Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Wayne Dobie is a shy cop whose low-key demeanor has earned him the affectionate nickname "Mad Dog." After Mad Dog saves the life of Frank Milo, a crime boss and aspiring stand-up comedian, he's offered the company of an attractive young waitress named Glory for a week. At first both are uneasy about the arrangement, but they eventually fall in love. However, the situation becomes complicated when Milo demands Glory back.
Mad Dog and Glory is an offbeat romantic crime comedy elevated well above its modest premise by genuinely surprising casting — Robert De Niro as a meek, retiring cop, Bill Murray playing against type as a menacing mob boss, and Uma Thurman anchoring the romantic center with understated grace. The acting ensemble is the film's clear standout, with Murray in particular delivering something genuinely unsettling beneath his comic persona. The plot is an engaging, slightly quirky premise but loses steam as it winds toward resolution, and the ending feels deflated and abrupt rather than satisfying. Cinematography is serviceable but unremarkable for a mid-budget studio film of its era. Novelty is moderate — the role-reversal casting gives it a distinctive flavor, but the underlying romantic-hostage narrative follows fairly predictable beats.