deniro is a pretty awkward guy every time i see him talk in interviews, but in this role he was funny and confident, and he completely nailed the role and was believable.... why not just be more like that in real life?
shareI actually stumbled upon this movie by accident (this is my All-Time favorite movie, btw) by sneaking into a screening after watching Die Hard. I was 14 years old at that time and have never seen De Niro act before but ended up being captivated after finishing Midnight Run, proclaiming "Robert De Niro is now my favorite actor!"
During the new few years I would follow his movies but always ended up disappointed that I could not catch a glimpse of any Jack Walsh, his attitude and demeanor, in those characters that he played. Aside from Goodfellas, I didn't like him in Mad Dog Glory, We're No Angels, Cape Fear, Guilty By Suspicion, Backdraft, and Frankenstein (his worst!)
But now with the benefit of hindsight, along with the fact that I'm older and wiser, it just shows me how brilliant of an actor De Niro is. He never really plays the same character twice.
He played Jack Walsh so convincingly, that also thought he carried himself in real life with that demeanor. Amazing.
i agree, he is amazing as an actor, its just interesting to me that he chooses to be kind of awkward and shy instead of more like jack in this movie
shareI think it may be a mistake to think that he 'chooses to be kind of awkward and shy' - he IS awkward and shy and he CHOOSES to be an actor. It's really just a testament to his acting abilities. You make it sound like personality is a choice, which to some degree it is, but there are a lot of other factors involved as well.
"More Dead Men..."
"They were all alive until they met you, Frank"
- Once Upon a Time in the West
yeah, but if he's such a great actor he can act like that all the time. it's a choice!
shareHis dialogue comes written for him in screenplays, so it's hardly a choice.
De Niro has no personality. Great actor in his day. Made some bad movie choices over the years though.
Was it a millionaire who said "Imagine no possessions"?
@Jack-Nance.I'm surprised you even have to explain this.
shareit just shows me how brilliant of an actor De Niro is. He never really plays the same character twice.One of my favorites. share
you have to be 45 before you can have a "wisened with age" type opinion.
you're still kind of an embarrassing idiot.
This role here proved to me that DeNiro had true versatility as an actor. I've always said that Midnight Run was a turning point in his career. He never really did a true comedy before this, and after this, he proved to be a pretty darn good comic actor.
shareYes, I agree! This did seem like a turning point in De Niro's career. What I loved most about De Niro in this film were the moments just before he spoke a line, and you could see all of the silent workings of his mind. Sometimes more is said during those moments with this incredible actor than when he actually speaks.
There were a lot of true De Niro moments in the film. . .when he purposely repeats a line for instance. I think that is one of his trademarks, starting with "You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me??? Watch for them. It happens in every one of his films. . . one or more repeated lines.