Running Scared (1986)

This is great movie for fans of (the late great) Gregory Hines or Billy Crystal.I not too big on Crystal,although Analyze this/that were funny.I like this performance more.He played a serious role,especially

when someone kidnapped somebody he loved.He and Hines cracked jokes and worked great together.It took me nearly 13 years to finally watch it,uncut,commercial free, unlike they show on TBS or TNT or any other.I have this thing about watching Movies on tv,(No Nudity,no cursing,edited scenes and commercials)You're not seeing the movie as it was intended.So even though i would glance at it for a second,I"d turn from it.I rented it at blockbuster in 99'bought Vhs in 2000.Dvd in 2002.Even though,I knew of it and saw it at various video stores.I finally got around to it. I love the title song playing in the opening sequence with the city of Chicago and it's people. It had great music all around, especially the Michael McDonald classic"Sweet Freedom". Every time i heard it on the radio I thought about the movie.It had a music video go with it, that had Hines and Crystal singing,dancing,and acting funny. I wish the Dvd had put that and a director's commentary on there along with the outtakes. It had a bunch of funny scenes -too many to name.Having to give their pants up for Julio Gonzalez(Jimmy Smits)and the jokes that followed.Or when they're hanging upside down in a trash compactor arguing about $10 dollars-.I love the scene where Hines and Crystal get held up,but the criminals bolted in their car ,and i looked as if they got away,but the truck forced them drive back into Hines and Crystal.The smile those two give each other are priceless.When a kid at a house of a lady they're questioning keeps giving Hines the bird.The lady shuts her door.Hines knocks,the kid answers and Hines gives him the bird Yelling "Yessssssss". Their vacation time in Florida had good scenery-motorcycles,women,fishing boat,roller skates, and the idea to retire from the cop business.Oh,yes and "Sweet Freedom"playing through it.The Chase from the airport onto train tracks was awesome.The shootout in the building, in the last scene in the movie was good.These scenes are few of many, that stand out to me.This movie had action,witty dialogue,smart,intelligent-just plain great and funny.Now Hines and Crystal took different film routes after this. Crystal -comedies,So his one and only action movie he did a great job,.It was a physical role for him too.Running,jumping, shooting.He had a seriousness about him too.Hines went onto-action,and dramas .So in that time and space ,they were wonderful . If you liked Beverly Hills Cop,Bad Boys-one similarity is Martin Lawrence and Will Smith get held up for their car ,like Hines and Crystal for their wallets. The movie worked the same formula for the genre as those.Sad it wasn't as big at the box office like them.That's probably why a sequel wasn't made.Although the chemistry was there. Commenting on it- "makes me wants to go and watch it right

now!!!!!!" I give it a 10 out of 10********* R.I.P - Gregory Hines

Fmovies: yes the plot is implausible,and so politically incorrect that you can't believe.but the film does what it sets out to do-entertain.this is ground that has been covered before(Beverly Hills Cop as an example),but never in a way that is as much fun.the screenplay is o.k.,with the best dialogue reserved for Hines-Crystal banter.the other characters are basically filler.but generally well done(Joe Pantoliano as Snake is great).there are a few dead spots in the film,but these are usually rescued by Hines and/or Crystal,who seemed to be having a lot of fun.there is a fantastic chase scene late in the movie that alone makes it worth watching.altogether this '80's buddy movie still holds up.mostly because of the insanity of the two leads.

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.

Running Scared fmovies. Danny and Ray are Chicago police detectives who are searching for information on Gonzales, a major drug dealer. In Snake's neighborhood, just driving a Mercedes is enough for probable cause, and Gonzales is guilty of that, but it's not enough.

After a major development in the Gonzales case, the guys go to Key West on vacation. Aunt Rose just died (Danny almost missed the funeral, but his ex Anna didn't) and left Danny a lot of money. So perhaps it's time to buy a bar in Key West and retire.

Back from vacation, Danny and Ray are back on the case, and their adventure includes an exciting car chase that involves the tracks of the El. Later things get REALLY dangerous.

There was nothing great about this movie, though it was funny most of the time. A little violent, but not excessive for a cop movie. The language was cleaned up in this version, and there was a lot of cleaning up to do. Billy Crystal has been better, but he was still funny. Dan Hedaya was very convincing as the captain.

Some highlights: Danny announces to the tough guys in Snake's neighborhood how much money Snake has and how easy it is to get it, hoping Snake will agree to help get Gonzales. Also, the guys get held up by two hoods who aren't that determined.

This was pretty good. It's really for those who are fans of this type of movie.

Wisecracking Chicago cops Ray and Danny tackle drug lord Julio Gonzales in a battle of wits across the city. Essentially the plot doesn't matter, this is just another buddy cop movie from the eighties. However it rises above others by being good fun throughout. It even takes a break from the action midway for the two to go and live on the beach and lay low for a while.

The main reason it is so much fun is the chemistry between Hines and Crystal. It's very easy to believe that they are partners of many years. Crystal is especially funny but really they both make it good. Even chase scenes and action scenes contain witty dialogue throughout. Smits is not a great villain but he carries the role well and the supporting cast are impressive with other future big names Dan Hedaya and Joe Pantoliano.

Overall it's not a classic - it's a buddy cop movie. But even now it still feels fresh and fun due to the partnership of Hines and Crystal. Watch it, like the characters, enjoy the action and laugh at the comedy - a wonderful example of how the buddy cop genre can be good when everything is just right.

There are films, when going in, you don't expect much and then are pleasantly surprised. This was one of those films. It was difficult for me to picture Billy Crystal as an undercover cop, but he was very good in this. The focus of the movie was mostly on Billy, but there was a wonderful chemistry between him and Gregory Hines. It is not a date movie, but is great to see with a buddy. If you are just a bit off center, and have a friend who is equally off center, but one who balances you, this is a movie that you can thoroughly enjoy.

I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and hoped we could have a re-teaming of Crystal and Hines, but Gregory Hines untimely death robbed us of that.

Watch it, and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. Ohhhhh Nooooo!