Midnight Run

Plot synopsis:
Jonathan "The Duke" Mardukas (Grodin) is an accountant who embezzled $15 million from Las Vegas gangster Jimmy Serrano (Dennis Farina) and skipped bail. He is hiding in New York when his Los Angeles bail bondsman, Eddie Moscone (Joe Pantoliano), hires bounty hunter Jack Walsh (De Niro) to bring the accountant in. To get the $100,000 bounty, Jack needs to get "The Duke" back to L.A. before midnight on Friday, or Eddie forfeits the $450,000 bail and faces bankruptcy.The FBI, led by Special Agent Alonzo Mosely (Yaphet Kotto), wants Mardukas under arrest to build their case against Serrano. Alonzo warns Jack not to interfere with his plans, but Jack, under the pretense of accepting, pays no attention, and instead pinches Mosely's identification. Serrano, meanwhile, suspects that Mardukas has access to financial information that could lead to his conviction. Additionally, that information would implicate Serrano and his ties to other mobsters, which could jeopardize his life if exposed. As a result, Serrano intends to have Mardukas killed before he can testify against him in open court.After apprehending Mardukas in Manhattan, Jack is unable to take him to L.A. by plane due to Mardukas' professed fear of flying, which gets them thrown off their transcontinental flight. The pair embark on a wild cross-country chase (with Mardukas even temporarily piloting a plane, proving that his fear of flying was a ruse), relying on various unreliable modes of transportation, all the while dodging the FBI and Serrano's henchmen Tony (Richard Foronjy) and Joey (Robert Miranda). Moscone also hires rival bounty hunter Marvin Dorfler (John Ashton) as insurance in case Jack is unable to deliver Mardukas, but offers him $25,000, claiming he offered the same to Walsh.Throughout their journey, Walsh and The Duke bicker constantly, due to the clash of Walsh's rough-hewn personality and Mardukas' habit of nagging. Much of the movie involves Mardukas' sincere effort to uncover the truth about his captor, a person he suspects is actually a decent man beneath his cynical and embittered exterior. He eventually learns that Jack was a former Chicago undercover detective who refused to go on the take of a heroin dealer he was building a case against. He was then drummed out of the force after being framed for heroin possession by corrupt colleagues and driven out of Chicago, his marriage ended and he became estranged from his family. His ex-wife ended up remarrying one of his colleagues, now a captain, whom Jack insinuates was one of the corrupt members of the force. Jack has not seen his daughter since she was a little girl, and has since then lost all faith in the law, explaining his profession as a bounty hunter. As the plot unfolds, it turns out that the heroin dealer responsible for Jack's framing was Jimmy Serrano himself. Jack, for his part, wants to see the job done so he can retire and open a coffee shop with his promised $100,000 bounty, aware that in doing so, he will most likely be helping Serrano avoid prison. He also has a keen sense of propriety and refuses a bribe from Mardukas, as well as a large cash offering from Serrano's camp in exchange for turning Mardukas over to them.After making it as far as Arizona, the two are chased by dozens of police cars. They narrowly dodge the police, but Mardukas is captured by Dorfler. Finally figuring out that Moscone cheated him and how much The Duke is actually worth, Dorfler decides to give him up to Tony and Joey for $1 million. However, Dorfler inadvertently reveals where he is keeping the fugitive, and is knocked unconscious. Mardukas is captured by Serrano's men, and Dorfler, defeated, decides to go home.Walsh, meanwhile, is finally found by Mosely and his men, and taken into custody. An enraged Walsh calls Moscone and furiously berates him for hiring Dorfler as insurance. Moscone, however, reveals that Dorfler is not delivering The Duke to him, and Walsh realizes that Dorfler has delivered Mardukas to Serrano. Walsh calls Serrano's men and tells them that Mardukas gave him computer disks with enough information to put Serrano away (earlier, Mardukas had informed Walsh that he intended to backup files on to disks but never did). Walsh threatens to turn the disks over to the FBI unless Serrano himself returns The Duke to him at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. Walsh tells Mosely and the FBI of his plan to deliver Serrano to them (even though the disks to be used in the sting are blank, Serrano's taking possession of them would be enough to indict him for conspiring to destroy government evidence and obstruction of justice), but will only carry it out if he is allowed to return Mardukas to Moscone personally and collect his money. Mosely, since his primary target is Serrano, accepts Walsh's proposal.At the airport, Serrano and Walsh confront each other for the first time since Jack left Chicago. The exchange is interrupted by Dorfler, who sees the exchange going on, not knowing that the FBI are watching and waiting for Serrano to take possession of the disks. Jack, whose microphone wire gets knocked out by Dorfler, yells to the FBI that Serrano has the disks. The FBI move in, arresting Serrano, his men, and Dorfler.As bargained with Mosely, Jack takes the Duke back to Los Angeles. He calls Eddie Moscone and tells him he has Mardukas in L.A. before the deadline - but he is letting him go. Before Jack can leave, they exchange gifts - Jack hands The Duke his broken watch, and Mardukas hands Jack a money belt he had hidden on his person throughout the film, filled with $300,000 in $1,000 bills: he was planning on leaving before Jack showed up, so he didn't have time to use the money. The two part as friends. Mardukas then disappears, and Jack tries to get a cab. However, since the driver doesn't have change for a thousand dollar bill, he zips up his leather jacket and pulls up his collar, preparing to walk home.

Tags: comedy, neo noir, entertaining

Review:
DeNiro is (Jack Walsh) a self-righteous ex-cop so unpopular with the Chicago police department, now wanting to make one final 'midnight run' that'll pay big so he can buy a nice coffee shopHe is hired by an hysterical bondsman to find and bring back a former Mob accountant called Jonathan "The Duke" Mardukas (Grodin) who has stolen $15 million from the Los Angeles mob, given the money to the 'unfortunates of the earth.' DeNiro quickly captures the 'white-collar criminal' in New York, and is given five days to bring him to Los Angleles, to collect his $100,000 fee...Unfortunately for DeNiro, the fugitive accountant is too neurotic to fly the distance...
The embezzler's ex-boss wants him badly for knowing all his financial transactions, and agent Yaphet Kotto warns Walsh not to interfere with the FBI's plans to bring the 'Duke' into federal court And if this isn't enough, there is some third-rate bounty hunter (John Ashton) who is intrigued about DeNiro's special dealIn an extended cross-country chase, the two men's personalities and relationship develop DeNiro shows how to catch talents of improvisation...
He delivers some of the best punchlines, when he replies: 'Well if you don't cooperate, you're gonna suffer from fistophobia.' Charles Grodin is perfect as the prisoner who gets some of Serrano's records on computer disks, figuring if things got too rough, he could always trade them for his life He continually gets on DeNiro's nerves, and with his soft and ironic tone of voice he advises Walsh that a restaurant is 'a very tricky investment.' He easily dips into Jack Walsh's life ('Don't you want to be loved?'), wandering about his broken marriage ('Did she hurt you, Jack?'), his habits ('Cigarettes are killers.
The best parts of the film are, in fact, the interactions between the two stars The story holds up perfectly and entertains the viewer in every way Martin Brest does bring out the realistic, funny and moving sides of his likable characters Suspense is maintained to the very end.
Way too much objectionable language is the only fault of this otherwise extremely-entertaining film that is justifiably popular.Humor is what makes this "crime film" stand out as tough guys Robert De Niro, Joe Pantoliano, John Ashton, Dennis Farina and others provide a lot of laughs as not-so-tough guy Charles Grodin is escorted from New York to Los Angeles to face retribution from a mob boss.The dialog between Grodin and his bounty hunter captive De Niro, is terrific all the way through.
Part of that has to do with Danny Elfman's score, and part of it has to do with DeNiro's and Grodin's performances, but more than anything, it's the fact that they just don't make movies like this anymore.Midnight Run is without a question a perfect movie, but more importantly, it's a time vessel back to an era where you could tell this kind of story, and make a movie like this, and everyone comes out on top.I love this movie like I love my childhood..
A real American classic: call it a road movie, action comedy, buddy film, whatever---it's a beautiful script, professionally executed.
All the supporting characters are great as well...Witness Dennis Farina talking to his Vegas Lawyer, played by Philip Baker Hall (not the first time he would be a guy in a suit in Vegas named Sidney!), Yaphet Kotto as a frustrated agent or Joe Pants as the shady Bail bondsman.The pacing, dialogue, story, acting, editing are all top notch - I just love this one..
However, with the FBI, the mafia and other bounty hunters all looking to bring in Jonathon for differing reasons, Jack has a hard road ahead of him  and that's before he discovers Jonathon's phobias about planes.In terms of cinema, I remember the 80's for one main genre  the buddy movie; the genre continues today but that is my overriding memory of the films I saw during this time and since then from the period.
Hardly a dynamic hotbed or imagination and innovation, the genre did throw up many films that are quite enjoyable if you meet them on their own terms and it did occasionally produce some that are very enjoyable and still stand up years later  for a combination of reasons, Midnight Run is one of these and, for my money is a great street smart comedy.
Personally I'm not overly bothered by it but it is such a fun film that it seems a shame to make it unsuitable for children by such liberal use of the F word (one or two can be forgiven but every other word pretty much makes it unsuitable), but I suppose it is all part of the tough but fun tone of the film and I enjoy it regardless.Overall this is not one of the greatest films ever nor one of De Niro's best but it is a very, very good genre film and, in my mind, stands out from many other buddy-style movies that have been made in the crime/thriller sort of mould.
It has been rumored that Grodin aggravated Deniro so much on the movie set that it brought out the best in these two actors in the film.The soundtrack is marvelously written by Danny Elfman.
Hello.I actually created an account merely for the purposes of composing a review for this film.I wont waste everyones time with describing the plot and/or what occurs in this film as there as hundreds of numerous other reviews which do just that.I will begin with what i believe is what makes a good film...Far too often i find that in the current climate so much of a film is devoted to CG and "plasticity", if such a word exists, but i suspect that you all know what i mean.Not a lot of what one see's these days is actually devoted to the testament of a good actor, and when this is recognised and witnessed, it is quite an achievement.The reason that this film is such an accomplishment is down to the fact that from beginning to end it is a display of everything that a film should be and all that makes a film good and worthwhile watching.From the start to the finish this film is graced with a good storyline and FANTASTIC acting throughout, even though i could never associate with how any of these characters would feel being put in their situations every scene makes you believe that is believable.Deniro (Jack Walsh)and Grodin (Jonathan Mardukas) are an unsuspected but utterly fantastic combination of 2 characters making this film simply come to life in ways that other films can only hope to strive to achieve, coupled with John Ashton (Marvin) and Dennis Farina (Serano), this makes for a cast that delivers one of the best screen performances individually and as a group that i have ever witnessed.Every scene has meaning and relevance, even scenes that are aired for comic intent solely but still achieving more than that.These days many people are bored by watching actors "act" and simply want whizz and bang and fizz and pop and bells and whistles attached and i suspect it has led to a significant increase in the dumbing down of (hollywood) cinema.Directors and actors should take a page out of the book of this film and realise and re-embrace what is truly needed for a film to stand out regardless of a (suspected) dumbed down audience that exists these days.
If people are too stupid and ignorant to be able to follow a plot then they deserve the drivel that is put on the big screen but i suspect that the majority of people still want a good film, and apologies for digressing from the point but this film is it.Funny and serious all rolled into one from the offset and grittily realistic and truthful and insightful into how people really are.Some of the one liners alone are simply hilarious;"Marvin look out!" "Well i've got 2 words for you, Shut the %$£& up" "96 bottles of beer on the wall" "Would you ever have $£X with a chicken Jack?" "Watch your cigarette with this one Jack!" "Did you do the litmus configuration?"In summary, this film is what makes a film worthwhile watching, fantastic acting, plot, and cast to mention but a few positive aspects of.
The music backgrounds are excellent - touching in folk, blues, country, rock, and the last track that follows the credits is awesome, lasting for almost four minutes.This film is light years beyond any other road movie since it blends action with humour.
The co-stars all turn in memorable performances from Marvin - De Niros single-minded but dumb fellow bounty hunter, to the menacing Jimmy Serrano and his two dumb gangster goons and not forgetting the intensely irritated Special Agent Moseley (please do not watch the cut for TV version - never have I seen a worse hatchet job that manages to wreck just about every one liner in the film).
De Niro has just hours to get Grodin back to bail-bondsman Pantoliano while his ex-boss Dennis Farina (COULD anyone look more mafioso?) wants him back for reasons of extreme revenge....Perhaps on account of the fact that The Duke has put his funds to better use a la Robin Hood style of redistribution of wealth.This is really laugh-out-loud brilliant stuff.
Just by reading the subject in another comment ("You lied to me first") made me laugh out loud alone in front of my computer.There IS action in Midnight Run (chases and stuff), there is also drama (the scene with Walsh's daughter brings me close to tears every time), there is even a bit of suspense in the airport scene, but what really makes this film tick is the comedy resulting from a perfect cast with impeccable timing.
Midnight Run is one of the greatest Comedies ever made,an excellent,hilarious Action-Comedy classic that combines wonderful direction,a terrific ensemble cast,non-stop laughs,an outstanding script,great Action and a memorable score.
All of those elements make Midnight Run one of the best films of the 1980s and a fun,unforgettable movie.Midnight Run tells the story of Jack Walsh(Robert De Niro),a former Chicago Cop turned bounty hunter who after years of being a bounty hunter and chasing criminals wants to retire and open a coffee restaurant.
But before he retires he has to track down and catch accountant and bail jumper Jonathan "The Duke" Mardukas(Charles Grodin)who stole 15 million dollars from the mob and is wanted by the FBI and Jack is asked to bring him from New York to Los Angeles in five days on a Midnight Run for 100,000$.
But Jack and Jonathan's trip isn't going to be easy with the FBI,the Mob and a rival bounty hunter on their trail which leads to laughs and fun.Midnight Run is a brilliant and hilarious Action-Comedy that is an instant classic the first time you watch it,a movie that gives viewers 126 minutes of perfection where everything from the wonderful performances,direction,script and score just works from beginning to end.
The Comedy and laughs in Midnight Run are hysterical and funny with every comedic scene coming at a quick and rapid fire pace that just keeps on going and never stops until the end the Humor feels natural with many scenes that are classic and well-done.
Terrific score,Elfman.In final word,if you love Robert De Niro,Comedies,Action-Comedies or films in general,I highly suggest you see Midnight Run,an excellent and hilarious Action-Comedy classic that you can watch again and again.
I urge anyone who like a lot of action and a little comedy and moral story thrown in to get your can popcorn and watch this movie,as Grodin and De Nero are so far apart in their thinking and way of life you would have thought they would clash but it works fantastic.
All of the acting, in addition to De Niro, was superb: Yaphet Kotto, John Ashton, Dennis Farina, Joe Pantoliano, and my two favorite goofs "Tony and Joey." Charles Grodin is unarguably in his best role: it seems as if he is essentially playing himself.
Yet, De Niro's response is like a bark without a bite - we know that he cannot hit Grodin, in the same way that he hits the other bounty hunter, Marvin.All the other characters make their mark and have their own character: Yaphet Kotto as the FBI agent after De Niro, Denis Farina as the mob boss out for revenge - after both of them, and the bailbonds man Joe Pantoliano.I still laugh out loud at Grodin's deadpan face whenever he drives De Niro completely bananas, with his simple questions and remarks.
Even though he later became a cable TV crackpot obsessed with O.J. SImpson and Howard Stern, Charles Grodin was once a very humourous person and delivers some of the greatest deadpan lines you'll ever hear in this comic adventure.Although it plays for laughs almost the whole way through, Dennis Farina is one scary dude as the villian and the climax at the airport is really riveting and will have you on the edge of your seat.GREAT supporting work from Yaphet Kotto (Alien, Homicide) and Joey Pants (THe Sopranos, The Matrix, Risky Business)..
The rest of the cast are uniformly brilliant, be it the wonderful John Ashton as rival bounty hunter Marvin, the menacing yet cheekily attired Dennis Farina as mob boss Jimmy Serrano, or Yaphet Kotto as the constantly irritated FBI agent Alonso Mosely, it's pretty much a flawless cast in optimum gear.The rating on the big movie sites, though high enough, is still a disgrace, I can only think that DeNiro fans really didn't want to see him doing a comedy?
It is his performance I enjoyed more the second time through.Grodin's doing his usual Curmudgeon Suffering Righteously act (this was the first film I'd seen him in - but I've been thoroughly enjoying his in- character Letterman interviews), and consequently has less depth than the many shades De Niro brings to Walsh, but that's not entirely his fault:Mardukas: "Why don't you get yourself a new watch?" Walsh: "I'll tell you when I know you better." Mardukas: "You know me better?
Midnight Run is a good action comedy film that has a great cast which includes Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin, Yaphet Kotto, John Ashton, Dennis Farina, Joe Pantoliano, Richard Foronjy, Tony Darvo, Robert Miranda, and Philip Baker Hall.
If you like Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin, Yaphet Kotto, Dennis Farina, Joe Pantoliano, and the rest of the cast in the film, Action Comedies, and interesting films then I recommend this film!.
With Midnight Run, he shows incredible leverage and energy as the main character, which is somewhat expected and equally unexpected given his age and his line of roles.De Niro is only assisted by the likes of people like Charles Grodin, writer George Gallo, and director Martin Brest, who stuff Midnight Run's screenplay with about as much action, comedy, and intensity you can ask for.
We're also treated to some truly inspired characters in the supporting cast, courtesy of Yaphet Koto, and John Ashton's brilliantly stupid Marvin Dorfler ("I'm always thinking!") It's a perfect film in so many ways; brilliant script, acting, direction...It's also a hard film to classify, as it transcend genres to give us comedy, action, drama and crime thriller all at once.
With a great cast, including odd-couple Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin leading the way, a humorous script, and impressive action sequences on this cross-country trip gone awry, the film overcomes its 1980s atmosphere, (the first class plane set-up is exact to that used in the Wedding Singer, sorry, I had to point that out), to age gracefully and remain as good now as people I've heard say it was; those who had seen it back then.De Niro is an ex-cop turned bounty hunter for a Los Angeles bail-bondsmana slimy cretin like only Joe Pantoliano can dothat has been enlisted to capture the embezzling accountant of the mob boss that made him lose his job on the force.
Yaphet Kotto's FBI Agent Mosely becomes a lot of fun as he follows one step behind for the duration, the bumbling hit-man are always enjoyable, (having one act like a child, playing around all the time while the other tries to talk to the boss helps), and just the subtle way in which De Niro's past is revealed through his conversations with Grodin bring so much more to what would otherwise be a simple comic actioner.
all things that escalates the already enjoyable genre of the road movie into this masterpiece.Its a shame that Robert Deniro and Charles Grodin have never been paired together on screen since because the way their characters bounce off each other is terrific.
Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin star in this action packed and at times hilarious cross country movie.
It also has the great snappy soundtrack by Danny Elfman, and the uproarious character actor Dennis Farina as the mob boss ("you two better start getting more personally involved in your work or I'm going to blowtorch the both of ya!")So Jack Walsh (Robert Deniro) needs to a bring mob accountant/embezzler John Mardukas(played by Charles Grodin) back to LA by Friday midnight to get a hundred grand from a bond bailsman.
Such as Midnight Run. This is a great buddy comedy about a bounty hunter (De Niro) who is given the job to bring in a fugitive from New York to Los Angeles.
Great Fun. Midnight Run (1988) **** (out of 4)Bounty hunter Jack Walsh (Robert DeNiro) tracks down a crooked accountant (Charles Grodin) and soon the two are being chased by the FBI as well as a Mafia boss (Dennis Farina) and his hit men.
What a great way to start my new year of 2019 with this all time classic action comedy.The story is about a retired cop (Robert de Niro) who has 5 days to find an accountant on the run (Charles Grodin) and bring him to justice.
Martin Brest directed this action-comedy that stars Robert De Nero as Jack Walsh, an ex-cop turned bounty hunter who has taken the job of tracking down Jonathan 'The Duke' Mardukas(played by Charles Grodin) an accountant who embezzled $15 Million from the mob, then donated it to charity.