Midnight Run

We watch it over and over.

So many amazing quotes.

"Fistophobia"
"Pencil through your heart"
"Litmus configuration"

quote:

---

Jonathan Mardukas: What's the name of this establishment?
Red Wood: Red's Corner Bar.
Jonathan Mardukas: Are you Red?
Red Wood: Yes.
Jonathan Mardukas: Do you dye your hair?
Red Wood: No.
[pause]
Jonathan Mardukas: Why do they call you Red?
Red Wood: It's short for Redwood. My last name's Wood.
Jonathan Mardukas: What's your first name?
Red Wood: Bill.

---

Grodin does a similar short scene in "The Heartbreak Kid". He's trying to keep the other college kids away from Cybil Shepherd, and goes into full Dragnet mode to scare them away.

The acting in this ostensibly throwaway comedy is stunning. Despite this still being the "real" Deniro (rather than the shell he has become), he gives arguably only the 5th or 6th best performance in this film in which he was the lead.

Joey Pants?
Grodin?
Farina?
Kotto?


All better.

Even Ashton (Marvin) was as good or better than Deniro in this.

I always view this as sort of a riff on both Blue Streak and Planes, Trains and Automobiles, with even a dash of 48 Hours. Martin Brest (whose career effectively ended with Gigli) was not a great director, overall, but did a great job with the first Beverly Hills Cop and this film. Pitch perfect comedies that were well paced, well written, well acted and just enjoyable entertainment over multiple viewings.

Midnight Run is one of my favorite comedies.

dennis farina (RIP) stole the movie

Introduced this gem to my 17 y/o son yesterday.

I thought he was going to piss himself laughing so much.

has been one of my favorites since my dad first let me watch it on VHS in like 1990 when I was 10. I watch it every time its on, watched it again like a week ago on Starz.

It makes me appreciate the casting every time I watch it...especially Farina who was just awesome ! he could be so terrifying if he wanted to be.

Also, the fact that the scene on the freight train towards the end where Grodin tries to escape and DeNiro catches up to him after the litmus configuration, things were really tense. Grodin adlibbed the scene in the cart with the farm animals and wanting to have sex with a chicken back at the Indian Reservation and got a legitimate reaction from DeNiro. Always a classic scene !

Underappreciated movie IMO. I still say "Relax, have a cream soda" to this day.