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'Midnight Run' With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan

July 20, 2018 · Midnight Run (1988) · Action · Comedy · Crime · 1:09:56

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 25:38The boxcar scene
Chris Ryan▶ 26:26The boxcar scene

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 28:02De Niro and Grodin's chemistry, Danny Elfman's music/soundtrack, the movie's last line 'Looks like I'm walking', and the sentimental emotional moments particularly De Niro's scene with his daughter
Chris Ryan▶ 32:04Danny Elfman's soundtrack (calling it one of their favorites despite some criticism), and the unexpectedly poignant sentimental emotional moments in the film

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 38:17Eight guys getting knocked out in the movie with no concussion awareness, especially Marvin getting knocked out four times

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 42:40Robin Williams — Discusses multiple what-ifs including Harrison Ford/Chevy Chase, Albert Brooks as Duke, and Robin Williams. Thinks Robin Williams could have done it if he played it seriously like in Dead Poets Society, but acknowledges Grodin was probably safer
Chris Ryan▶ 43:06Robin Williams — Robin Williams would not have worked as the Duke - would have been doing bits throughout, too energetic compared to Grodin's measured performance. Can't see anybody else but Grodin doing it

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 46:46John Ashton — Discussed multiple candidates including Dennis Farina as Serrano, John Ashton as Marvin, and Yaphet Kotto as FBI agent, noting Ashton would normally win but acknowledging strong competition
Chris Ryan▶ 47:55Yaphet Kotto — Praised Yaphet Kotto's performance, describing it as 'seven threes' and highlighting his impactful presence

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 49:08Dennis Farina
Chris Ryan▶ 48:50Joe Pantoliano

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 51:22Charles Grodin has permanent scars from real handcuffs; boxcar scene was entirely improvised; De Niro actually punched John Ashton during train fight scene; Marvin was originally supposed to die but was kept alive and added to McCarran airport scene for better climax

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 53:37Charles Grodin — Charles Grodin - yes, this is his apex mountain. For De Niro, argues it's Raging Bull coming off Godfather 2, but also considers Midnight Run his personal favorite and Goodfellas as very high up there.
Chris Ryan▶ 53:57Charles Grodin — Charles Grodin - yes. For De Niro, picks Taxi Driver as his apex. For Joey Pantoliano, says this is his apex because 'he becomes Joey Pants' in this movie.

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:32How long does the Duke stay alive (thinks 6 months) and does Jack Walsh open a coffee shop in Koreatown that gets destroyed in the riots
Chris Ryan▶ 1:02:11Jack Walsh opens a coffee shop, ideally the restaurant from Heat where Neil takes Eady, or he moves to the country near Ojai

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:10Robert De Niro — De Niro wins, with honorable mentions for Gerdon, the 'that guy' people, Danny Elfman, and Martin Brest
Chris Ryan▶ 1:03:38Participated in ranking De Niro performances (mentioning Taxi Driver, Raging Bull) but didn't explicitly state their pick for who won the movie

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:28"Here come two words for you. Shut the fuck up." - calls it the most iconic quote and the one they've said the most
Chris Ryan▶ 1:04:48Acknowledges the entire movie is quotable, gives special mention to "See you in the next life, Jack" from the ending scene

Movies Referenced (52)

Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 1:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Heat (1995)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 13:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Raging Bull (1980)

7 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 3:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Die Hard (1988)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 21:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Taxi Driver (1976)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 3:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Goodfellas (1990)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 11:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cape Fear (1991)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 11:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dead Poets Society (1989)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 42:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Good Will Hunting (1997)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 43:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jackie Brown (1997)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 13:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Miami Vice (2006)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 1:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Deer Hunter (1978)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 10:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (5)

Martin Brest

7 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Scent of a Woman, Midnight Run, Beverly Hills Cop▶ 14:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Josh Trank

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Chronicle▶ 15:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brian DeRozan

1 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 15:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Mann

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans▶ 1:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Goodell

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Draft Day▶ 38:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (64)

Robert De Niro

63 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Cape Fear, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver▶ 0:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Charles Grodin

26 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Midnight Run▶ 1:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dennis Farina

18 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Get Shorty, Manhunter, Snatch▶ 6:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Al Pacino

15 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather▶ 10:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jack Walsh

15 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for THX 1138, A Simple Plan▶ 3:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robin Williams

13 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Mrs. Doubtfire▶ 41:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joe Pantoliano

11 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Memento, Bound, The Matrix▶ 6:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Ashton

11 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Gone Baby Gone, Beverly Hills Cop▶ 38:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Eddie Murphy

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Harlem Nights, The Nutty Professor▶ 29:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Albert Brooks

5 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Drive, Broadcast News▶ 40:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Danny Elfman

5 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 31:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gerry Kodo

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Jurassic Park, Pacific Rim▶ 14:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (2)

Colin Trevorrow

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Jurassic World, Deep Cover▶ 14:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Harold Ramis

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day, Stripes▶ 30:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Oliver Moron

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Unknown▶ 30:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗