Re-Watching Midnight Run

Midnight Run is an action comedy with Robert De Niro as a bounty hunter named Jack Walsh and Charles Grodin as the criminal named Jonathan Mardukas. People call Johnathan the Duke. Jack is offered $100000 to bring the Duke in. It sounds simple. It turns out not to be (otherwise it wouldn’t be a movie).

I have not seen this in a few years, I guess it dropped off the cable channels. It holds up. Jack and Jonathan spend a lot of time on screen together and have a mostly combative relationship but it warms at times. Jonathan feels if he goes to jail, he will be killed. So he is trying to escape.  I thought the two lead actors worked well together.

There is another bounty hunter in the movie named Marvin. Marvin might be effective at times but he is not too bright. At times he and Jack clash over potential bounties.

Yahpet Kotto co-stars as an FBI agent chasing them and Dennis Farrina co-stars as the mobster who worried that his former accountant might turn state’s evidence. They don’t have a lot to do but it was nice to see them. There are a few other familiar actors in supporting parts.

Later there was a series of TV movies that had Christopher MacDonald playing Jack Walsh. They were decent enough from what I remember.

This movie is worth seeing if have not seen it. It is worth rewatching if you have seen it. It is similar to 48 Hours.





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