The Rewatchables: 'Midnight Run' With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan

Published 2018-07-20; 1:09:56 by the feed.

Awards and segments (54)

Most rewatchable scene

  1. floated The Litmus configuration test, duping the bar guys into handing over $20 for allegedly counterfeit money
    “The Litmus configuration test, the famous scene when they go and they try to get money and they dupe the guys in the bar to give them $20 that are allegedly counterfeit.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:24:41
  2. floated Jack goes to see his daughter
    “Jack goes to see his daughter emotional.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:24:52
  3. floated The coffee shop scene: the chorizo, the 53 cent coffee, and Jack realizing Serrano is the guy who is going to kill him
    “Them in the coffee shop, the chorizo, the ¢53 coffee, and then him saying, Serranos, their hair and dearly?”
    Bill Simmons · 0:24:56
  4. pick The boxcar scene, where Jack and the Duke finally become real friends
    “Uh, the boxcar scene. My personal favorite.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:25:14
  5. floated The chase near the end where Jack loses the Duke, stares up at the helicopters and stops the car
    “And then the chase scene near the end when he loses the Duke and he stared up at the helicopters and he stops the car and he goes, I've come too far.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:25:17
  6. pick The boxcar scene, ahead of anything with Farina or Pantoliano on screen
    “but the rewatchable scene is definitely the boxcar.”
    Chris Ryan · 0:26:13
  7. floated Any scene with Dennis Farina or Joe Pantoliano on screen, which he says are rewindable
    “So pretty much anytime Farina is on the screen and pretty much anytime Pantaleano is on the screen is like a rewind, a rewindable scene for me”
    Chris Ryan · 0:26:13
  8. floated The phone call with Farina, moron number one and moron number two, with the shadow boxing; too short to be a rewatchable scene but it kills the speaker
    “It's not a rewatchable seat because it's short, but just that whoever thought of the shadow boxing thing fucking kills me.”
    unknown · 0:30:43

What Aged the Best · The part of the movie that has held up best over thirty years.

  1. pick The chemistry between De Niro and Grodin: Rare two-man chemistry; they run through other great pairings from there.
    “De Niro and Grodin, the chemistry of those guys.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:28:02
  2. pick Danny Elfman's score: Called one of the best soundtracks ever, like the Busboys doing a soundtrack.
    “This is one of the best soundtracks ever, and it's got like the right feel to it, and then it slows down at the right parts, and then it kicks back in.”
    unknown · 0:32:16
  3. pick The closing line, "Looks like I'm walking": A great last line to end a movie.
    “I love great last lines to end a movie, and that one's way up there, especially like him walking out of LAX”
    unknown · 0:32:45
  4. pick Jack's awkward visit with his daughter: Every beat of the scene works; one of the speaker's favorite De Niro scenes.
    “That every beat in that scene is like A plus list.”
    unknown · 0:33:39
  5. winner The weird sentimental, poignant moments, plus Danny Elfman's music: The hosts' summary of what aged best.
    “I think we said the poignant moments in Danny Elphin's music.”
    unknown · 0:35:26

What Aged the Worst · The part of the movie that has held up worst.

  1. pick De Niro bringing a gun on an airplane: Jarring now, along with payphones and no cell phones.
    “De Niro bring a gun on an airplane?”
    unknown · 0:35:30
  2. pick Smoking everywhere: Jack chain smokes on planes, buses and in hallways; Grodin gets pissy about it.
    “How about the fact that he fucking smokes everywhere?”
    unknown · 0:35:57
  3. pick Watching it on cable with the bleeps: The movie isn't meant to be watched with bleeps.
    “Anytime this show's on cable with the bleeps, that's age the worst.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:38:05
  4. winner Eight knockouts with no concussion awareness: His number one pick: eight knockouts, Marvin out four times, nobody bleeds.
    “But the number one thing for me, that's age the worst.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:38:17

Casting What Ifs · Who else was considered or almost cast, and how the movie changes.

  1. pick Robert De Niro as Josh Baskin in Big: De Niro wanted Big, the studio went to Tom Hanks, and De Niro settled for Midnight Run.
    “De Niro goes for big, going back to the De Niro conversation, for whatever reason, decided that he needed to be in a lighthearted, some sort of funny comedy, he needed to show a different side of himself, goes for big, and the studio says, no thanks, Robert De Niro, and they go to Tom Hanks.”
    Chris Ryan · 0:17:53
  2. pick Harrison Ford as Jack Walsh: Paramount's first lineup, with Chevy Chase as the Duke; Ford dropped out.
    “They line up Harrison Ford as Jack Wallace, Walsh, and Chevy Chase as the Duke.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:39:59
  3. pick Chevy Chase as the Duke: Had a conflict with two other movies and couldn't do it.
    “Chevy Chase has a conflict.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:40:33
  4. pick Albert Brooks as the Duke: Turned it down; the hosts think he could have played it much like Grodin.
    “They go to Albert Brooks to be the Duke.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:40:43
  5. pick Cher as the Duke: Paramount's idea, which he can't imagine working.
    “But they wanted Cher to play the Duke.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:41:33
  6. pick Robin Williams as the Duke: Paramount pushed for him and he auditioned; Brest insisted on Grodin and Paramount sold the rights to Universal. Bill doubts it is Midnight Run with Williams doing bits.
    “So Paramount pushes for Robin Williams.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:41:54
  7. pick Ron Perlman, Dennis Hopper, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta and Alec Baldwin as Jimmy Serrano: All considered for the Serrano part; nobody is better than Farina.
    “Ron Perlman, Dennis Hopper, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, and Alec Baldwin, all considered to play Jimmy Serrano.”
    unknown · 0:46:10

The Dion Waiters Award · The small part who makes the biggest impact, the heat check off the bench.

  1. winner Dennis Farina as Jimmy Serrano: In about five scenes, all filmed in Vegas, and completely over the top.
    “Dennis Farina is in like 5 scenes. They had to film all of them in Vegas because he was doing crime story.”
    Chris Ryan · 0:48:59
  2. winner John Ashton as Marvin: Wins going away; the speaker wonders why he never got a bigger career.
    “He wins the Dion Waiters Award going away, but I don't understand why he didn't have some fox cop drama”
    unknown · 0:47:25
  3. nominee Yaphet Kotto as the FBI agent: About 15 minutes of screen time but huge stats.
    “Not in a lot of scenes, but huge stats in this movie.”
    unknown · 0:47:47
  4. winner Joe Pantoliano as Eddie Moscone: By the strict letter of the award: he became Joe Pantoliano on this movie.
    “So by this strict letter of the Dion Waiter's law.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:48:46
  5. nominee Philip Baker Hall as Serrano's lawyer
    “And then Philip Baker Hall.”
    unknown · 0:48:42

The Joey Pants Award · The best "that guy" in the movie.

  1. winner Joe Pantoliano as Eddie Moscone: Wins because the award is named after him.
    “But we have to give it to Joey Pants, because the awards named after him.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:51:17
  2. nominee the dad from My So-Called Life as the FBI agent
    “The dad from my so-called life, who's also in this movie, who's an FI agent.”
    unknown · 0:50:57
  3. nominee Jack Kehoe as Eddie Moscone's sidekick: The donuts sidekick, called one of the great that guys.
    “And then, uh, one of the great, great that guy's, Eddie Moscow and sidekick, who's diving him out.”
    unknown · 0:51:03

Apex Mountain · Where each performer's career sits on the mountain.

  1. pick Charles Grodin as the Duke: No debate; this is Grodin's apex.
    “I didn't even think that's a debate.”
    unknown · 0:53:39
  2. pick Robert De Niro as Raging Bull: One host says Raging Bull; another floats Taxi Driver and says Goodfellas is up there.
    “I would say his apex has to be Raging Bull.”
    unknown · 0:54:05
  3. pick Robert De Niro as Jack Walsh: Midnight Run as De Niro's apex for the speaker personally; Casino argued as another.
    “It's weird because he's had multiple apexes because for me personally, Midnight Run as his apex.”
    unknown · 0:54:18
  4. pick Dennis Farina as Jimmy Serrano
    “Dennis Farina, yes.”
    unknown · 0:55:00
  5. pick John Ashton as Beverly Hills Cop II: His apex is Beverly Hills Cop II over Midnight Run.
    “John Ashton, I still think Beverly Hills cop two.”
    unknown · 0:55:03
  6. pick Joe Pantoliano as Eddie Moscone: This is his apex because he becomes Joey Pants.
    “I think this was his apex because he becomes Joey Pants.”
    unknown · 0:55:32

Danny Trejo category · Three actors are named and the hosts pick which would have been best in this movie.

  1. winner Steve Buscemi: The other two options were Danny Trejo and Michael K. Williams; Bill agreed.
    “I think Bushemi could have played 7 parts in this movie.”
    Chris Ryan · 0:56:52
  2. nominee Danny Trejo
    “Danny Trao.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:56:27
  3. nominee Michael K. Williams
    “Michael K. Williams.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:56:34

The Mark Ruffalo · Who overacts in the movie.

  1. pick Joe Pantoliano as Eddie Moscone: Nobody really overacts, but Pantoliano never modulates, in a good way.
    “I'd say that, uh, I'd say that Pantoliano never really modulates his performance. In a good way.”
    unknown · 0:57:33

Picking Nits · Nitpicks of a movie they love.

  1. pick The three TV movie sequels starting in 1994 with Christopher McDonald as Jack Walsh
    “Three TV movies starting in 1994 with Christopher McDonald playing Jack Walsh.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:57:56
  2. pick The "Serrano's got the discs" plan, and the FBI going along with it: A bounty hunter impersonating an FBI agent gets the federal government behind his plan.
    “My biggest nitpick is the Serrano got the disk.”
    Chris Ryan · 0:58:38
  3. pick Marvin keeps catching up to them across the country despite four concussions, in a world without cell phones
    “I find it a challenge to believe that someone with the mental acuity of Marvin, especially after going through so much head trauma throughout this movie, consistently is able to get ahead of the Duke and Walsh's westbound traveling.”
    Chris Ryan · 1:00:16
  4. pick Grodin carries a money belt with about 500 grand and never offers it as a bribe, and Jack won't take one: Both called borderline nitpicks.
    “That was a borderline nitpick for me.”
    unknown · 1:06:16

Unanswered Questions · Questions the movie leaves open.

  1. pick How long does the Duke actually stay alive?: Guessed dead within six months.
    “One is how long does the Duke actually stay alive?”
    unknown · 1:01:32
  2. pick Does Jack Walsh use the money to start the coffee shop, and where is it?: They think he does; guesses include LA, Echo Park, the country, and Koreatown (lost in the riots).
    “Does Jack Walsh actually use the money to start the coffee shop?”
    unknown · 1:01:49

Who Won the Movie · Who comes out on top of the movie.

  1. winner Robert De Niro as Jack Walsh: A favorite De Niro performance; this or Goodfellas, with Jimmy Conway as 1B.
    “I think De Niro wins it.”
    unknown · 1:04:21
  2. nominee Charles Grodin as the Duke: Honorable mention.
    “De Niro wins honorable mention for Grodin.”
    unknown · 1:04:10
  3. nominee The that guy actors, Danny Elfman, and Martin Brest
    “And then, uh, and then all the that guy people, and then you can make a case Danny Elfman's in there.”
    unknown · 1:04:14

Best Quote · The best line in the movie.

  1. winner "Here come two words for you. Shut the fuck up.": The most-quoted line; the best quote is the whole movie.
    “Best quotes the entire movie, but I think the one iconic I kind of quote is, here come 2 words for you.”
    unknown · 1:04:28
  2. pick "See you in the next life, Jack": A special shout out; it fits the ending where the two will never be friends.
    “Right. It's so good, but to see you in the next life is just such a perfect thing because it's like, these guys are never going to be friends.”
    unknown · 1:05:49
  3. pick Eddie's "Everybody's telling me to go fuck myself" line: Called the second favorite quote in the movie.
    “He has my 2nd favorite quote in the movie.”
    unknown · 0:55:45

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