Midnight Run (1988)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Martin Brest

Writer (WGA):

George Gallo (written by)

Release Date:

20 July 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

A tough bounty hunter. A sensitive criminal.

Plot:

An accountant is chased by bounty hunters, the FBI, and the Mafia after jumping bail.

Plot Keywords:

Bounty Hunter | FBI | Accountant | Mafia | Cross Country

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 1 win

Cast

Robert De Niro	...	Jack Walsh
Charles Grodin	...	Jonathan Mardukas
Yaphet Kotto	...	FBI Agent Alonzo Mosely
John Ashton	...	Marvin Dorfler
Dennis Farina	...	Jimmy Serrano
Joe Pantoliano	...	Eddie Moscone
Richard Foronjy	...	Tony Darvo
Robert Miranda	...	Joey
Jack Kehoe	...	Jerry Geisler
Wendy Phillips	...	Gail
Danielle DuClos	...	Denise Walsh
Philip Baker Hall	...	Sidney
Tom McCleister	...	Bill 'Red' Wood (as Thom McCleister)
Mary Gillis	...	Bus Ticket Clerk
John Toles-Bey	...	Monroe Bouchet

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) | USA:R | West Germany:12 | UK:15 (original rating) | Spain:T

Filming Locations:

Cameron, Arizona, USA

Company:

City Light Films

Trivia:

After doing The Untouchables (1987), Robert De Niro was looking for some lighter material to do next. Initially, he wanted to play the lead in Penny Marshall's Big (1988), but the studio wasn't interested in having DeNiro play the role, and it ultimately went to Tom Hanks. De Niro was then offered Midnight Run, which he liked, and agreed to appear in.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the penultimate scene in the film, Mardukas gives Jack a money belt full of $1,000 bills. He claims he kept it as "some traveling money." However, U.S. Government has not produced $1000 bills since 1945.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Jack trying to pick door lock. He drops one of his picks. When he bends over to pick it up, a gun shot is fired through the door, right where his head had been previously]
Jack Walsh: Shit!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Witless Protection (2008)

Sheer Excellence

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.