Film Snail

Midnight Run
Midnight Run

7.2

Midnight Run

R·1988·126m

Summary

A bounty hunter pursues a former Mafia accountant who embezzled $15 million of mob money. He is also being chased by a rival bounty hunter, the F.B.I., and his old mob boss after jumping bail.

Cast

Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro

Jack Walsh

Charles Grodin

Charles Grodin

Jonathan Mardukas

Yaphet Kotto

Yaphet Kotto

Alonzo Mosely

John Ashton

John Ashton

Marvin Dorfler

Dennis Farina

Dennis Farina

Jimmy Serrano

Joe Pantoliano

Joe Pantoliano

Eddie Moscone

Richard Foronjy

Richard Foronjy

Tony Darvo

Robert Miranda

Robert Miranda

Joey

Jack Kehoe

Jack Kehoe

Jerry Geisler

Wendy Phillips

Wendy Phillips

Gail

Philip Baker Hall

Philip Baker Hall

Sidney

Tom Irwin

Tom Irwin

FBI Agent Perry

Jimmie Ray Weeks

Jimmie Ray Weeks

FBI Agent Tuttle

Danielle DuClos

Denise

Tom McCleister

Tom McCleister

Red Wood

Mary Gillis

Bus Ticket Clerk

John Toles-Bey

John Toles-Bey

Monroe Bouchet

Thomas J. Hageboeck

Sergeant Gooch

Stanley White

Stanley

Scott McAfee

Scott McAfee

Boy on Plane

Linda Cerasuolo

Car Rental Clerk

Lois Smith

Lois Smith

Mrs. Nelson

Fran Brill

Fran Brill

Dana Mardukas

Michael Hawkins

Michael Hawkins

FBI Surveillance Agent #1

John Hammil

John Hammil

FBI Surveillance Agent #2

Lou Felder

Lou Felder

Airline Pilot

Cameron Milzer

Stewardess #1

Sonia M. Roberts

Stewardess #2

Sam Sanders

Train Porter

Frank Pesce

Frank Pesce

Carmine

Paul Joseph McKenna

Ohio Policeman

Matt Jennings

Jason

Rosemarie Murphy

Coffee Shop Waitress

Jack N. Young

Amarillo Desk Sergeant

Robert Coleman

Native American

William Robbins

Native American

Wilfred Netsosie

Native American

Sherman L. Robbins

Native American

Dale Beard Jr.

Native American

Thomas Nez

Native American

Richard Gonzalez

Bar Cashier

Bill Fritz

Bar Customer

Pete Jensen

Flagstaff Police Captain

Andy Charnoki

Flagstaff Sheriff

Tracey Walter

Tracey Walter

Diner Counter Man

Robert Vento

Serrano Bodyguard

Joe "Tippy" Zeoli

Serrano Bodyguard

James Portolese

Serrano Bodyguard

Armando Muniz

Serrano Bodyguard

Dan York

Las Vegas FBI Agent #1

Rowdy Burdick

Las Vegas FBI Agent #2

Varnoy Lee

Airport Porter

Bob Maroff

Bob Maroff

L.A. Taxi Driver

Martin Brest

Martin Brest

Airline Ticket Clerk (uncredited)

Lisa Burnett

Undercover Cop (uncredited)

George D. Miklos

Airport Manager (uncredited)

Robert Minkoff

Man (uncredited)

Marguerite Nocera

Ticket Clerk (uncredited)

Terry Ray

Terry Ray

Deplaning Passenger (uncredited)

Jock L. Schloss

Man (uncredited)

D. Danny Warhol

D. Danny Warhol

Station Commuter (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Martin Brest

Screenplay

George Gallo

Reviews

John Chard

John Chard

January 20, 2019

10

Midnight Run 1988, the benchmark for the buddy buddy road movie.

The unsung DeNiro classic. The missing 80s masterpiece as regards everything coming together, and simply the best buddy buddy movie that, to me at least, has ever hit the screen.

De Niro & Grodin, there is no other duo in the genre that bounces off each other with the 100% joyful results we get here. They define the term dynamic duo. Director Martin Brest lets his actors do their thing, it is the sort of film where the cast are just happy to be working and use their talent to the max. Be it improv or visually acting in the back ground, both men are at one and in some chemistry zone.

The score from Danny Elfman is like some hybrid Western wacky races fusion, but hell it works well. One of Elfman's best ever scores in fact. The dialogue is electric, some of the script is so sharp it should be put away in a sharps box and labelled up as to be opened whilst wearing gloves. 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? Well I say they are wrong! Because this film shows that the great man once had much to give the comedy/action splinter of film. Perhaps he just needed the perfect foil of Charles Grodin alongside him? Either way this film is smart, funny, even tender at times (I defy all to not be touched deeply during a daughter/father reunion).

It has no peers for an 80s action/comedy, with bags of action (Brest shows some great skills at action construction) to keep the pulses raised. A group of characters beautifully brought to life by a top draw cast, and a finale that gladdens the heart because it closes exactly the way it should, Midnight Run, my bias not withstanding, is a benchmark movie for its ilk.

Fistophobia for those that don't agree! 10/10

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$30,000,000.00

Revenue:

$38,413,606.00

Keywords

crooked lawyer
road trip
buddy
bail jumper
mafia accountant
stretch limousine
manhattan, new york city
southwestern u.s.
bus station
police surveillance
car chase