Running on Empty (1988)
- Starring:
- Christine Lahti, River Phoenix, (more)
- Director(s):
- Sidney Lumet
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- PG13
- Category:
- Drama
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In this family drama from director Sidney Lumet, Judd Hirsch and Christine Lahti play Arthur and Annie Pope, a pair of '60s radicals who have eluded the FBI for 16 years after bombing a napalm laboratory as a Vietnam War protest. This lifestyle involves continually moving their base of operations and establishing new identities, which is especially hard on their children, 18-year-old Danny (River Phoenix) and 10-year-old Harry (Jonas Abry), who can never amass a group of friends or an academic record. This last problem comes to the fore when they arrive in a New Jersey town where the high school music teacher (Ed Crowley) takes an interest in Danny's piano playing, encouraging him to apply early admission to Juilliard. Danny yearns to follow this dream, but knows that separating from his parents would be a permanent break -- the aging hippies rarely even see their own parents, and can never inform anyone where they've moved. Arthur can't stand the idea of breaking up the family unit, which has provided the support that's allowed him to tolerate life on the move, but Annie sees her own sacrificed dreams in her son's prodigious musical talents, and begins pressuring Arthur to grant the boy his independence. Complicating factors, Danny has fallen in love with the daughter of his music teacher (Martha Plimpton), but can't allow himself to get too close to her, because he may have to leave again at any moment. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 116 mins
Complete Cast:
- Christine Lahti - Annie Pope
- Judd Hirsch - Arthur Pope
- Jonas Abry - Haprry Pope
- L.M. Kit Carson - Gus Winant
- Augusta Dabney - Mrs. Patterson
- Marcia Jean Kurtz - School Clerk
- Alice Drummond - Mrs. Powell
- Bobo Lewis - Home Ec Teacher
- Ronnie Gilbert - Mrs. Taylor
- Burke Pearson - Julliard Man
- Joey Thrower - Catcher
- Michael Boatman - Spaulding
- Lynne Thigpen - Contact at Eldridge St.
- Donna Hanover - Reporter
- Thomas Fraioli - Violinist
- River Phoenix - Danny Pope
- Martha Plimpton - Lorna Phillips
- Ed Crowley - Mr. Phillips
- Steven Hill - Mr. Patterson
- David Margulies - Dr. Jonah Reiff
- Daniel Dassin - Waiter
- Justine Johnston - Librarian
- William Foeller - Man at Meeting
- Leila Danette - Maid
- Jenny Lumet - Music Girl
- Angela Pietropinto - English Teacher
- Herb Lovelle - Hospital Clerk
- Sloane Shelton - Mrs. Phillips
- Carol Cavallo - Woman at Meeting
- Elzbieta Czyzewska - Julliard Woman
- Director(s):
- Sidney Lumet
- Writer(s):
- Naomi Foner
- Producer(s):
- Amy Robinson, Griffin Dunne, Burtt Harris
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- PG13(Questionable for Children, Adult Language, Adult Situations)
- Categories:
- Drama
- Closed Captioning:
- Check All Versions
- Subtitles:
- Check All Versions
- 1988 - Running on Empty - Hollywood Foreign Press Association - Best Screenplay
- 1987 - Running on Empty - Los Angeles Film Critics Association - Best Actress
- 1988 - Running on Empty - National Board of Review - Best Supporting Actor
