Fuga à Meia-Noite

Wish they still made movies like these. This movie is perfectly structured and extremely entertaining. The dialogue is wonderful, funny, and sincere. Highly recommend if you haven't seen this yet.

Oh yeah! THE film of the 80's. Together with HEAT, one of De Niro's best!

Totally professional film-making. This is a comedy that succeeds on every level. The central characters of reluctant and burnt-out Bounty Hunter De Niro and Grodin as ex mafia accountant on-the-run "The Duke," just meld flawlessly. The script is wicked with ramped up profanities that somehow are absolutely integral to the unfolding plot. 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. Catch it.

They don't come any better than Midnight Run. It has everything except a few Academy Awards and that's a mystery in itself. Dialogue, action, comic timing, stunts and all around fabulous acting ability from everyone involved. If you haven't seen this film yet, dig up a copy from somewhere, get a few beers and prepare to be captivated from beginning to end. To think that only 10,000 or so have voted for this film on IMDb and it's not even in the top 250 is a complete travesty. I know, there are other films just as worthy that are not in the top 250 but this is the one that get's me riled up. There are no weak moments or poor scenes in the whole film and the ending is pure joy. Someone please explain why this didn't clean up when it was released because I can't see anything else that came out in '88 that comes close to Midnight Run.

Jack Walsh is an ex-cop turned bounty hunter working for bail-bondsman Eddie Moscone. Looking for another job to bring in, Jack is presented with an ex-mob accountant, Jonathon Mardukas, who has ripped off the mafia for millions of dollars and has gone on the run. Using the very basic tricks of his trade, Jack easily finds and catches his man and prepares to transport him back to Moscone and collect his pay. 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. Of course it is still a genre film but the plot is well written combining a reasonably engaging story with a fun series of set pieces. While it is not laugh our loud funny apart from maybe once or twice what it does manage is to have a comic tone to it and a great sense of fun and energy throughout. It is hard to describe but it is one of those films that just feels comfortable and fun to watch.

A major part of this is the fantastic playing of the actors – the cast and their chemistry go a long way to making this a better film that it may have been in other, less able, hands. De Niro plays his well-practiced tough guy but allows himself to be the butt of humour if not out and out jokes. What he (and the writers) did very well was to keep the audience on his side even though he was basically transporting Jonathon to his death! He comes off as a likable guy and De Niro takes what many other actors have made into a clichéd part and really made it his own. His easy chemistry with Grodin also helps a lot and the two really so work together thanks to a good comic performance from him. Of course in a more serious film, Jonathon as he was would be very unrealistic but Grodin's delivery suits the material and tone of the film perfectly. The support cast are all given minor roles to share out and they all contribute in their own little way. Kotto gives plenty of laughs with a minor character. Ashton has less time and a less likable character but still does OK; Farina could not look more 'mob' if he tried; Pantoliano swears a lot and is amusing while minor roles for the like of Walters and Hall add to the cast in cameos. While the film has a deep cast, it really belongs to De Niro and Grodin, both of whom really deliver and have an easy chemistry between them befitting the genre.

If I had a complaint it would be the sheer volume of swear words in the film; the first time I saw it was on ITV (that most notorious of editors – they cut whole scenes out of Die Hard due to swearing!) and it was cut to shreds with plenty of badly dubbed lines and scenes just removed due to language. 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. The plot mixes a good story with many fun set pieces and keeps a solidly enjoyable pace all the way through while a roundly strong cast all make better use of the script than lesser actors could have done. A very enjoyable genre film and one that I will keep coming back to due to its reliable mix of pace, energy, fun and excitement.

I had never seen this, but what a great road movie. And what a cast, starting with the lead (De Niro) down to all the other roles. Some are "minor" I reckon, but even seeing someone like one of the Beverly Hills Cop "sidekicks" in this movie is quite great. And I don't mean any offense by that, because the character he portrays here is so very different from the earnest cop he plays opposite Eddie Murphy to elevate his comedy.

So yes the actors are great, but it's also a real fun script and story you get to see here. A prime example of a good cop and buddy movie right here. Chemistry is through the roof and it's believable as far as the rules of the movie allow us to connect and suspend our disbelief.