zardoz-13 "Outland" director Peter Hyams' "Running Scared" is a fast-paced, Chicago-based, buddy picture, police procedural melodrama. Interesting enough, "Running Sacred" is reminiscent of earlier thriller that Hyams helmed "Busting" (1974), with Robert Blake and Elliot Gould. Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines are cast as two unlikely but charismatic detectives in hot pursuit of a murderous drug dealer. Bristling with amusing wisecracks and agile shootouts, "Running Scared" is straightforward enough but predictable with our heroes doing very little that is ultimately surprising. Nevertheless, you've never seen Billy Crystal as macho as he appears here, and he never did anything like "Running Scared" afterward. Jimmy Smits is cast as a wannabe 'godfather' gangster, and he is reasonably vindictive. The memorable soundtrack featured songs performed by Klymaxx, Michael McDonald, New Edition, and Patti LaBelle. "Man Sized Love," "Sweet Freedom," and "I Know What I Want" were among the hits that "Running Scared" yielded.Everything starts with our plainclothes heroes, Danny Costanzo (Billy Crystal of "Analyze This") and Ray Hughes (Gregory Hines of "Waiting to Exhale"), on stake-out when they spot notorious cocaine dealer Julio Gonzales (Jimmy Smits of "Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones") and his flunky Snake (Joe Pantoliano of "U.S. Marshals") in a low-rent neighborhood getting out of a Mercedes. A chase ensues. Our heroes nab Snake, but Julio manages to elude them until. They follow Snake to his apartment, and he admits that he is carrying $50-thousand dollars in an attaché case. Later, when Snake agrees to wear a wire and take them to meet Julio, things go south and Snake bites the dust. During this shootout, our heroes run afoul of a pair of DEA agents, Detective Frank Sigliano (Steven Bauer of "Scarface") and Det. Tony Montoya (Jon Gries of "Napoleon Dynamite"), and their superior, Captain Logan (Dan Hedaya of "Wise Guys") reads them the riot act and makes them take a vacation. The guys go about as far away from Chicago as they can possibly get and wind up in Key West, Florida, where they are amazed that everybody comes out to watch the sun set. One of the running subplots involves Costanzo's ex-wife, Anna (Darlanne Fluegel of "To Live and Die in L.A."), who likes to show up when Danny least expect her. Eventually, Julio abducts her so that he can recover his cocaine."Dogs of War" scenarist Gary DeVore and "Final Exam's" Jimmy Huston pile up the clichés in their thoroughly average screenplay. To his credit, Hyams doesn't allow the action to loiter, and we get a few rewarding action scenes, including a reckless chase on the L tracks through Chicago and a cool scene where our heroes are trapped in an undercover cop car made to look like a taxi cab as a garbage truck crushes them while they struggle to get out of it. As is the case, Hyams doubles up as the cinematographer and director. Dan Hedaya enlivens the scenes at police headquarters, but he never shouts at his detectives. Many of the critics who wrote about this movie during its initial release complained about the bogus snow on the streets. "Running Scared" boasts all the earmarks of a quintessential 1980s' police drama.

oneguyrambling 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.

tomloft2000 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.

gcd70 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