Midnight Run

I had actually never seen Midnight Run before this viewing. I bought it on blu ray during quarantine because so many people had talked so highly of it for so long I simply said “Fuck it, I’ll just buy it”. That’s not something I do often, buying a movie sight unseen, but I only do it for movies that really seem like they’re going to be my kind of shit.

Thankfully, Midnight Run is 100% my kind of shit.

Robert De Niro stars as Jack Walsh, a former cop turned bounty hunter who has five days to find and turn in Jonathan Mardukas, (played by the late, great Charles Grodin), an unsuspecting mob accountant who stole $15 million from said mob and gave it to charity once he realized who he was working for. Jack has to track down Mardukas (also known as The Duke by those who want him dead) before the mob finds him and kills him otherwise he can’t get paid $100,000 and finally open that nice little coffee shop and retire. What follows is not only one of the greatest buddy comedies every made but also features what has become my favorite Robert De Niro performance.

Spoilers for Midnight Run to follow.

Director Martin Brest has proven to be a master of tone. Between this and Beverly Hills Cop he nails the R rated action comedy. Both films have legitimate stakes, believable villains and solid action (OG stunts baby) while also delivering belly laughs at a consistent rate. This fact alone is more than enough to qualify Midnight Run as one of the greats, but to then throw Charles Grodin and Robert De Niro as opposites on the run and you got yourself a classic.

First, I must talk about Grodin. I realize a lot you may not be aware of his work (outside of Beethoven 1 and 2 at least) as the actor basically retired in the mid 90s save for a few appearances here and there over the years. The man was a famous curmudgeon, that was his thing, and he was legendary. I highly urge you to seek out his guest spots on Johnny Carson, David Letterman and Conan O’Brien. Also, his work in The Great Muppet Caper where he falls in love with Miss Peggy (!) is an all time performance.

I only mention this because in Midnight Run, Grodin is playing a sensitive and nice person. Once he finds out his job is aiding the mob, he puts his life in danger to do what he feels is right. So it’s a departure for what he is normally known for, but he’s still wonderful in it. He is constantly trying to get to know De Niro’s character even though he keeps him in cuffs 99% of the time. The Duke sees a lot of good in Jack, and at points even tries to help him with personal problems, much to Jack’s annoyance, and the results are hilarious.

But for me, the real key to Midnight Run’s success is De Niro. This was one of his first attempts at comedy (this came out a full decade before Analyze This) and the dude crushes it. It’s not a straight comedic performance though, as a lot of humor just comes from Jack’s genuine reaction to either his situations or to Grodin. It helps that De Niro makes Jack feel like a real person, and not some action hero. There are multiple moments in the film where Grodin is attempting to have a conversation with De Niro, and despite multiple pleas asking him to shut up, Jack ends up opening up to The Duke multiple times in the film, and each time De Niro makes his confessions honest and human. He talks about his ex wife and daughter he hasn’t seen in 9 years and why he got chased out of Chicago by corrupt cops and the mob. Heavy subjects to be sure, and De Niro sells them like the pro that he is, but the moments are quickly interrupted with Grodin annoying De Niro, and the humor comes back in full force. There is one scene on a bus where The Duke gets Jack to talk about his past and De Niro is clearly cracking up at everything Grodin is throwing at him. That genuine reaction helps solidify the friendship that is clearly blossoming.

And really, it’s the pairing of these two actors that help make Midnight Run such a great buddy comedy. De Niro’s tough guy exterior is out in full force, but with someone like Grodin (who, again, plays nice here) threatening to be his friend every second, that wall is forced down and the movie really becomes about their friendship. One scene shows Jack and The Duke have run out of money and have no choice but to go to Jack’s ex-wife for some quick help. Jack is clearly nervous and embarrassed to be showing up at her door after all this time, but The Duke just calmly reassures him and tells him it’ll be good for him. It’s a sweet moment between the two and a great example of why the actors and characters work so well together.

I mentioned earlier that Midnight Run features what is now my favorite De Niro performance. Up until now, all the reasons I’ve given as to why I think it’s at the very least a great De Niro performance hopefully make sense. But the scene that really puts it over the top for me is when Jack is done talking/arguing with his ex-wife and his now teenage daughter whom he hasn’t seen in 9 years walks in the room. De Niro’s reaction is gut wrenching. He is trapped in a pained silence as he awkwardly gives her a hug, with every year he missed showing up on his face as he looks at her. De Niro has simply never been more real or captivating. The humor his character displays in the fim makes him all the more relatable, so when this moment comes it’s devastating.

Granted, the film is a comedy through and through, but director Brest and the rest of his crew make sure that the characters feel real, which in turn make the stakes feel real. A+ filmmaking y’all.

I’m so glad I bought Midnight Run on a whim. It scratches that itch for a perfect 80s action comedy that simply doesn’t exist anymore. Do yourself a favor and watch this movie immediately.