(Review originally written at 31 December 2006)
This movie is excellent quality entertainment. It's cleverly written, with lots of side-plots and characters that all add to the fun and comedy of the movie.
It's definitely true that the movie side-plots and character do tend to make the movie its plot unnecessary difficult to follow at times but all is forgiven really, since it are mostly that same side-plots and its characters in it that makes this movie perfectly good entertainment to watch.
The movie is very well written and has a fun story, in which bounty hunter Jack Walsh (Robert De Niro) has to get a former mafia accountant (Charles Grodin) to L.A., to the bail bonder (Joe Pantoliano), the accountant jumped bail from. During that travel, Jack and the accountant are being chased themselves as well, by the Mafia, the F.B.I., another bounty hunter and a couple of other characters that cross their path. Sounds complicated? Don't worry! This movie also works well and entertaining with your brain switched off. This is thanks to the fun characters and actors that portray them, the good comical sequences and excellent written dialog.
In essence "Midnight Run" is another mismatched buddy movie, like so many were made of, back in the '80's. This movie is better and definitely more entertaining than most of those movies due to the fact that the comedy feels non-forced and the story itself seems more clever and well written.
The power of this movie is also in its casting. Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin are great together, mainly due to the fact that they are so different and really don't match. It makes the humor and interaction, also the more serious one, work out very well. Yaphet Kotto is also great in his role. He plays his character in a non-comedy way but his character, through it's seriousness, becomes very hilarious. I mean just the subtle thing, like the way he slams the door when he enters a room, is brilliant. Dennis Farina yet again plays a typical gangster role, like he can do best. Joe Pantoliano is also entertaining in an early role.
The movie is well directed. Lots is happening in this movie, also with many different side-plots but the movie never strays away from its main plot. It makes the movie coherent and constant to watch, with a good quick pace. Too bad that with "Gigli" director Martin Brest threw away most of his credit as director.
The movie is actually quite simple made. It doesn't feature an awful lot of action or complicated sequences. It makes "Midnight Run" a fun 'little movie' that offers some great entertainment. With all sequences shot on location, standard camera-work and a simple musical score.
Fun, well made movie.
8/10
Watch trailer
This movie is excellent quality entertainment. It's cleverly written, with lots of side-plots and characters that all add to the fun and comedy of the movie.
It's definitely true that the movie side-plots and character do tend to make the movie its plot unnecessary difficult to follow at times but all is forgiven really, since it are mostly that same side-plots and its characters in it that makes this movie perfectly good entertainment to watch.
The movie is very well written and has a fun story, in which bounty hunter Jack Walsh (Robert De Niro) has to get a former mafia accountant (Charles Grodin) to L.A., to the bail bonder (Joe Pantoliano), the accountant jumped bail from. During that travel, Jack and the accountant are being chased themselves as well, by the Mafia, the F.B.I., another bounty hunter and a couple of other characters that cross their path. Sounds complicated? Don't worry! This movie also works well and entertaining with your brain switched off. This is thanks to the fun characters and actors that portray them, the good comical sequences and excellent written dialog.
In essence "Midnight Run" is another mismatched buddy movie, like so many were made of, back in the '80's. This movie is better and definitely more entertaining than most of those movies due to the fact that the comedy feels non-forced and the story itself seems more clever and well written.
The power of this movie is also in its casting. Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin are great together, mainly due to the fact that they are so different and really don't match. It makes the humor and interaction, also the more serious one, work out very well. Yaphet Kotto is also great in his role. He plays his character in a non-comedy way but his character, through it's seriousness, becomes very hilarious. I mean just the subtle thing, like the way he slams the door when he enters a room, is brilliant. Dennis Farina yet again plays a typical gangster role, like he can do best. Joe Pantoliano is also entertaining in an early role.
The movie is well directed. Lots is happening in this movie, also with many different side-plots but the movie never strays away from its main plot. It makes the movie coherent and constant to watch, with a good quick pace. Too bad that with "Gigli" director Martin Brest threw away most of his credit as director.
The movie is actually quite simple made. It doesn't feature an awful lot of action or complicated sequences. It makes "Midnight Run" a fun 'little movie' that offers some great entertainment. With all sequences shot on location, standard camera-work and a simple musical score.
Fun, well made movie.
8/10
Watch trailer
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