Midnight Run (1988)
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A bounty hunter and an embezzled accountant must navigate a dangerous cross-country journey to evade the mob and the FBI.
The story
Bounty hunter Jack Walsh is hired by a bail bondsman to transport Jonathan Mardukas, an accountant who embezzled $15 million from a Chicago mob boss, from New York City to Los Angeles. Despite warnings from the FBI to stay away from the man, Walsh accepts the job, which he calls a 'midnight run.' The journey quickly becomes complicated as Walsh discovers that Mardukas has a fear of flying, forcing them to travel by train. While on the move, they are pursued by a rival bounty hunter and a federal task force, leading to a high-stakes trek across the country involving car thefts and hitchhiking.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Bounty hunter Jack Walsh is hired by bail bondsman Eddie Moscone to transport Jonathan Mardukas, an accountant who embezzled $15 million from Chicago mob boss Jimmy Serrano, to Los Angeles. Walsh, who was a former undercover cop, ignores FBI orders to stay away from Mardukas and poses as an agent. During their journey, Mardukas fakes a panic attack to avoid flying, forcing them onto a train where they are pursued by rival bounty hunter Marvin Dorfler. After several skirmishes and being forced to hitchhike and steal cars, Walsh learns of his own past as an undercover officer who was framed by corrupt cops. Meanwhile, the FBI leads a task force to find them. In Sedona, Arizona, Dorfler briefly steals Mardukas but inadvertently reveals his location to Serrano's men, who knock him unconscious. Walsh eventually negotiates with Serrano to deliver Mardukas in exchange for disks of evidence, while simultaneously making a deal with the FBI for immunity. After the FBI arrests Serrano, Walsh delivers Mardukas to Los Angeles. Knowing Serrano's associates will kill Mardukas in prison, Walsh lets him go, and Mardukas gives Walsh a gift of $300,000 before departing.
- First release year
- 1988
- Runtime (minutes)
- 126
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Martin Brest
- Writers
- George Gallo · writer
- Cast and characters
- Robert De Niro · Jack Walsh; Charles Grodin · Jonathan Mardukas; Yaphet Kotto; John Ashton; Dennis Farina; Joe Pantoliano
- Genres
- action; comedy; thriller
- Themes
- Loyalty; Redemption; Friendship; Corruption
- Tone and mood
- Comedy; Action; Thriller; Pathos
- Premise and plot tags
- Bounty Hunter; Road Trip; Crime; Buddy Comedy
- Franchise connections
- The Midnight Run Action Pack
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics, with praise for its humor and the performances and chemistry between De Niro and Grodin. It was well-received by audiences, earning an 'A' grade on CinemaScore.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 95% · review count: 58; Metacritic · score: 78 · scale: 100 · review count: 16
- Awards and nominations
- Golden Globe · Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy · 46th · Nominated; Golden Globe · Best Actor · 46th · Nominated
- Production trivia
- Robert De Niro sought the role to play against type from his crime and gangster film roles of the 1970s and 1980s.; Charles Grodin had permanent scars from the handcuffs he wore for most of the film.; The scene in which Mardukas falls off of a cliff was shot in the Salt River Canyon in the White Mountains of Arizona.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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