Cross-country Chaos

A little bit like the action packed, chase-filled version of Planes, Trains and Automobiles, 1988’s Midnight Run finds a pair of equally mismatched individuals making their way across the country.

Written by George Gallo and directed by Martin Brest (Beverly Hills Cop; Scent of a Woman), the action crime comedy finds a disgruntled, ultimately unhappy former cop and present day bounty hunter, Jack Walsh (Robert De Niro), surviving the rigours of day to day life. The money isn’t particularly good and the job comes with some dangerous drawbacks (criminals tend to pull a gun on you).

So, when bail bondsman liaison Eddie Moscone (Joe Pantoliano) offers Walsh a seemingly simple gig in which he is to pick up an accountant named Jonathan “The Duke” Mardukas (Charles Grodin) for an unimaginable sum (one hundred thousand dollars) – he jumps at the opportunity. The reason for the big ticket price is that it will save Moscone’s business, as the criminal is on the lamb, hiding out as he has stolen fifteen million dollars from gangster Jimmy Serrano (Dennis Farina), meaning that he will not get his money back if he is not brought in. Another catch, The Duke has to be back in Los Angeles by Friday – giving the bounty hunter a measly five days to track down the elusive man.

Further complicating things, Walsh is soon flagged by imposing FBI Agent Alonzo Mosely (Yaphet Kotto) – as he is worried that the bounty hunter will infringe on the case that he has been working on for ages.

With a long and complicated past, Walsh knows mobster Serrano well, and despises his kind. Their history is the reason why he is no longer a Chicago cop. Upon making his way to New York City, he is immediately contacted by two of Serrano’s inept goons, Tony (Richard Foronjy) and Joey (Robert Miranda), who offer him a million smackers for the delivery of the accountant.

Wanting nothing to do with any of them, when he does nab his target, he heads directly for the airport. The Duke, a white collar criminal, is soft around the edges. Inquisitive, snarky, and with a dry sense of humour, his demeanor clashes with the cantankerous, more blue collar bounty hunter.

While waiting to take off, the phobic crook freaks out, forcing them off of the plane and onto a train. With the FBI, the criminal underworld, and a back-up bounty hunter named Marvin Dorfler (John Ashton) on their trail, they are eventually driven off of the second speedy mode of transportation – forcing them to duck and dodge multiple foes using unusual methods, and with limited funds, in a variety of vehicles.

Spending every waking moment with each other, things don’t get any easier as they make their way closer to the west coast. They are hungry, tired and still completely antagonistic towards one another, a pair that clash at every new turn. Best exemplified in a comedic and heartfelt conversation the twosome have while riding the rails, Duke sincerely tells Walsh, “you’re okay Jack. I think. . . under different circumstances. . . you and I. . . probably still would have hated each other”. Knowing that the mob is going to kill him if he is returned to LA, Duke is always looking for a way to extricate himself from the ever-complex situation. At odds with everything, Walsh despises Serrano and is happy that The Duke stole his money, giving it to charity, but is also driven to do his job, getting paid for delivering the criminal which will allow him to get out of the business and open a coffee shop. Will Walsh deliver Duke, procuring the cash? Will the bickering twosome get caught or killed along the way?

Thriving due to the infectious relationship of these two oddball characters, it is a treat to watch the duo evolve over the course of their roller coaster of a journey. Despite their hatred and instant dislike, the chemistry between the two is palpable. And, in spite of the ups and downs, they slowly gain a ‘sort-of’ appreciation for each other, realizing that they are not all that different. There is also an undercurrent of emotion that runs through the script. Walsh has not seen his ex-wife and daughter in nearly a decade; it is yet another burden the bounty hunter lives with – the curious criminal, in a backwards sort of way, tries to aid him with his depressing situation.

Though it becomes more formulaic as it progresses, Midnight Run is a fun little take on the buddy action comedy. Featuring stellar performances and entertaining action sequences, the film also features a playful, engaging score from Danny Elfman. Keep your eyes open for director Brest’s cameo – he plays the ticket clerk who asks Dorfler if he would like a smoking or non smoking seat towards the end of the feature. So, make a Midnight Run to see this engaging cross-country story; I haven’t received a payoff to say that it really is a gift of a flick.