Colleagues, acquaintances, and friends come and go within our lives. There are some we will often wonder why our paths crossed. I don’t believe our lives are random. I think there are messages to share and learn from those we meet. Sometimes we hear them loud and clear, and other times, it might take a sledgehammer to get the point across. The universe starts with a whisper and will work its way up to a holy crap moment if need be. It is up to us to be receptive and open to what our heart hears and to be ready for change and growth.
Most of the time, when this happens, we will meet someone who is the farthest from our normal circle. This is good because it will take us out of our comfort zone and zen-like familiarity. I have had several of these encounters over my 76 years; one in particular comes to mind as I remember and write.
While I was teaching at a high school in Arizona, I was forced to work with a colleague every day who was the total opposite of who I was as a person. We had to join forces, try to remain calm, maintain our circle of imagined power, hold our tongues, and act as a guide to bring out the best in our shared students. For a long time, I fought back with every sarcastic, snarky remark that came to mind. She and I were raked over the coals by the administration. We had shouting matches where neither side was listening. We gave each other the silent treatment as well. There was no getting around our situation. We had to get along. The universe’s message got louder and louder. Our existence together could not go on; one of us had to leave. This is the wall we ended up at while batting our heads against the inevitable.
This is when I changed my paradigm and saw our struggles through a different lens. I started not just to envision her as my enemy, but as a human being struggling just to stay relevant as the years flew by, and I labeled her. I let go of pre-conceived ideas and theories. I made her sit down and talk. We learned a bunch about ourselves and each other that day. We accepted who we were, how we were connected, and where we were both going in our career journeys. We chatted about our families and our past. We made a truce of sorts. We would “never really be friends in this lifetime or the next,” but we could be civil, kind, and joke around.
I remember the last time I saw her. We were able to stop and stare for an extra beat. We both deeply nodded our heads. Then slowly, we turned away, knowing we would never see each other again. In the end, we had accomplished our best for the good of our students. It was a satisfying feeling. I imagine it was very similar to the dynamic duo of Robert De Niro as Jack Walsh and Charles Grodin as Jonathan Mardukas in the 1988 action-thriller MIDNIGHT RUN.
MIDNIGHT RUN was not an award winner, but it was extremely popular and made a butt-load of cash for the studio. George Gallo wrote the screenplay after completing his hit, WISE GUYS. He was known for writing about buddy cops and robbers’ scripts, including IN LATER YEARS, BAD BOYS.
Martin Brest, the director, believed in shooting as many takes as he possibly could from every conceivable angle. He didn’t mind improvising. These off-the-cuff scenes added layers of characterization, depth, and humor to the movie. Who will ever forget the infamous counterfeit $20 bill moment at the small diner? Neither Grodin nor De Niro knew what would be said or done next. The freight train ride was also a masterclass lesson in ad-libbing. Brest told Grodin to ask De Niro an absurd question to make him smile. He came up with, “Have you ever had sex with an animal?” It was hilarious. De Niro unexpectedly mentioned chickens. The lines that followed were not in the original script, yet they were captured during many takes and used in the final cut.
De Niro was a method actor. He was difficult to crack. He prepared for months before filming, working with police departments in Chicago and New York. He also studied and researched police laws and partnered with bail bond agents. He was a stickler for details and knowing his character. It was said that Grodin did about ten minutes of preparation work by making one phone call to his accountant to learn about money laundering. He liked flying by the seat of his pants. Yet the two of them together were magical, hilarious, poignant, all while keeping the audience on the edge of their seats during all the plane, train, bus, and car speed-chase action. They were a brilliant, unlikely team that made MIDNIGHT RUN so incredibly popular. Even their clothes were a giveaway of their polar-opposite personalities. It was black leather jacket vs. khaki pants until the very end, but I wouldn’t underestimate either of them.
The movie also had a fantastic supporting ensemble. Joe Pantoliano was outrageously funny as Eddie. Dennis Farina as Jimmy Serrano plays a monster with panache. John Ashton as Marvin was hysterical as the bumbling bondsman. Yaphet Kotto as Alonzo played the FBI Captain with straightforward comedic, deadpan strength. It was such perfect casting.
MIDNIGHT RUN takes audiences on a road trip to meet a deadline for financial reward. In the end, everything shifted, yet still stayed linked for the perfect pay-off conclusion and final line. “Looks like I’m walkin .” It is an outstanding, odd-couple comedy classic. The timing, the pacing, the bickering, and bantering never stop until the last second. Grodin and De Niro are golden as they make sense of their topsy-turvy, upside-down world while owning their honest, flawed, authentic selves. They can finally move on with the symbolic watch-giving/money-belt gesture. Filmmaking doesn’t often get better than that. Some matches or partnerships are just too hard to explain for mere mortals.
MIDNIGHT RUN is available to rent on most streaming platforms.
