Running on Empty
Movie · Drama · Crime

River Phoenix rose to stardom -- and an Academy Award-nomination -- in this poignant drama from director Sidney Lumet ("The Verdict," "Dog Day Afternoon"). Ex-radicals Judd Hirsch ("Independence Day," "Taxi") and Oscar, Golden Globe and Emmy-winner Christine Lahti (TV's "Chicago Hope," "Swing Shift") have raised their family in hiding, constantly moving and changing aliases to flee facing charges from an inadvertent crime they committed as war protestors 15 years earlier. As their eldest son (Phoenix) comes of age, he is torn between running with his beloved fugitive parents, or developing his musical talents and pursuing his own life, which includes new girlfriend (Martha Plimpton, "The Mosquito Coast," "Goonies"). Nominated for two Oscars and 4 Golden Globe Awards, including Best Picture, Actress and Director, Siskel & Ebert call this "...one of Lumet's best films...one of the best movies of the year...the acting in this film is wonderful," while the Los Angeles Times praises this as "...one of those rare films likely to mean as much to teens as it does to their parents...uncommonly tender, funny and lifelike...a major American film."

1988 · 1h 56m
  • 81%
  • 14+
Starring Christine Lahti, River Phoenix, Judd Hirsch
Director Sidney Lumet

Related

  • Waves
  • Dead Poets Society
  • One Battle After Another
  • Ben Is Back
  • Affliction
  • Paris, Texas
  • Beautiful Boy
  • Lady Bird
  • What's Eating Gilbert Grape

Cast & Crew

  • Christine Lahti
    Annie Pope
  • River Phoenix
    Danny Pope
  • Judd Hirsch
    Arthur Pope
  • J‌A
    Jonas Abry
    Harry Pope
  • Martha Plimpton
    Lorna Phillips
  • E‌C
    Ed Crowley
    Mr. Phillips
  • L.M. Kit Carson
    Gus Winant
  • Steven Hill
    Donald Patterson
  • Augusta Dabney
    Abigail Patterson
  • David Margulies
    Dr. Jonah Reiff
  • Sidney Lumet
    Director

About

Running on Empty

Drama

River Phoenix rose to stardom -- and an Academy Award-nomination -- in this poignant drama from director Sidney Lumet ("The Verdict," "Dog Day Afternoon"). Ex-radicals Judd Hirsch ("Independence Day," "Taxi") and Oscar, Golden Globe and Emmy-winner Christine Lahti (TV's "Chicago Hope," "Swing Shift") have raised their family in hiding, constantly moving and changing aliases to flee facing charges from an inadvertent crime they committed as war protestors 15 years earlier. As their eldest son (Phoenix) comes of age, he is torn between running with his beloved fugitive parents, or developing his musical talents and pursuing his own life, which includes new girlfriend (Martha Plimpton, "The Mosquito Coast," "Goonies"). Nominated for two Oscars and 4 Golden Globe Awards, including Best Picture, Actress and Director, Siskel & Ebert call this "...one of Lumet's best films...one of the best movies of the year...the acting in this film is wonderful," while the Los Angeles Times praises this as "...one of those rare films likely to mean as much to teens as it does to their parents...uncommonly tender, funny and lifelike...a major American film."

14+

COMMON SENSE

Wraps around your heart and squeezes.

81%

TOMATOMETER
Average 6.6
Reviews 31
Fresh 25
Rotten 6

Information

Studio
Warner Bros.
Released
1988
Run Time
1 hr 56 min
Rated
PG-13
Region of Origin
United States
© 1988 Warner Bros. All Rights Reserved.

Languages

Original Audio
English
Audio

English (United States) (AAC)

Subtitles

English (CC)

Accessibility

Closed captions (CC) refer to subtitles in the available language with the addition of relevant non-dialogue information.
  • Español (México)
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Botswana
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cape Verde
  • Egypt
  • Eswatini
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • India
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger (English)
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uganda
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Zimbabwe

Asia Pacific

  • Australia
  • Cambodia
  • Fiji
  • 香港 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Indonesia (English)
  • 日本
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • 澳門 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Malaysia (English)
  • Micronesia, Federated States of
  • Mongolia
  • New Zealand
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • 대한민국
  • 台灣
  • Thailand
  • Turkmenistan
  • Vietnam

Europe

  • Armenia
  • Österreich
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France (Français)
  • Deutschland
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italia
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg (English)
  • Malta
  • Moldova, Republic Of
  • Nederland
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal (Português)
  • Россия
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • España
  • Sverige
  • Schweiz
  • Türkiye (English)
  • Ukraine
  • United Kingdom

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina (Español)
  • Bahamas
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Bolivia (Español)
  • Brasil
  • Virgin Islands, British
  • Cayman Islands
  • Chile (Español)
  • Colombia (Español)
  • Costa Rica (Español)
  • Dominica
  • República Dominicana
  • Ecuador (Español)
  • El Salvador (Español)
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala (Español)
  • Honduras (Español)
  • México
  • Nicaragua (Español)
  • Panamá
  • Paraguay (Español)
  • Perú
  • St. Kitts and Nevis
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Venezuela (Español)

The United States and Canada

  • Canada (English)
  • Canada (Français)
  • United States
  • Estados Unidos (Español México)

Copyright © 2025 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.

  • Internet Service Terms
  • Apple TV & Privacy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Support
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Botswana
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cape Verde
  • Egypt
  • Eswatini
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • India
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger (English)
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uganda
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Zimbabwe

Asia Pacific

  • Australia
  • Cambodia
  • Fiji
  • 香港 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Indonesia (English)
  • 日本
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • 澳門 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Malaysia (English)
  • Micronesia, Federated States of
  • Mongolia
  • New Zealand
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • 대한민국
  • 台灣
  • Thailand
  • Turkmenistan
  • Vietnam

Europe

  • Armenia
  • Österreich
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France (Français)
  • Deutschland
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italia
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg (English)
  • Malta
  • Moldova, Republic Of
  • Nederland
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal (Português)
  • Россия
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • España
  • Sverige
  • Schweiz
  • Türkiye (English)
  • Ukraine
  • United Kingdom

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina (Español)
  • Bahamas
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Bolivia (Español)
  • Brasil
  • Virgin Islands, British
  • Cayman Islands
  • Chile (Español)
  • Colombia (Español)
  • Costa Rica (Español)
  • Dominica
  • República Dominicana
  • Ecuador (Español)
  • El Salvador (Español)
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala (Español)
  • Honduras (Español)
  • México
  • Nicaragua (Español)
  • Panamá
  • Paraguay (Español)
  • Perú
  • St. Kitts and Nevis
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Venezuela (Español)

The United States and Canada

  • Canada (English)
  • Canada (Français)
  • United States
  • Estados Unidos (Español México)