Simply Perfect

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

I love B grades, especially ones like this that surprise me, and this is exactly what 'Night Of The Running Man' does, and it doesn't stop for anything. We've got one slick thriller, and Scott Glenn here is bloody scary, an underestimated character of evil, a professional hit-man, void of remorse or emotion (watch one lovemaking scene that sickly shocks). Andrew McCarthy who does well here, plays a loser cab driver, who like he says, gambler that he is, has the worst run of luck possible. Fleeing the scene of a crime, his previous passenger run down, after stealing a suitcase full of money, the kind of moolah that can get you dead (and remember we're in Vegas here) leaves it behind in McCarthy's cab. Here's McCarthy's plan: Take off from Vegas with the money, leaving his little trailer park home, for some greener pasture, but Glenn is hot on his heals, making this a dangerous and scary thriller/adventure. No doubt the trademark scene is the torture one, where John Glover as a sleazy old friend of Glenns, pretty much puts a stop plug on MCcarthy's plans, who gives his feet a bathing that he'll never forget. No surprise, this movie was directed by Mark Lester, who knows how to put magic into movies. NOTRM is pretty much a scene by scene movie, but it has pace, and for the viewer is scary fun, where you wouldn't want be in McCarthy's shoes, where psychopathic hit man Glenn's intensity is the winning formula in making this movie, as thrilling as it is, where it's neatly wraps up. The whole business of the story has a slick and wonderfully nifty feel, and Glenn here, is one of the screen's true evils you'll see in a while.

At one point a friend said to me that Andrew McCarthy is one of the kings of Bad movies. Ok, ok, "Weekend at Bernies" or some of the others may be ok, but they are not very memorable and would be on few top 100 or 1000 lists.Anyway, Night of the Running Man, brings this idea of McCarthyism into the 90's (1994), and once again it rings true.The concept of the movie is ok: $1 mil in the taxi, a killer is after you, and you run. But, alas it is really simplified. Scott Glen, plays the killer without morals, so much so, that we know something is up come ending time. There are also little type goofs, like McCarthy's feet are burned so badly that he is supposed to be bedridden for 2 or so weeks, yet in 2 days, he is walking without any limps.Also, "night " is a bit of a mis-nomer as the movie takes place over days. Oh well, what else do you expect?Other thrillers are better, but you may like this.Viewed on tape, Rating = 4

This is an extremely suspenseful, lighting paced thriller about a cab driver (Andrew McCarthy - Weekend at Bernies) who finds a suitcase full of money in his cab when a mysterious man leaves it there after being chased by the Mafia. He foolishly decides to keep the money and its not long until a cold faced hitman (brilliantly played by Scott Glenn - Backdraft) is on his case. From here begins a deadly game of cat and mouse. Its intense stuff alright and includes one particular torture scene which makes Michael Madsen's ear slicing incident in 'Reservoir Dogs' look like an extract from Sesame Street!. John Glover (Gremlins 2) is a stand out as Glenn's crackpot associate.

This is one of those plots where the good guy finds the mob money, and the bad guys try to get it back. O.K. it's a formula movie, but one that I found thoroughly entertaining for two hours. I was puzzled by the star billing of Scott Glenn in the credits, since McCarthy is the hero. I didn't mind, since Glenn is one of my favourite tough guys. Nor was I disappointed, since he and John Glover form a team satisfyingly tough,merciless, and competent. Usually a "chase" film lasts as long as two hours because of the bad guys ineptness: not so in this movie - hero and villains are well matched; the latter pros demonstrate their competence by being always one step ahead of their amateur quarry, the playing field is levelled by his resourcefulness, guts, their bad luck, and his youth (in one sequence, the McCarthy character simply outruns the pursuing Glenn, through a crowd). Also hampering them is the fact that the villains have to operate in a law-abiding environment - more than once, Glenn is forced to quit the chase because of onlookers. Yes, it's a fair, fast-paced fight, and I admired all three protagonists.The McCarthy character evolves through his reaction to the various threats to him and his girl-friend, while the villains are well served by a non-formula script, and the smooth, humorous ruthlessness of Glenn and Glover.