History YMMV / MidnightRun

** Why is Jack's wife married to the corrupt cop who drove Jack from Chicago? Did she marry him out of pure greed and she's willingly in denial about his corruption? Did she initially think that Jack really was corrupt and that her new husband was honest, and only began to think otherwise later on? Or did the cop ''coerce'' her into marrying him as another way of spiteing Jack? Is she angry at Jack because she is defensive about marrying a corrupt man for money? Or is she she's just terrified for Jack (and possibly herself) that the man will hurt Jack if he finds him there? Does Jack know for sure if her new husband is dirty, or is he just making generalizations based on his bitter experiences on the force?

** Why is Jack's wife married to the corrupt cop who drove Jack from Chicago? Did she marry him out of pure greed and she's willingly in denial about his corruption? Did she initially think that Jack really was corrupt and that her new husband was honest, and only began to think otherwise later on? Or did the cop ''coerce'' her into marrying him as another way of spiteing Jack? Is she angry at Jack because she is defensive about marrying a corrupt man for money? Or is she she's just terrified for Jack (and possibly herself) that the man will hurt Jack if he finds him there?

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: Not exactly a literal example, since the movie is still very well regarded and considered by many to be one of Creator/RobertDeNiro's best films. In terms of De Niro's career, however, this was one of the first times that he was cast in a primarily comedic role, so after spending the first two decades of the twenty-first century primarily starring in comedies, it can be hard for modern audiences to realise what a novelty this was at the time.

** Was Eddie offering Marivn only a quarter of what he offered Jack simple greed, or did he feel justified by how Jack had already made the original capture, the hardest part of the manhunt, and would be easier to find on the road?

** Jack's daughter. The scene where she sees him during the stopover and they reconnect some is one of the movie's SignatureScene's.

* TearJerker: Jack, visiting his family for the first time in nine years to ask his ex-wife for money. At first it's assumed that Jack is just a [[DisappearedDad deadbeat dad]] who ran out on them and is intruding on his family's new, better life without him. When he leaves again, his daughter runs after him and tries to give him all her babysitting money to help him out. On the verge of tears, he tells her that he can't take it and that he loves her. The look on their faces as he drives off makes it painfully obvious that leaving the first time was not his choice, and it's killing him to do it again.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: Aside from the fact that everybody smokes like a chimney even inside of airplanes, at one point Jack [[PokeInTheThirdEye snarks to the FBI over a bugged phone]] that he is standing in front of a Howard Johnson's restaurant (the franchise started to decline at a severe pace from TheNineties onwards, with the very last restaurant of the chain closing in 2022).

** Why is Jack's wife married to the corrupt cop who drove Jack from Chicago? Did she marry him out of pure greed and she's willingly in denial about his corruption? Or did the cop ''coerce'' her into marrying him as another way of spiteing Jack? Is she angry at Jack because she is defensive about marrying a corrupt man for money? Or is she she's just terrified for Jack (and possibly herself) that the man will hurt Jack if he finds him there?

** Marvin does hint at some standards and professionalism during his talk with Jack in Texas. Was he really going to [[spoiler:Sell Mardukas to the mob]] or was he planning to [[spoiler:Take the first million—already a sizable sum that he'd never had a chance at before—and then let The Duke go and run off with that instead of showing up for the second million? That Marvin abruptly asks for more money in addition to the advance payment ''while'' he's meeting the mobsters instead of during their negotiations on the phone certainly leaves room for the possibility.]]
** Is The Duke really telling the truth about having not known he was working for a mobster at first and giving most of the money to charity? Jack (who references reading about the case in the paper) doesn't scoff at his claims that at least some of the money went to charity, but The Duke ''does'' have some BlatantLies come out of his mouth across the movie.
** Was Eddie offering Marivn only a quarter of what he offered Jack simple greed, or did he feel justified by how Jack had already made the original capture, the hardest part of the manhunt, and would be more easy to find on the road?

** Marvin, the resourceful yet unlucky rival bounty hunter is decently competent and funny in spite of how its ultimately emphasized he's OnlyInItForTheMoney.
** Jack's daughter. The scene where she sees him during the stopover and they reconnect some is one of the movies SignatureScene's.
** Jerry, the double-crossing assistant at the bail bonds office who always buying donuts while making phone calls to his ''real'' boss.

* FridgeBrilliance: Assuming the three made-for-tv movies are both canon and set after the original movie it does seem odd that Jack is still chasing bounties and [[spoiler:Jerry and Marvin]] aren't in jail, but then again, given how [[spoiler:Jack's money came from Mardukas and how he wouldn't want to be accused of bribery]] it would make sense to continue with his old job for a few months or so and avoid SuspiciousSpending. Also, [[spoiler:Jerry]] was apparently arrested on suspicion, when there might not have been any real evidence against him and [[spoiler:Marvin]] hadn't actually done anything illegal (that the Feds could prove), just being in the wrong place at the wrong time when they arrested him.
* IronWoobie: Jack Walsh. He keeps a brave, unconcerned face but he lost his family and his job for standing up to an honest job, watched his wife marry a DirtyCop, hasn't seen his daughter since she was five and is stuck doing small time bounty jobs to save up for his coffee shop while receiving little to no respect or courtesy from the law enforcement personal who were once his brethren.
* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: Not exactly a literal example, since the movie is still very well regarded and considered by many to be one of Creator/RobertDeNiro's best films. In terms of De Niro's career, however, this was one of the first times he was cast in a primarily comedic role, so after spending the first two decades of the twenty-first century primarily starring in comedies it can be hard for modern audiences to realise what a novelty this was at the time.
* TearJerker: Jack, visiting his family for the first time in nine years to ask his ex-wife for money. At first it's assumed Jack is just a [[DisappearedDad deadbeat dad]] who ran out on them and is intruding on his family's new, better life without him. When he leaves again his daughter runs after him and tries to give him all her babysitting money to help him out. On the verge of tears, he tells her he can't take it and that he loves her. The look on their faces as he drives off makes it painfully obvious that leaving the first time was not his choice, and it's killing him to do it again.

* HarsherInHindsight: The Duke telling Jack about how investing in a restaurant is a risky investment that could belly up might feel this way after so many restaurants went belly up during the coronavirus pandmeic.

** Marvin does hint at some standards and professionalism during his talk with Jack in Texas. Was he really going to [[spoiler:Sell Mardukas to the mob]] or was he planning to [[spoiler:Take the first million—already a sizable sum that he'd never had a chance at before—and then let The Duke go and run off with that instead of showing up for the second million]]?

* FridgeBrilliance: Assuming the three made-for-tv movies are both canon and set after the original movie it does seem odd that Jack is still chasing bounties and [[spoiler:Jerry and Marvin]] aren't in jail, but then again, given how [[spoiler:Jack's money came from Mardukas and how he wouldn't want to be accused of bribery]] it would sense to continue with his old job for a few months or so and avoid SuspiciousSpending. Also, [[spoiler:Jerry]] was apparently arrested on suspicion, when there might not have ben any real evidence against him and [[spoiler:Marvin]] hadn't actually done anything illegal (that the Feds could prove), just being in the wrong place at the wrong time when they arrested him.

** Marvin does hint at some standards and professionalism during his talk with Jack in Texas. Was he really going to [[spoiler:Sell Mardukas to the mob]] or was he planning to [[spoiler:Take the first million -already a sizable sum that he'd never had a chance at before- and then let The Duke go and run off with that instead of showing up for the second million]]?
** Is The Duke really telling the truth about having not known he was working for a mobster at first and giving most of the money to charity? Jack (who references reading about the case in the paper) doesn't scoffed his claims that at least some of the money went to charity, but The Duke ''does'' have some BlatantLies come out of his mouth across the movie.
** Was Eddie offering Marivn only a quarter of what he offered Jack simple greed, or did he feel justified by how Jack had already made the original capture, the hardest part of the manhunt, and would be more easy to find on the road.

** Marvin does hint at some standards or professionalism during his talk with Jack in Texas. Was he really going to [[spoiler:Sell Mardukas to the mob]] or was he planning to [[spoiler:Take the first million -already a sizable sum that he'd never had a chance at before- and then let The Duke go and run off with that instead of showing up for the second million]]?

** Marvin, the remorseful yet unlucky rival bounty hunter is decently competent and funny in spite of how its ultimately emphasized he's OnlyInItForTheMoney.

* IronWoobie: Jack Walsh

** Marvin, the remorseful yet unlucky rival bounty hunter is decently memorable and entertaining in spite of how its ultimately emphasized he's OnlyInItForTheMoney.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: Not exactly a literal example, since the movie is still very well regarded and considered by many to be one of Robert De Niro's best films. In terms of De Niro's career, however, this was one of the first times he was cast in a primarily comedic role, so after spending the first two decades of the twenty-first century primarily starring in comedies it can be hard for modern audiences to realise what a novelty this was at the time.
* TearJerker: Jack, visiting his family for the first time in nine years to ask his ex-wife for money. At first it's assumed Jack is just a [[DisappearedDad deadbeat dad]] who ran out on them and is intruding on his family's new, better life without him. When he leaves again his daughter runs after him and tries to give him all her babysitting money to help him out. On the verge of tears, he tells her he can't take it and that he loves her. The look on their faces as he drives off makes it painfully obvious that leaving the first time was not his choice, and it's killing him to do it again.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: Not exactly a literal example, since the movie is still very well regarded and considered by many to be one of De Niro's best films. In terms of De Niro's career, however, this was one of the first times he was cast in a primarily comedic role, so after spending the first two decades of the twenty-first century primarily starring in comedies it can be hard for modern audiences to realise what a novelty this was at the time.

* RecycledTrailerMusic: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCVFEvVYdwk You've heard it in many, MANY trailers.]]