Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
A bounty hunter pursues a former Mafia accountant who is also being chased by a rival bounty hunter, the F.B.I., and his old mob boss after jumping bail.
Midnight Run is a beloved buddy comedy elevated almost entirely by the electric chemistry between Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin. Their performances are genuinely exceptional — De Niro's comedic timing and Grodin's deadpan irritability create one of the great odd-couple dynamics in film history, earning a 4 for Acting. The plot is a serviceable road-trip chase structure with multiple pursuers converging, competently constructed but not particularly inventive. The cinematography is functional and captures the cross-country journey adequately without distinguishing itself. Novelty is moderate — while the execution of the buddy chemistry is memorable and the film has a distinct voice, the basic premise fits comfortably within the road-trip/buddy-comedy genre. The ending wraps things up warmly and satisfyingly, staying true to character but not surprising anyone.