3. A Bounty Hunter And A Mafia Accountant (Midnight Run)
When you think of Robert De Niro, you think of films like Goodfellas, Heat, The Godfather Part II, Raging Bull, Mean Streets and Taxi Driver. Whilst the man has excelled in such films and is therefore best known for them, he also has a strong penchant for comedy, though the latter entries in the Fockers series should definitely be avoided. Chief amongst his finest comedic roles is the part of bounty hunter Jack Walsh in Midnight Run, one of several excellent films that Martin Brest was responsible for before he committed career suicide with Gigli. Jack is assigned a seemingly simple job to collect Jonathan Mardukas (Charles Grodin), an accountant who has embezzled from his Mafia employers and skipped bail. When his subject refuses to travel by air, a road trip ensues, in which the pair are pursued by the FBI, the Mafia and a rival bounty hunter, forced to outwit a different adversary at every turn. Robin Williams was originally up for the Mardukas role, but Brest opted for Grodin, who has an excellent chemistry with De Niro throughout the film. Unlikely as their pairing may be, its a highly enjoyable one, and the film itself is an underrated entry in De Niros vast filmography.