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Midnight Run

Name: Midnight Run
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller, Comedy, Crime
Released: July 20, 1988
Duration: 126 min
Rating: 78
Cast: Charles Grodin, Robert De Niro

1988

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 16 Critics

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 129 Ratings

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8.8

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8.8	Your Score
8.8	User Score Universal acclaim based on 129 Ratings

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MIDNIGHT RUN

Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: July 20, 1988 | R

Starring: Charles Grodin, Robert De Niro

Summary: Bounty hunter Jack Walsh (De Niro) is offered $100,000 from a bail bondsman to capture fugitive accountant Jonathan "the Duke" Mardukas (Grodin) and bring him to Los Angeles in time for his trial date. Walsh must avoid a rival bounty hunter, the FBI, and the mob to earn his payday.

Director: Martin Brest

Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Thriller, Comedy, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 126 min

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Awards & Rankings

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Staff (Not Credited)

One of the most entertaining, best executed, original road pictures ever. Read full review

Richard Schickel

A performance like De Niro's, in a well-made entertainment like Midnight Run, is cheap at any price. And capable of restoring the audience's faith in the form. [25 July 1988]

Dave Kehr

Graciously filmed by Martin Brest and imaginatively performed by Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin, the tired concept yields a steady stream of little discoveries and surprising insights that add up to some uncommonly rich comedy. [20 July 1988]

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Miraculously, De Niro and Grodin turn this sow's ear into a plausible vehicle for a buddy movie, and thanks to both of them, this movie springs to life. Read full review

Brad Laidman

The funniest buddy movie ever and a generally daffy one at that. It features some of the most genuinely stupid and amusing tough guys in the history of cinema, and a tantalizing slow burn by Deniro. Read full review

Staff (Non Credited)

Director Martin Brest has allowed the actors to improvise, and their resulting interaction is more realistic, funny, and surprising than that of any buddy film released in the last several years. Read full review

Stanley Kauffmann

Midnight Run is two films. One is a succession of bright, razor-edge, nutty dialogues between two men. The other is the plot that keeps them together, which is stale and full of boring violent-comic action. [29 Aug 1988]

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User Reviews

TylerDurden900

Jul 18, 2014

Midnight Run is a classic comedy from the director of Scent Of A Woman. Every actor is gold in this movie
and the action scenes are great before CGI was invented.

9 of 9 users found this helpful90

NeilF

Oct 19, 2009

I will never tire of this. Grodin is sublime and De Niro proves he CAN do comedy.

1 of 1 users found this helpful

BarryS

Aug 29, 2005

Outstading at every level and something rare, a movie that has many outdated elements (smoking on the bus, guns on planes, etc.) yet remains fresh today as it was so many years ago.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

MovieGuys

Feb 28, 2014

Midnight is one of the most fun, entertaining, hilarious road comedies I've seen in a while, if not ever. The chemistry between de Niro and Grodin is natural and not forced, and the dialogue is fresh and exciting, not to mention witty. The movie glides with ease from scene to scene, plotMidnight is one of the most fun, entertaining, hilarious road comedies I've seen in a while, if not ever. The chemistry between de Niro and Grodin is natural and not forced, and the dialogue is fresh and exciting, not to mention witty. The movie glides with ease from scene to scene, plot point to plot point, and you want it to keep going even after the movie ends. One of De Niro's best performances.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

CalibMcBolts

May 30, 2016

This movie may have a conventional plot, and it offers barely anything new to the table, but what makes Midnight Run such a great and entertaining film, is the incredible chemistry Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin have on screen together, and the trials and tribulations they go through.This movie may have a conventional plot, and it offers barely anything new to the table, but what makes Midnight Run such a great and entertaining film, is the incredible chemistry Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin have on screen together, and the trials and tribulations they go through.
Midnight Run has a handful of fun and energetic characters, which makes this film such a blast to look at, like of course Jack Walsh and Jonathan Mardukas, brilliantly portrayed by De Niro and Grobin, but also fellow bounty hunter called Marvin Dorfler which causes for some hilarious meetings between competing bounty hunters Walsh and Dorfler, but also the bounty hunter's employee beautifully portrayed by Joe Pantoliano, the guys from the mafia also always ensure laughs and thrills on screen, but also the stubborn FBI agent who follows the duo around too is a blast too look at.
On top of that Midnight Run is supported by one of Danny Elfman's (Spider-Man) very best scores, compiled using funky blues rhythms, jazzy tunes, which over all results into an incredibly energetic and lively score to make the movie even more immersive and fun. The movie uses it's locations perfectly utilising the surroundings, inhabitants of those surroundings and everything there is available to them perfectly, and because it's essentially a road-trip film, it has a lot of different, vibrant locations which makes the movie a beauty to look at.

The plot of the movie is something that could've come straight out of The Coen Brother handbook on how to write interesting and quirky screenplays, whilst watching it reminded me a lot of Coen brother films i've seen in combination with The Blues Brothers. The quirkiness, the fun characters, the trial and tribulations, the great acting, something the Coens do best. But it isnt directed by the Coen's to my surprise, it's directed by Martin Brest, he also directed Scent of a Women, one of my all time favorite films.

All in all, there is little to complain here, Midnight Run guarantees you to have a great time watching, you wont be bored. It's energetic, fun, thrilling and lively from start to finish.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

fluxmulder

Jan 4, 2016

Great movie. One of my all time favs. I can put this on at any time, regardless of what mood I'm in, and I'll watch it from beginning to end. Infinitely quotable, with great performances from DeNiro and Grodin, who play the ultimate odd couple. Also a great supporting cast and a catchyGreat movie. One of my all time favs. I can put this on at any time, regardless of what mood I'm in, and I'll watch it from beginning to end. Infinitely quotable, with great performances from DeNiro and Grodin, who play the ultimate odd couple. Also a great supporting cast and a catchy soundtrack by Danny Elfman. Highly recommended.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

kate_media

Apr 8, 2011

Was incredibly pleasantly surprised by this flick. The on the road due made the misfits of Due Date come to mind, and with more believable comedy. De Niro doing comedy is so rare and so fun. Anyone that likes road trips, the 80s and gangster buffoons will love this.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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