin aka Jack Walsh and Jonathan Mardukas Plugging into the immensely popular buddy movie sub-genre of that era, 1988’s Midnight Run saw De Niro showcase a looser, more humorous side to his screen persona (but no less watchable) as ex-cop turned bounty hunter Jack Walsh. In reality, his greatest comedic turn occurred 12 years previous to that film, and was both subtler and much more affecting than anything he brought to ‘ Parents’ and it’s two subsequent sequels. His role as the vigilant ex-CIA father in Meet the Parents was the film which alerted a mainstream audience to the latent rib-tickling talents of celebrated method heavyweight Robert De Niro. ![]()
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