Krishna
Yes, I know. This is an old movie. However, this blog is about reviewing books and movies that are new and old.
This movie is a comic-action genre that comes across from time to time. This movie refuses to be classified, because, just when you decide it is an action movie, there is comedy and when you decide it is comedy, there is serious action, chases, gunfights, you name it.
Let us deal with the story – what there is: Robert De Nero plays Jack Walsh, who is a bounty hunter, who chose that line because he refuses to become part of the payroll of the Mafia when he was a cop and was framed with cocaine in his house and lost his job. He is a tough but good guy and makes his living by bringing in criminals to justice when there is a bounty on their head.
He is set on the tail of John Mardukas, known as “The Duke” (played by Charles Grodin, known later as a talk show host than an actor) who has embezzled $15 million from a famous mafia don called Jimmy Serrano (played by the delightfully seventies looking Dennis Farina). He simply seems to have disappeared and the FBI cannot trace him either.
Jack is the best at what he does and gets his man, and when he tries to bring him back on a plane, discovers that John is afraid of flying, and is forced to take him by train. The man who hired him gets impatient and calls in his rival in the bounty hunter world, Marvin Dorfler, on his tail, claiming that Jack had “screwed it all up”.
They get into a series of misadventures, with FBI on their tails as well, and borrowing several modes of transport as needed and then reach their final destination of LA.
The character of John is great. He pleads continually to be let go, and also manages to constantly advise Jack on what and what not to do: how to repair his broken family relationship, why a coffee shop as a retirement plan is not a great idea, how Jack lied to him first before he in turn lied to Jack. It is great.
And the constant bulldog like tenacity in asking ‘Why did you have to leave your police job, Jack?’ and ‘Don’t smoke so much Jack, it is bad for you!’
Also Jack learns that the Duke embezzled all the money to give it away to charity shakes his conscience, when he struggles to decide what is the best thing to do.
The story ends well, in a totally satisfying ‘all round good’ climax, as only Hollywood movies can.
It is entertaining, but I would not choose it as my first choice of a great movie to watch.
Let us say a 5/10
— Krishna