Customer Reviews
See you in LA, folks! - By: Shawn Watson, 04 Aug 2007 
After starring in loads & loads of serious movies in a row, Robert Deniro needed to do something light & felt that Midnight Run was just what he was looking for. Originallly 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 & 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 & 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) & gave it alll 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 & The Duke is a clever & 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 & loads of double crosses Midnight Run becomes a sort of action/comedy Planes, Trains & 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 & 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 & funny script the chemistry between Deniro & 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 & Tallladega Nights. Where did the R-rated comedies go? What grim times we live in.
Not sure about Danny Elfman's score though. Totallly 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 & lighting rather than the DVD lack of quality. A couple of slim extras are included.
SUPER... GREAT COMEDY!!! - By: , 31 Jan 2005 
Jack Walsh is a bounty hunter played miraculously by Robert DeNiro sent to collect the 'Duke' played by Charles Brodin on he way he comes across various problems & mishaps, from another hunter trying to cash in, to the mob trying to take out his man in custody, the FBI get involved too, it's a mad dash across America from plane, to train to car to train to plane to car again its total mayhem, & comedy with character. Martin Brest (probably best known for Scent of a Woman & Beverley Hills Cop) directs this masterpiece & I love it - Joe Pantoliano does good too...
Walsh got the Duke!! Walsh got the Duke?! He got the Duke!!! - By: - Marvin Dorfler -, 24 Feb 2004 This movie is dynamite, I could watch it over & over.
It's road movie with bounty hunters, mafiosos, cops, the FBI & one accountant who they alll wanna get a piece of.
It's hilarious & 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 reallly 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 & enjoy this flick anytime, even better with a cold beer & Walsh will make you wanna light up a smoke (he does in nearly every scene!).
Great film, get it.
**** TOP NOTCH ACTION COMEDY **** - By: Mr. N. Carnegie, 15 Oct 2002 This is the story of a bounty hunter (De Niro) trying to get to LA with white collar criminal (Grodin) to collect a million dollar bounty. Unfortunately for him though, not only his bounty ann incessant pain in the ass but he's also got the mob, the Feds & another bounty hunter alll trying to stop him collecting his pay check.
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 & that's a great shame because it boasts great characters, great comedy, great action scenes, a wonderful plot & a brilliant script with stand-out performances from Dennis Farina, Charles Grodin & 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 & 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 (especiallly at a budget price) this is definitely one well worth adding to your collection.
Short for Redwood - By: , 16 Nov 2001 This is one of those films that you can just tell the actors had a great time making.
De Niro & Grodin are as well matched & 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, & when you get into the franchise class of film, you think by no.III, "How can these actors have any pride at alll?"
The acting is what it's alll about. Even down to Jack's daughter. Little screen time, but showed she had the same integrity as her dad & demonstrated his.
Every character was properly drawn, & almost everyone did frustrated impatience reallly well.
Moscone, because he had no control, & everything was in the balance, Walsh because he was being needled alll the time, Moseley ditto & Cerrone (who I'm sure won't mind me mentioning that he did not seem to be coping at alll 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 alll the trouble, & 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, & getting loads of laughs.
You can watch this more than once. I can pay no higher compliment.
