Midnight Run
Directed by Martin Brest
- comedy
- crime
- thriller
The story
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.
What it’s like
Warm, sun-faded road movie with gritty 1980s city edges: New York in grey winter daylight and cramped interiors, then wide dusty stretches of the Southwest, desert highways, motel neon and bus-station fluorescents. The camera stays fairly straightforward, with plenty of medium two-shots that let the two leads' bickering play out in the frame, and the score is a jaunty, brassy 80s comedy sound that keeps the mood light even when the chases get tense. Its vibe is scruffy and affectionate, a buddy comedy with a crime-thriller spine, best for a lazy weekend afternoon or a comfort rewatch. The pacing is brisk and talky, with long stretches of banter between a worn-out bounty hunter and a fussy, nervous accountant who slowly grows on each other. Violence is present but comic and brief: a few shootouts, car chases and scuffles, with some profanity and mild crude humour, nothing graphic or lingering. Mostly it feels like an easy, funny adventure, aimed at people who enjoy odd-couple pairings, road-trip detours and sharp, grumpy-hearted dialogue.
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