Every time I think about this movie I have to smile because I find myself remembering various scenes that are just hilarious. To me the movie is genius, it stars Robert De Niro as bounty hunter Jack Walsh and Charles Grodin as the Duke.
Bounty hunter Jack Walsh is sent to find and return bail jumper and former Mafia accountant, Jonathan "The Duke" Mardukas. The FBI have had no success in locating The Duke, so when Jack finds him in next to no time, they are a little embarrassed. In order to collect his $100,000 fee, Jack must take The Duke from New York to Los Angeles. However, the Mafia and the FBI have other ideas, as does Marvin, a rival bounty hunter. On their long cross-country trip to LA, the two get to know each other and they build up a strange friendship.
The success of this movie is the chemistry between the two leads which are truly an odd couple yet are comedic gold. This was Robert De Niro's first true stab at comedy and I think the precursor for his future comedic roles such as Meet the Parents and Analyze This. Prior to this movie all De Niro had done or was known for was heavy dramas, there was The King of Comedy but that was a black comedy and not a comedy like Midnight Run.
Charles Grodin is not an actor I would've thought of for a movie like this and that's what makes this movie so good, watching his reactions and the dialogue between the two leads is something special.
Also along for the ride are Dennis Farina as mobster Jimmy Serrano with his two hench men Tony and Joey played by Richard Foronjy and Robert Miranda. Yaphet Kotto as FBI agent Alonzo Mosely, John Ashton as Marvin Dorfler, and Joe Pantoliano as Eddie Moscone.
All these actors come together to make an action/comedy like no other and one that when ever I see that it's on I always catch myself watching and revelling in it's brilliance. If you haven't ever seen this movie I highly recommend it because in my opinion it's a great movie and one of my all time favorites. What also makes this film so special is that it has heart and how two people from different worlds could become friends, in the next life.
I recently read that there have been talks to do a sequel to this classic and I hope that doesn't happen because that would destroy what has already been established and twenty something years too late, besides the movie is a stand alone and ended perfectly, Hollywood needs to stop grasping at straws.
