Running on Empty (1988)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Writer:

Naomi Foner (written by)

Release Date:

9 September 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Music

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.

Plot:

The eldest son of a fugitive family comes of age and wants to live a life of his own.

Plot Keywords:

Vietnam War | Fugitive | Government | On The Run | Father Daughter Reunion

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Christine Lahti	...	Annie Pope / Cynthia Manfield
River Phoenix	...	Danny Pope / Michael Manfield
Judd Hirsch	...	Arthur Pope / Paul Manfield
Jonas Abry	...	Harry Pope / Stephen Manfield
Martha Plimpton	...	Lorna Phillips
Ed Crowley	...	Mr. Phillips
L.M. Kit Carson	...	Gus Winant
Steven Hill	...	Donald Patterson
Augusta Dabney	...	Abigail Patterson
David Margulies	...	Dr. Jonah Reiff
Lynne Thigpen	...	Contact at Eldridge St.
Marcia Jean Kurtz	...	School Clerk
Sloane Shelton	...	Mrs. Phillips
Justine Johnston	...	Librarian
Herb Lovelle	...	Hospital Clerk

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | France:-12 | Finland:S | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12 | UK:15 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Empire Stages of New York, Long Island City, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Double Play

Trivia:

Although River Phoenix learned all the hand motions to the piano pieces his character performs in the movie, the audio was dubbed by a professional pianist.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: As they stop at a gas station on the run from authorities, one of the characters is shown removing a Delaware license plate from the front of the gray van. Delaware has never issued nor required front-mounted plates.

Quotes:

Abigail Patterson: What's this about a pizza?
Michael: Well, you ordered one.
Abigail Patterson: I didn't. Well, will you have to pay for it?
Michael: Oh no... I'll have to eat it.

Movie Connections:

References Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

Soundtrack:

Fire And Rain

So underrated

When I was 16, I used to hang out with a tough crowd and my best friend at the time was a real trouble maker, we would always get into fights with other guys our age and sometimes men, and he was a really tough kid, anyway one night he calls me and tells me that he watched the saddest movie he had ever seen, he said it was the first time he actually cried since he saw E.T. I was laughing at him continuously, until I watched it and got so profoundly effected by it that even thinking about that last scene makes my eyes water. I really feel that this film was a major catalyst for many changes I made during my progression from teenager to young adult.

Running on Empty is quite an achievement in filmmaking, it is as real a film as you could watch and everyone involved should be absolutely proud of it. River Phoenix will forever be missed.