Robert De Niro plays a former cop who’s hired by a bail bondsman to track down an accountant (Charles Grodin) who has ripped off the mob and then jumped bail; a five-day chase and numerous complications develop as they attempt to elude both the mob and the FBI. Martin Brest directed this comedy thriller from a George Gallo script. Considering all the shopworn materials used here, including the aggressive banality of Danny Elfman’s pop score, one’s expectations quickly sink to zero; but miraculously, De Niro and Grodin turn this sow’s ear into a plausible vehicle for a buddy movie, and thanks to both of them, this movie springs to life. (JR)