Running Scared

1986 "Two of Chicago's finest?"
6.5| 1h47m| R| en| More Info
Released: 27 June 1986 Released
Producted By: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

Two street-wise Chicago cops have to shake off some rust after returning from a Key West vacation to pursue a drug dealer that nearly killed them in the past.

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Reviews

Artivels Undescribable Perfection
Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good
Freaktana A Major Disappointment
Aiden Melton The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.
ElTotor I like Billy Cristal and I discovered Gregory Hines in this movie, he is a great actor. I also usually love Buddy movies that's why I was terribly disappointed by this one. First of all, the plot starts really late, around 25 minutes of the film, when we learn that the body in the street was a cop's one. Before that, we just knew who will be the bad guy, not really how and why. So the first part, even with funny moments, is kind of plot less and a bit boring. Then, we are finally interested in the plot, the heroes scr*w it on the boat with two other undercover cops (who aim like sh*t)and then we lost another 10 minutes of the movie with a plot less 80's montage + scene about heroes forced holidays just to learn they decide to quit (maybe it was still original at this date) and to buy a bar (that will never be a real dilemma for them, we Spectator already know they won't really quit and it doesn't seem to be really important to them either). So, back to the action now, many script problems will occurs: - Bad guy or antagonistic forces are not enough dangerous or are well portrayed. we never really care about them, we never feel danger for the Buddy cops so we never really empathized. - Love story is totally cliché except the one with Hines that is funny. - Investigation and cocaine story is poor. - Action scenes are really poor and danger or dilemmas never really present so we're not really involved in the movie as the way they succeed in danger is not really rewarding most of the time (what was the rope scene at the end by the way???!!! Why did he climb just for that??!!) - Lot of strange things like fake snow or the way they throw bullets in the car, clearly aiming for the head, while smiling. Of course, there are nice jokes here and there, the movie is full of good will and it is a real positive movie but it doesn't make a good movie. And I'm the first to be sorry for that as I enjoy watching Buddy movies. 5 out of 10 (but it could even deserve less than the average note).
Scott LeBrun A sharp star duo, solid supporting cast, and some well done sequences help to make this fairly standard buddy-cop action comedy satisfying if nothing exactly special. It's Billy Crystal, as detective Danny Costanzo, and Gregory Hines, as detective Ray Hughes, that really make the difference. They truly work nicely together as a pair of veteran but still somewhat immature guys on the Chicago force who are hellbent on righteously busting drug kingpin Julio Gonzales (Jimmy Smits). When they almost get themselves killed working the case, their boss Captain Logan (Dan Hedaya) tires of them and orders them on a vacation. They decide to check out Key West, Florida, and enjoy it so much that they think that maybe it's time to retire. (Another factor in that decision is the fact that Danny has come into a $40 K inheritance.) But when they get back from the vacation, and hear that Gonzales is still on the streets, they become more determined than ever to take care of their nemesis.Competently staged by director Peter Hyams (who serves as his own cinematographer), those aforementioned entertaining scenes include early ones with Danny and Ray making life miserable for the aptly named lowlife "Snake" (Joe Pantoliano), their intense pursuit of Gonzales that eventually leads to the Chicago El tracks (this is far and away the highlight of the movie), a sequence with a garbage truck, and the finale in Chicago's State Building. Danny and Ray aren't the most capable detectives you'll see in this sort of thing, and adding to the merriment is their constant humiliation of a pair of obnoxious rookies, played by Steven Bauer and Jon Gries. Bauer and Gries do a good job of being the butt of some jokes. Beautiful ladies Darlanne Fluegel and Tracy Reed are quite appealing as Danny's ex-wife Anna and Maryann, an object of Ray's affections. Other cast members include the always amusing Larry Hankin as talented mechanic Ace, and actors John DiSanti, Don Calfa, and Robert Lesser, all of whom have been regulars in Hyams' movies.The steady parade of pop songs are all very '80s sounding, but as is often the case, this only adds to the entertainment factor. Overall, this is a reasonably fun flick - a tad overlong, maybe, but still easy enough to watch while it lasts.Seven out of 10.
wheelsinar This movie is from when real good, watchable movies were being made. One of my all-time favorites, but you really do have to be from that age group to appreciate. My younger friends just don't get it... A great, action/comedy, from 2 really good comedians of the time. Billy Crystal & Gregory Hines make a very good duo, and the story line, while a bit predictable, provides for some very good action. Contains some exceptional one-liners from both main characters. Enough humor to keep you laughing, and enough action to make it interesting to watch. Someone called it an old-school version of "The Other Guys". It's WAY better than that, but it's not a terrible comparison. The guy that plays their Captain (Carla's ex-husband on Cheers) could have been much better, but he did an adequate job, as did the rest of the cast, backing up Crystal/Hines. Highly recommend!
Petri Pelkonen Gregory Hines (Ray Hughes) and Billy Crystal (Danny Costanzo) form a cop-buddy duo who are after a bad guy called Julio Gonzales (Jimmy Smits).Running Scared (1986) is directed by Peter Hyams.Crystal and the late great Hines make a great pair as those two cops.And Smits makes a great villain.Joe Pantoliano also does neat job as a baddie they call Snake.Dan Hedaya is quite excellent as Captain.Darlanne Fluegel does very fine job as Anna Costanzo.Larry Hankin appears as Ace, and he's very good.John LaMotta is seen as Evidence Officer.Running Scared doesn't do anything that memorable to make it a classic, but it does entertain enough.The ending works, and the chase on train tracks looks pretty cool.To all those who dig buddy cop movies of the 80's this is worth checking out.