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When people talk about Robert De Niro’s most notable film collaborations, they often mention his extensive partnership with director Martin Scorsese, spanning ten feature films over five decades. Additionally, many remember De Niro’s memorable restaurant scene with Al Pacino in the 1995 crime film “Heat” and his successful teaming with Joe Pesci in movies like “Casino,” “Goodfellas,” and “Raging Bull.”
While these collaborations have certainly made a significant impact on the world of cinema, they are often associated with particular standout scenes rather than continuous on-screen partnerships throughout an entire film.
In this context, one of De Niro’s most remarkable on-screen partners was arguably Charles Grodin in the 1988 action comedy “Midnight Run.” Grodin’s unique deadpan delivery and slow-building comedic style made him the perfect counterpart for De Niro in this film. “Midnight Run” set a high standard for future buddy-comedy films and revealed De Niro’s previously undiscovered talent for comedy.
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Robert De Niro Found His Best On-Screen Partner in This 1988 Buddy Comedy Classic
The Odd Couple
In Midnight Run, Robert De Niro plays Jack Walsh, a former police officer turned bounty hunter who is assigned to track down Charles Grodin’s character, Jonathan “The Duke” Mardukas. Mardukas is a former mob accountant who has jumped bail after embezzling $15 million from Jimmy Serrano, a Chicago mob boss with whom Walsh has a history.
While Midnight Run incorporates familiar commercial elements, the film’s core success lies in the antagonistic chemistry between De Niro and Grodin. The comedic dynamic between them is crucial. This dynamic is established early in the film when Walsh captures Mardukas in New York, intending to transport him to Los Angeles for a court appearance on Monday.
When Walsh informs Mardukas that they’ll be flying to Los Angeles, Mardukas claims to have a fear of flying, a claim that Walsh and the audience suspect is untrue. Under the implicit threat of violence, Walsh forces Mardukas onto the plane. However, Mardukas pretends to have a panic attack, leading Walsh to remove him from the plane and opt for train travel instead.
At this point in Midnight Run, the film goes beyond the typical buddy dynamic by merging De Niro and Grodin’s distinct screen personas. De Niro’s tough and tenacious character contrasts with Grodin’s uptight and wry mannerisms, reminiscent of his role in the 1972 black comedy film, The Heartbreak Kid. This fusion results in an on-screen relationship more compelling and interesting than that of Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte in the 1982 buddy action comedy film, 48 Hrs. Midnight Run, fueled by the unexpectedly strong comedic chemistry between De Niro and Grodin, breaks free from genre conventions to focus on the personalities and interactions of its characters, rather than relying solely on car chases and shootouts.
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Perfect Timing
The evolution of the relationship between Robert De Niro’s character, Jack Walsh, and Charles Grodin’s character, Jonathan Mardukas, begins when they are forced to leave a flight to Los Angeles due to Mardukas faking a panic attack. They then board a westbound train together.
During their train journey, the initially adversarial dynamic between Walsh and Mardukas starts to soften as Walsh begins to open up and share personal details of his life. It’s revealed that both of them have a common enemy in the form of Chicago mobster Jimmy Serrano, who had a hand in ending Walsh’s career as a police officer a few years ago.
On the train, Walsh confides in Mardukas about his plan to take the $100,000 payment for delivering Mardukas to Los Angeles and use it to start a small coffee shop. Mardukas objects to this idea, acting as Walsh’s self-appointed financial advisor, deeming the coffee shop a needlessly risky investment. The witty and perfectly timed exchange between De Niro and Grodin in this scene is truly priceless and exemplifies their comedic chemistry.
Additionally, this train scene establishes that both Mardukas and Walsh are driven by a strong sense of justice and fairness. Mardukas, who intends to donate the majority of the $15 million he stole from Serrano to charity, offers Walsh $200,000 in exchange for his release. However, Walsh declines, as he had previously refused a bribe during his time as a police officer, which led to the end of his law enforcement career.
Kings of Chemistry
Midnight Run demonstrates that even when using well-worn genre elements, a film can feel fresh and exciting through superb direction, writing, and particularly exceptional performances.
While the movie’s plot follows the typical dynamics of a buddy and road film, the remarkable chemistry between Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin elevates the familiar genre elements. Their comedic rapport in Midnight Run turns what could have been a formulaic film burdened by genre conventions into a delightful comedic experience with unexpected emotional depth.
Although Midnight Run has its share of memorable action and comedy sequences, it’s the quiet, understated moments in the film that leave the strongest impression. For instance, there’s a scene where Jack Walsh (De Niro) and Jonathan Mardukas (Grodin) visit Walsh’s ex-wife, leading to a touching reunion with his estranged daughter, who offers him her babysitting money to support his journey.
Later in the film, after Jack Walsh decides not to send Mardukas to prison, he chooses to release him. Before parting ways, Walsh gives Mardukas a watch that he received from his former wife. This gesture signifies his realization that he must let go of the past and move forward with his life.
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