If it wasn’t for the fact that DIE HARD, a 1988 release in the USA, was a 1989 release in the UK, then it would have been my favourite of 1988.
However, that honour goes to Martin Brest’s MIDNIGHT RUN, which saw Robert De Niro get a little lighter in tone amidst the hard edge of his character Jack Walsh, an ex-cop turned bounty hunter, who is given the job of bringing back Jonathan ‘The Duke’ Mardukas (Charles Grodin) on a ‘midnight run’, to claim his reward money, payable on delivery.
However, the FBI and some hoodlums are also on the case. Special Agent Alonso Mosley (Yaphet Kotto) taunts Walsh when he asks him about his involvement with ‘The Duke’ and nicks Mosley’s ID as cover. In addition, a cynical rival of Walsh’s, Marvin Dorfland (John Ashton, Taggart in BEVERLY HILLS COP (1984) is determined to take ‘The Duke’ as well and claim the bounty Walsh is after as well.
Much of the joy is in the buddy-buddy-bromance between De Niro and Grodin, whose relationship evolves as the movie does. What helps the film as well is the extra depth to the surrounding characters and conflicting backstories that impact on one another, which also makes the action throughout more involving for the audience. George Gallo’s script is firm and textured, with some lovely one-liners.