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Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin go on the road in terrific buddy-movie action comedy Midnight Run |
Director: Martin Brest
Cast: Robert De Niro (Jack Walsh), Charles Grodin (Jonathan
"The Duke" Mardukas), Yaphet Kotto (Special Agent Alonzo Mosely),
John Ashton (Marvin Dorfler), Dennis Farina (Jimmy Serrano), Joe Pantoliano
(Eddie Moscone), Richard Foronjy (Tony), Robert Miranda (Joey), Jack Kehoe
(Jerry Geisler), Wendy Phillips (Gail), Danielle DuClos (Denise Walsh), Philip
Baker Hall (Sidney)

Jack Walsh (Robert De Niro) is a down-on-his-luck bounty
hunter. Having been run out of the Chicago police force years ago for not
taking a bribe, he’s skilled at his job but fundamentally unlucky and
disenchanted. He’s looking for one big job to get him out: and it comes when
mob accountant Jonathan “The Duke” Mardukas (Charles Grodin) skips bail. Hired
by bail bondsman Eddie Moscone (Joe Pantoliano), Walsh has four days to find
the Duke bring him back to LA before his bail is forfeit – manage it and he’ll
get a cool $100k. But the Duke has stolen millions from the mob – so they want
him dead, the FBI want him to testify, rival bounty hunters want to take him in
– it’s all working out into a very long week for Walsh.
I really enjoyed Midnight
Run when I first watched it years ago – and it’s been years since I’ve seen
it – so it’s a delight to find it is as good as I remember. In fact, if
anything, I think it might be better. It’s very funny – without anyone playing
the material for overt or obvious laughs – but it’s also got a lot of soul. It
never loses sight of the characters at its heart, in particular the loneliness,
sadness and regret at the heart of Walsh, who presents a chip-on-his-shoulder
stance to the world, to hide a decent and honourable man who can’t believe his
principles are rewarded.
De Niro took on Midnight
Run because he wanted to try comedy (he had just played Satan and Al
Capone, so probably had earned a rest). Walsh is probably one of his best
comedic performances, because he treats it with the investment he gave his
greatest roles. He makes Walsh a real person – and he’s willing to downplay the
comedy. He doesn’t mug or play to the camera (as he has more recently), he just
plays the role with a slight wryness, a touch of lightness from the actor,
while the role itself is kept real. His increasing frustration and world-weary
resignation matches up perfectly with the hint of sadness he keeps under the
surface. It’s a very effective performance.
It helps as well that De Niro allows Charles Grodin to carry
the bulk of the comedy. Grodin was cast over the wishes of the studio – but it
was an inspired move as the chemistry between the two actors is fantastic. They
play off each other brilliantly, Grodin the more worldly, urbane and dry
accountant, opposite the stressed out Walsh. Grodin is very funny, and very
genuine – and he’s as whippersmart as the Duke himself, constantly keeping us
on our toes as to when the Duke is telling the truth, and when he is pulling
the wool over our (and Walsh’s) eyes.
The film throws these two into a series of increasingly
hilarious events – from a panic-attack on a plane, to a sneaky piece of con-man
work in a back-district town – but mixes it up with genuine moments where the
two open up to each other (there is a wonderful scene where Walsh, under the
Duke’s gentle probing, final opens up about his past). Each of these moments is
wonderfully played, and works so well because the two actors have a genuine
connection between them. Both lift the other: Grodin clearly helps De Niro
relax and loosen up, De Niro encourages Grodin to bring a greater depth to his
acting than ever before.
The contrivances and competing parties they take on also
throw in plenty of fun problems. My recording from the BBC from years ago was
somewhat sanitised, so it’s a surprise to hear how many times De Niro uses the
f-word in this film! Martin Brest films all this with a controlled restraint –
perhaps a little too much control (Yaphet Kotto has talked of his misery of
performing endless takes of even the simplest scenes). But the dangers Walsh
has to take on walk just the right line between feeling real, and feeling comedic.
So we have a sinister gangboss (played with lip-smacking
relish by Dennis Farina), but his underlings on the ground are realistic-feeling,
but non-too-bright gangsters (sharp enough to keep track of Walsh, dull enough
to constantly say the dumbest things). The Feds are led by a tensely wound-up
Yaphet Kotto, but the comedy comes from his cold stares at his underlings, who
are prone to state the obvious. John Ashton is good value as a rival bounty
hunter, a regular joe not-as-smart-as-he-thinks, but more than smart enough to
win the odd hand. Joe Pantoliano gives possibly one of his most
Pantoliano-performances of weasily whininess as Walsh’s bail bondsman boss.
Midnight Run
rattles along brilliantly. It’s hugely entertaining, with a series of surprisingly
high-blown action set-pieces (all met with a dry reaction from the Duke – “I’m
sure we’re completely safe” when a pursing gun-laden helicopter temporarily
drops out of view – and in turn a furious “Will you shut the fuck up!” from
Walsh). Martin Brest gets the balance just right between comedy and drama, and
creates a very funny movie where you end up caring a great deal for the
characters. It’s a road-movie, buddy comedy that feels fresh and really works
because it manages not to feel like it’s trying too hard. And of course it has
a great closing scene – and one of my favourite end-lines to a movie ever:
“Looks like I’m walking”. Check it out. You’ll like it.
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