Excellent, a Must See

Boring

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines star in "Running Scared" from 1986. Joining them are Jimmy Smits, Steven Bauer, Dan Hedeya, and Joe Pantoliano.Danny and Ray (Crystal and Hines) are two Chicago cops who are sent on a vacation when they are nearly killed during a case.The two go to Florida and decide to quit the force and open a bar. Since Danny has been left money by his aunt, he is able to buy a rundown building they can refurbish.When they return to Chicago, the drug dealer that almost killed them, Julio (Smits) is working on a big drug deal. They decide to close that case before leaving the force. They find that, with an eye toward retirement, it's not as easy as they thought.Comedians, for some reason, don't have a long shelf life in terms of film stardom - witness Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler, Robin Williams - after a time, even if they stay in movies, their roles become less.Billy Crystal is another example. Marvelously funny, there's no doubt that some of his improvisational skills were utilized in "Running Scared," and he and the late Hines make a great pair. Though this isn't a great movie, it's definitely fun, filled with humorous repartee and one hilarious car chase. At one point, the two are robbed and beg to keep their wallets, especially their badges, which they show to the perps. Many funny moments and some great music, including the wonderful "Sweet Freedom" sung by Michael McDonald. The actors also appear in a video of the song, which can be seen on youtube.

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.

If the multi-hyphenated 80s buddy-cop action-comedy Running Scared is to be believed being a lowly paid cop charged with keeping the peace in a scungy, rundown area is one of the biggest laughs possible. A shootout with drug dealers is simply an opportunity for frivolity and mirth, and a heavily armed criminal hell bent on ending your existence is merely a chance to crack wise and enjoy each others company.Even a family funeral is a non-stop chucklefest… Danny (Billy Crystal) and Ray (Gregory Hines) are the opposite of the usual 'mismatched' partners (think Mel and Danny, Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, Arnie and anybody), they are so very 'matched' that they don't chat as much as riff. They're so close they even 'clink' donuts.But all good things must (nearly) end, so after a career mis-step the duo are forced into vacation (I told you nearly being killed every day is fun, they don't want to leave!), and they head South from the snowy, drab ghettos to sunny Miami beach.A few days, several margaritas and some scantily clad beach babes later and Danny and Ray decide that perhaps booze filled sex-fests might just trump sludge-covered death traps, and they decide to retire from the force and buy a bar in Miami.But first they decide to do the right thing and head back from vacation to hand in their notice personally, giving them one last chance at the local drug kingpin – and their nemesis – Gonzales (Jimmy Smits). Come on they couldn't retire without taking down Gonzalez could they? Running Scared is lighter than Paris Hilton's head, and some of the jokes are as well worn as the contents of her pants. But that aside Crystal and Hines barely pause for breath between japes, never letting up regardless of their circumstance.The film definitely emphasises the 'action' in action-comedy, but that said the shootouts and chases heat up in the latter stages of the film. Running Scared also boasts a few classic lines and a couple of memorable images in between the yuk-yuks. While it isn't an all-time classic as a film, it must have made for a good 2 minute trailer in the late 80s.Final Rating – 6 / 10. A decent, albeit forgettable buddy-cop effort with wall to wall jokes that fly by alongside the bullets aimed at the indefatigable ever cheery duo.

Very funny cop/buddy movie that owes a lot to the inspired teaming of Gregory Hines and Billy Crystal. The script may not be much, but it has enough in it to keep the audience interested, while director Peter Hyams keeps the action and, more importantly, the comedy, rolling at a good pace. For it is the comedy that makes this picture.Hines and Crystal are in great form. They play off each other wonderfully, and their comic timing is perfect as they deliver some hilarious lines. Situation after situation will have you in stitches in this film. Writers Gary De Vore and Jimmy Huston certainly have a sharp sense of humour.Tuesday, July 7, 1992 - Video