not horrible nor great

A Major Disappointment

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

The acting in this movie is really good.

I have heard others criticize this film for it's campy humor and the sometimes outrageous action scenes but it is one of my favorite films and I cannot recommend it too highly. I am typically not fond of the use of tacky humor but this passes all of my requisites, but from an objective standpoint I am able to see where others might be quickly annoyed with the humor and scripting of this film. The acting could be more convincing but the story itself is not convincing so it's hard to condemn the film for that. You have to go into the plot with a willingness to suspend disbelief, but it doesn't fit into the same bracket as films like Joe Dirt as far as humor is concerned. Other than some potentially objectionable language I think this film is a great bet especially if you need a good laugh. It should also be noted that the people that I know personally who did not enjoy this film went into it with more serious expectations. It is important to realize before you watch that the plot does not center around the action so much as it does the humor. I have owned it since it came out and rarely do I enjoy a film more than twice but this is one I have watched twice a week on occasions when I have needed cheering up! Obviously rent before you purchase. Orlando Jones and Eddie Griffin both do an incredible job and I can't even imagine what the outtakes would be like. That would be something to see!

Daryl Chase is a sharp, successful businessman and has done nothing but gone up since finishing at Harvard. Freddy Tiffany is a ghetto hustler who talks loud and takes fast. When Freddy hustles Daryl, the two become inseparable – even if Daryl would like to get rid of Freddy. When Daryl highlights some inconsistencies in a new account he is targeted and nearly killed, however the CIA rescue him at the last minute and tell him he is being watched and protected. However when Daryl finds his secretary murdered the police suspect him and he isn't helped by the fact that he is mistaken for a cop killer and suspect number 1 in the murder of a Mexican politician to boot. On the advice of the CIA, Daryl goes on the run to Mexico with Freddy in tow.If my plot summary sounds a little convoluted then maybe you should avoid this film because in the place of a plot, the film just keeps on switching around the characters. The plot twists and turns in a very unconvincing fashion and it is a major problem because it is practically impossible to actually care about simply because none of it actually makes any sense. So as far as plot logic goes this is a non-event and there are only a few redeeming factors that make it worth a look in you're in an undemanding mood. The main factor is the smart-mouthed comedy that is delivered with energy by the lead actors; it may not be that good but it has some funny scenes and the delivery makes it feel energetic even though you're not laughing that much. Jones is pretty good and makes fun of the ghetto clichés in one of the film's better scenes (ordered food on the train), but other than that he has the drier role of the two. Griffin is hardly a good actor and he squeezes every drop out of an average urban cliché and has the energy to cover for the weak material. I enjoyed his performance even though the script didn't give me much to laugh about.Outside of the scatter-mouth comedy, the film just piles in the usual eye candy to provide distraction if not actual entertainment. In line with the 'excesses over substance' approach of the script the film throws gorgeous black women at us like they were going out of fashion (and let me assure you that they are not). In the opening five minutes we have a party at an underwear show (for no real reason) at which we find that the beautiful Garcelle Beauvais is one of the main models and spends her first scenes in very little clothes. I have no problem with this whatsoever but I did feel bad for Beauvais – NYPD Blue has shown me she is a good actress but this (and other films) generally use her for her body and nothing else. Likewise we have Eskra wheeled out and a mystifyingly small role for Vivica Fox that made me wonder why she bothered. On top of the sex appeal, the film throws on silly action scenes that are never really exciting but do manage to at least be noisy I suppose – again, in the absence of actual substance, just make sure lots of stuff is going on!Overall this is not a terrible film, it is just not a good one. The plot tries to cover for itself by just having illogical twist after illogical twist to the point where I was beaten into submission and just decided to accept whatever it told me and try to let it wash over me! Outside of this, we have excesses thrown at us in the form of the energetic delivery that is never hilarious but does throw up the odd good moment while keeping the film moving; excesses of eye candy including Beauvais put in underwear and displayed for no other reason that to keep the male audience happy; and excesses in action, where gunplay is silly and lacking tension but perhaps befitting the rest of the film. Watchable and fun, if not actually that funny; but many viewers will not be able to enjoy a film that rides on energy and energy alone.

Director George Gallo penned MIDNIGHT RUN, one of the very best action / buddy-buddy pictures ever to have graced our screens. More than ten years on, and this feels like an ill-advised and incredibly anaemic imitation. The lead characters here are marginally appealing, but as the script races on at breakneck speed and virtually collapses under the number of twists, they are given precious room to develop and engage our sympathies. It all feels so very daft and inconsequential in the final analysis. A time-filler at best, but in the context of MIDNIGHT RUN, also a considerable letdown.

There was just something about this movie that I found hilarious, and I watched it about 3 times in a row. I could watch this movie over and over again. I always find Eddie Griffin to be a great laugh. If you like comedy (and aren't easily offended by profanity) check out this movie!