A movie doesn't have to be a huge spectacular epic to earn my prestigious five-star rating. Case in point, Midnight Run has long been one of my most beloved films. Considered his debut into comedy, Robert De Niro plays a bounty hunter named Jack Walsh, and he's hired to take in an elusive accountant of a crime organization, played by Charles Grodin.
Known for Beverly Hills Cop and A Scent of a Woman, Martin Brest produced and directed Midnight Run and made a cameo appearance in the 1988 film. (That's him as the passenger service agent in the airport scene.) Midnight Run also has one of my most favorite scores, not just by Danny Elfman, but of all films. I even used the movie's main title song to open a talent show back in high school.
It can be categorized as just another road trip action-comedy, but Midnight Run also has a lot of heart. Despite the numerous times I've seen the movie, that scene with Jack Walsh meeting his ex-wife and daughter still gets me a little emotional every time.
Charles Grodin was a familiar face in films when I was a little kid in the 1980s, like in The Great Muppet Caper and The Incredible Shrinking Woman. He typically had supporting roles, but he played opposite De Niro in Midnight Run, and I love their onscreen chemistry. There are a plethora of buddy movies, but Midnight Run is one of the very best.
I had not seen Charles Grodin in movies for a long time, so I was delighted to see him recently in An Imperfect Murder with Sienna Miller and Alec Baldwin, which was his last film. Even his brief appearance in the movie showed what a great actor he was. He will be dearly missed.
Rest in peace, Charles Grodin. See you in the next life.
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