There is a certain sense of comfort in watching films like Running Scared in which two friends bicker over trivial matters, come out of dangerous situations together, and stick by each other through personal and professional difficulties. The success of a buddy comedy depends on a lot of things, but maybe none is more important than the chemistry between the two lead characters. In an overpopulated genre like buddy comedy, movies like Freebie and the Bean (1972), Sholay (1975), 48 HRS (1982), Midnight Run (1989), Lethal Weapon (1–5), The Nice Guys (2016), etc. stand out because the main characters have a real, organic chemistry that doesn’t seem forced or fake, and there is no forced comedy. Running Scared, directed by Peter Hyams, enters the ranks of buddy comedies that succeed thanks to the sparkling chemistry of Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines.
Running Scared follows Ray Hughes (Gregory Hines) and Danny Costanzo (Billy Crystal), two Chicago police officers attempting to apprehend a drug dealer named Julio Gonzales (Jimmy Smits) while facing a myriad of challenges. In a hilarious opening scene, Ray and Donny catch Snake (Joe Pantoliano), one of Julio’s cronies, with $50,000 in the bag. After Snake initially refuses to go to the police station, as he argues, “having money ain’t a crime,” Danny walks outside and announces to the neighborhood that Snake has $50,000, which terrifies Snake and prompts him to accompany them to the station. In the first 15 minutes of the movie, Billy Crystal, Gregory Hines, and Joe Pantoliano display impeccable comic timing. No matter what Snake says, Ray and Danny always reply by making fun of him and threatening him with jail time unless he agrees to wear a wire to meet Julio. Their chemistry had a similar energy to what Danny Glover, Mel Gibson, and Joe Pesci had in Lethal Weapon 2 (1989).
The movie takes an intriguing turn when the second act begins. Ray and Danny, who are stuck at their jobs, are forced to take a vacation, during which they visit Key West, Florida, and have a wonderful time. The experience convinces them to quit their jobs and settle there permanently to live a quiet and happy life. They decide that catching Julio will be their last job before they leave, so they go after him with more passion. The movie becomes a cat-and-mouse game as these two invade Julio’s hangout places to catch him and Julio desperately tries to evade them.
The movie has an incredible car chase scene in which Ray and Danny in their yellow taxi pursue Julio in a Cadillac while driving on actual railroad tracks. The entire chase sequence is exhilarating and funny at the same time. Another exciting scene has Danny and Ray breaking into the home of Julio’s girlfriend, and the latter escapes out the back door in his underwear. When Ray and Danny locate Julio, he is two stories below, holding an elderly woman hostage and demanding pants from either of them. Danny purposefully tosses his pants in such a way that Julio is unable to grab them, forcing Ray to drop his pants and toss them towards Julio. When Julio escapes, Danny and Ray chase him through the cold streets of Chicago while wearing their thermal leggings. The movie’s climax, which takes place at the James Thompson Center in Chicago, is also well executed, with stakes raised by Danny’s fear of losing someone close to him.
Even though the movie’s story might not be very original, Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines’ performances make this an enjoyable watch. They play off each other wonderfully; for example, anytime Billy Crystal improvises, which he does frequently, Gregory Hines is right there to match his wit and humor. When they are together, they are in their own world, and they will make you wish you could live in that world as well, regardless of how cold and lonely that place is.
Running Scared feels like a spiritual sequel to Peter Hyams’ 1974 theatrical debut, Busting, also about two detectives who relentlessly pursue a high-profile criminal. Busting is better than Running Scared, in my opinion, because Peter Hyams’s direction is rawer and more dynamic, and the action scenes are much more impressive. In addition, Elliot Gould and Robert Blake, the film’s two main protagonists, emit a laid-back vibe that I liked; in comparison, Crystal and Hines come across as a bit clownish. And finally, the world-building in Busting was great, giving a realistic portrayal of Los Angeles in the 1970s, with the characters going into the darkest parts of the city and facing the worst elements of society.
Having seen seven of Peter Hyams’ films to date, I can state that he, along with Walter Hill, was one of the finest action directors of the 1970s and 1980s. If you’re looking for a lighthearted movie that promises a rollicking good time, look no further than Running Scared.
Running Scared movie link: IMDB
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