Running on Empty | | Cast : | Christine Lahti, River Phoenix | | Director : | Sidney Lumet | | Studio : | Warner Studios | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, HiFi Sound | | Released Date : | September 09, 1988 | | DVD Released Date : | February 03, 2004 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), English (Original Language), English (Subtitled) | | Audience Rating : | PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | July 27, 2005 | | Summary | Glass half-full ... | Content
 | The first thing I'm choosing to talk about is how I've become obssessed with the Best Actress category at the Academy Awards. Christine Lahti, in "Running on Empty" received a nomination for Best Actress from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association AKA the Golden Globes. My friends were picking on me because up until this point I've refused to watch any movie where the lead actress did NOT receive an Oscar nom. for Best Actress. I decided to break the cycle and get into those other ladies that received Golden Globe noms. WITHOUT receiving a subsequent Oscar nom.. Make sense? The first DVD I found was this one, and it was pretty cheap. The movie itself seemed sort of hokey when I first started watching it, and I actually grew angry because I couldn't figure out why Christine Lahti received her Golden Globe nom. without even appearing in most of the movie! But the weight of her emotional performance comes towards the end of the movie, mainly during a particular scene that takes place at a restaurant.
Each performance in the movie is first-rate, especially River Phoenix. I've read a lot of reviews about this Oscar-nominated performance, and how many regret that River left us so soon. While I agree that he was/is immensely talented and his death IS a shame, it's actually better that his life ended so soon in terms of his career; it's better to go out on top, right? How depressing would it have been had his career effectively ended once he fully became an adult? But, of course, we will have never known.
Martha Plimpton, who plays River's girlfriend in the movie, actually comes across as a fairly attractive young woman with a fairly attractive performance to match. Where has she been these past 17 years? I can't speak of any of her other small roles, but in this one she manages to channel Jodie Foster (who actually won her first Best Actress Oscar for "The Accused," which was released in the same year as "Running on Empty").
But overall "Running on Empty" is a great movie, with great performances, and fit perfectly into the post-apocalyptic "communism is dead" world of 1988. |
| Rating | | | Date | February 01, 2005 | | Summary | Good Movie, Poor DVD | Content
| This is a nice DVD, if you don't mind that 27.9 percent of the original theatrical image has been removed for the DVD exhibition, so that the DVD image fills your entire 4:3 television screen (theatrical aspect ratio - 1.85:1; DVD aspect ratio - 4:3). If you're okay with that, enjoy!
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| Rating | | | Date | May 20, 2004 | | Summary | Deserves a Special Edition | Content
| "Running on Empty" is a genuinely affecting film whose merits have been forgotten in the years since its release. In this tale about a family on the run from the law, the three leads register strong, memorable performances. The late River Phoenix is excellent, and he earned a Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for this role, which was to be a highlight of his tragically short career. On this DVD, the movie is presented in full frame (square, as in not letterboxed), which may be disappointing to some. However, "Running on Empty" was initially shot full frame (or "flat") on 35mm and later matted to a 1:85 aspect ratio for theatrical release -- a common practice for a lot of films, including such big budget movies like "Jurassic Park" and "Back to the Future." When presented as full frame on television, the viewer is actually getting more of the image that was originally photographed than they would be if it were letterboxed. That being said, film aficionados would've appreciated a widesreen DVD presentation that would've simulated the theatrical version. Plus, a widescreen DVD can be anamorphically enhanced for viewing on HD or HD-enhanced sets. At the time of its original release, "Running on Empty" received critical praise and numerous awards, but the DVD has the scantest of bonus materials. (Interestingly, its screenwriter, Naomi Foner, is the mother of actors Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal.) It would be great to hear the filmmakers and cast reflect on the production and working with River Phoenix. "Running on Empty" deserves the Special Edition treatment, but it stands alone and is definitely worth seeing, no matter the presentation. |
| Rating | | | Date | April 12, 2004 | | Summary | A good movie | Content
| I enjoyed Running on Empty really because of River Phoenix. He is such an incredible actor and he really shows his acting skills in this movie. I also liked Martha Plimpton in this movie, she was very good. |
| Rating | | | Date | March 28, 2004 | | Summary | A Genuine Tale. | Content
| It was my senior year when this film first hit the screens, and little did I know that I was about to witness one of the finest actors of my generation, River Phoenix, give the best performance of his career. He simply shines here, with so many touching moments that recalling them all has me overwhelmed with admiration and sadness. Seldom does any actor achieve this high a level of acting genious, let alone at River's young age. His performance here is truly remarkable, and I recommend owning this film for his work alone. But there is certainly more here to see. Judd Hirsch, of "Taxi" fame, is solid as River's father and shows both compassion and fortitude. Martha Plimpton, also in "The Mosquito Coast" with River Phoenix, is intelligent and plays off River's character so well that one can see the amazing chemistry they have written on the screen. But the other excellent performance here belongs to Christine Lahti. Her character is supportive of her family, but so many years on the run from the F.B.I. has made her weary. In every scene she has she shows an underlying fatigue that is breaking her down, even as she tries to hold on to her family as it begins to fracture. There is one scene, in particular, when she arranges "through the network" to see her father. She hasn't seen him in 14 years, the last when she was a young idealistic woman wanting to change the world and now a mother on the run trying to do what's best for her family. Her and her father exchange at least ten differnet emotions during the short scene, ultimately making it one of the most genuine moments in the movie. That's what this movie is, "geniune." All the characters are believably realistic and likable. It is truly a great experience when I care about every character in a film, and that happened here. The final scene is extraordinarily sad; and it was more so seeing River Phoenix standing alone with tears in his eyes. He was such a tremendous talent, and this film gives ample examples as to the genious of his craft. This is a great film with a phenomenal performance by the late River Phoenix. |
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