Running Scared

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Running Scared

R

1986

1h 46m

Action

Comedy

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

65%

Tomatometer

23 Reviews

58%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Ray and Danny (Gregory Hines, Billy Crystal) are two Chicago police detectives hot on the trail of drug kingpin Julio Gonzales (Jimmy Smits). They manage to nab the drug lord, but the bust is messy, and the two are suspended. While vacationing in Key West, Fla., they decide to retire from the police force and open up a bar. But when they return to Chicago and find out that Gonzales has been released on bail, they vow not to quit the force until the dangerous dealer is behind bars for good.

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Critics Consensus

Running Scared struggles to strike a consistent balance between violent action and humor, but the chemistry between its well-matched leads keeps things entertaining.

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Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

May 27, 2014

"Running Scared" tries to be a light comedy in a violent, comic-book world. That's a difficult juggling act, and director Peter Hyams doesn't pull it off.

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

May 27, 2014

A functional 1986 actioner about two wisecracking Chicago cops (Gregory Hines and Billy Crystal) and their vendetta against a Latino crime lord (Jimmy Smits).

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Variety Staff

Variety

May 27, 2014

No more original or eventful than an average police TV show, so it must sink or swim on the moment-by-moment cleverness of the dialog and the behavioral talents of Hines and Crystal. Fortunately, these elements prove formidable.

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

Jun 26, 2026

3.5/5

It feels almost physiologically impossible to tense up during "Running Scared," a buddy-cop comedy that’s both unpredictably chaotic and unpredictably calming.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Jan 1, 2024

3/4

While the 1980s were frequently a safe haven for such disastrous, what-were-they-thinking? screen teams as Pat Morita & Jay Leno (Collision Course) and Ted Danson & Howie Mandel (A Fine Mess), this offered a “buddy comedy” pairing that actually worked.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Aug 23, 2023

3/5

…a good example of how slick, immoral and yet somehow wholesome the simple formula for an old-school cops and robbers movie can be….

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Jelisije J

@jjosifovic Jul 8, 2026

I like the actors, music, the location which is my hometown of Chicago, but this movie is all over the place with its story and to be honest this one of the more disappointing buddy cop movies that I have ever seen.

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Jason H

@RT50328122 Jun 8, 2026

Mildly - very mildly - entertaining. It tries very hard to be funny, and it's not.

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TJ S

@steelgator13 Feb 28, 2026

Great on screen chemistry between Hines and Crystal in this comedy action movie. The jokes work in between the story telling. The action is just enough to keep it exciting but doesn't drive the movie. It is more comedy than action. The visual difference between cold and dirty Chicago and sunny tropical Key West reinforce the partner cops decision to relocate to Key West to open a bar. But in the end their loyalty and heart keeps them in Chicago. Fun movie well acted with great comic timing. Most negative reviews from the expert critics are because their lack of understanding that movies like life is both humorous and tragic. The movie is well made and deserves a look. Enjoy it,

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Dave B

@Dave-B Jan 15, 2026

Hard to follow, or maybe not interesting enough to follow. The film quality is poor. The Key West scene is the best part of the movie, but seems to have nothing to do with the story. Jimmy Smits would have eaten Hines and Crystal for breakfast, so any scene in which the shoe is on the other foot is not believable. Feels like a weak version of Beverly Hills Cop. And the roller skates--ouch, let's break a leg.

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David Y

@RT74102443 Aug 12, 2025

A straight up cult classic. Billy Crystal & Gregory Hines have great chemistry. This is a great 80's movie.

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J p

@RT64855482 Feb 17, 2025

The greatest cop buddy movie ever made in my opinion and the opinion of many that are on the job!

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Peter Hyams

Director

Gregory Hines

Ray Hughes

Billy Crystal

Danny Costanzo

Jimmy Smits

Julio Gonzales

Steven Bauer

Det. Frank Sigliano

Darlanne Fluegel

Anna Costanzo

Running Scared: Official Clip - Hablo Smith & Wesson?

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Running Scared: Official Clip - Pants Drop

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Running Scared: Official Clip - Must Be the Vest

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Running Scared: Official Clip - You're Mugging Us?

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Running Scared: Official Clip - Forced Vacation

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Running Scared: Official Clip - I Got Him!

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Running Scared: Official Clip - State Building Shootout

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Running Scared: Official Clip - Cops vs. Trash Compactor

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Running Scared: Official Clip - Police Line-Up

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Running Scared: Official Clip - Entrapping the Cops

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Synopsis

Ray and Danny (Gregory Hines, Billy Crystal) are two Chicago police detectives hot on the trail of drug kingpin Julio Gonzales (Jimmy Smits). They manage to nab the drug lord, but the bust is messy, and the two are suspended. While vacationing in Key West, Fla., they decide to retire from the police force and open up a bar. But when they return to Chicago and find out that Gonzales has been released on bail, they vow not to quit the force until the dangerous dealer is behind bars for good.

Director: Peter Hyams
Producer: David Foster, Lawrence Turman
Screenwriter: Gary DeVore, Jimmy Huston
Production Co: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, David Foster Productions, Turman-Foster Company
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $37.6M
Runtime: 1h 46m
Sound Mix: Surround

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