In this 1988 action/comedy, Robert De Niro plays a bounty hunter, joining the ranks of Boba Fett and that Keira Knightley movie no one saw.
Seeing the words “De Niro” and “comedy” in the same sentence sets off all sorts of alarm bells, but Midnight Run is hugely entertaining. It’s two hours of funny dialogue and exciting action, as De Niro races against time, cops and mobsters to bring Charles Grodin’s embezzling accountant to justice.
This buddy/road movie enjoys funny and touching interplay between Grodin and De Niro, who’s still acting at this point in his career, just about. There’s also a typically great performance from Joe Pantoliano as Steve Buscemi as the best bail bondsman since Max Cherry, making this a sort of Wacky Brown.
Midnight Run is a pacy, breezy caper, constantly propelled along by the developing relationship between its two leads, like Thelma & Louise only swearier. It’s playfully directed by Martin Brest, before Gigli killed his career. Meanwhile, De Niro continues to enjoy regular work. Call that justice?
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