X
- 1988
- PG-13
- Warner Bros.
- 1 h 56 m
- 1988
- PG-13
- Warner Bros.
- 1 h 56 m
Summary The eldest son of a fugitive family comes of age and wants to live a life of his own.
Directed By: Sidney Lumet
Written By: Naomi Foner
- 1988
- PG-13
- Warner Bros.
- 1 h 56 m
- 1988
- PG-13
- Warner Bros.
- 1 h 56 m
Running on Empty
67
7.8
Where to Watch
Summary The eldest son of a fugitive family comes of age and wants to live a life of his own.
Directed By: Sidney Lumet
Written By: Naomi Foner
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 17 Critic Reviews
67
59% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
41% Mixed
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 17 Critic Reviews
67
59% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
41% Mixed
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
There are great performances in the central roles. Phoenix essentially carries the story; it's about him. Lahti and Hill have that shattering scene together. And Lahti and Hirsch, huddled together in bed, fearfully realizing that they may have come to a crossroads, are touching; we see how they've depended on each other. This is one of the best films of the year.
Although Lumet has a reputation for letting his actors run wild, he keeps the reins tight here, and we're rewarded with a series of superb performances. [16 Sep 1988]
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 14 User Ratings
7.8
93% Positive
13 Ratings
13 Ratings
0% Mixed
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
7% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 14 User Ratings
7.8
93% Positive
13 Ratings
13 Ratings
0% Mixed
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
7% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.
A complex, turbulent tale told with admirable simplicity. Film successfully operates on several levels – as study of the primacy of the family unit, an anguished teen romance, a coming-of-age story and a look at what happened to some political radicals a generation later.
Improbable as some of the plot may be, Lumet's movie -- directed with artful simplicity -- strikes powerful emotional chords. Running on Empty also happens to be the year's best teen romance: quirky Lorna (Martha Plimpton), in stubborn rebellion against her family's Wasp propriety, is a delightfully real teenager. [03 Oct 1988, p.57]
Despite Lumet's home-spun pincer movement on the espionage/conspiracy genres, cliché still sneaks up and nips the film into submission.
A John Hughes-ish teen drama unaccountably complicated by politics and method acting.
A Sidney Lumet movie is loose. It's a big vehicle, loaded with the usual artistic statement. But Running on Empty is coasting downhill fast.
Production Company
Double Play,
Lorimar Film Entertainment
Release Date Sep 9, 1988
Duration 1 h 56 m
Rating PG-13
Tagline In 1971, Arthur and Annie Pope blew up a napalm lab to protest the war. Ever since then they have been on the run from the FBI. They chose their lives. Now their son must choose his.
Awards
Golden Globes, USA
• 1 Win & 5 Nominations
Academy Awards, USA
• 2 Nominations
National Board of Review, USA
• 2 Wins & 2 Nominations
