Movie

Running on Empty

1988 · 116 min

A quietly moving family drama about love and letting go, with a constant undercurrent of tension from living outside the law.

Tagline: They chose their lives. Now their son must choose his.
Overview: The Popes are a family who haven't been able to use their real identity for years. In the late sixties, the parents set a weapons lab afire in an effort to hinder the government's Vietnam war campaign. Ever since then, the Popes have been on the run with the authorities never far behind. Their survival is threatened when their eldest son falls in love with a girl, and announces his wish to live his life on his own terms.
How it feels: Melancholic, warm, earnest and tense. Measured and needs your attention.
About: Family, identity, freedom, coming-of-age
Content: Mild violence, sexual content and language. No gore.
Note: Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Full breakdown

Tone: melancholicstrength 2 of 3
warmstrength 2 of 3
tensestrength 1 of 3
earneststrength 2 of 3
Pacing: measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: family
identity
freedom
coming-of-age
guilt
Places: suburbs
big city
home
Era: contemporary
Audience: teen
Form: nonlinear
Content intensity: Gore none
Language mild
Violence mild
Sex mild