RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
RT's Blu-ray HQ
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Running on Empty
Running on Empty

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Running on Empty (1988)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
90 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:10

Fresh:9

Rotten:1

Average Rating:7/10

Runtime: 1 hr 57 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: RUNNING ON EMPTY, directed by Sidney Lumet, is the moving tale of a young man whose parents were political agitators in the 1960s. Ever since, the family has been changing locations, changing their... RUNNING ON EMPTY, directed by Sidney Lumet, is the moving tale of a young man whose parents were political agitators in the 1960s. Ever since, the family has been changing locations, changing their names, and hiding from the FBI. The young man wants to pursue a career in music, but he fears that his ever-changing identity will eventually expose his parents. [More]

Starring: Christine Lahti, Judd Hirsch, River Phoenix, Martha Plimpton

Starring: Christine Lahti, Judd Hirsch, River Phoenix, Martha Plimpton

Director: Sidney Lumet

Director: Sidney Lumet
Screenwriter: Naomi Foner
Producer: Amy Robinson, Griffin Dunne

[See More Credits]

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Mar 30, 1999

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Running on Empty

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 16 (sorted by critic A-Z)
Text View
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

One of the most poignant and edifying films made in the 1980s about the blessings and burdens of family life.

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
07/10/03
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

River Phoenix gives an Oscar nominated performance as the teenage son of radical parents in Sidney Lumet's interesting but not entirely satisfying politicial melodrama.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
06/18/05
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
01/01/00
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
02/09/06
Geoff Andrew
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
01/01/00
Hal Hinson
Hal Hinson
Washington Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/20/03
Janet Maslin
Janet Maslin
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
01/01/00
Desson Thomson
Desson Thomson
Washington Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
03/26/09
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
01/01/00
Deseret News, Salt Lake City
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A touching, forgotten drama about a family of radicals still running from the consequences of their actions. River Phoenix, Lahti and Hirsch all are wonderful. A must-see.

comment Comment
09/20/03
Bob Bloom
Bob Bloom
Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

A tour-de-force in acting. Phoenix is a revelation!

comment Comment
09/17/02
Clint Morris
Clint Morris
Moviehole

No review available.

comment Comment
04/08/05
Fr. Chris Carpenter
Fr. Chris Carpenter
Catholic Sun

No review available.

comment Comment
10/08/04
Robin Clifford
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews

No review available.

comment Comment
09/05/03
Carol Cling
Carol Cling
Las Vegas Review-Journal

No review available.

comment Comment
07/31/02
Philip Martin
Philip Martin
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

No review available.

comment Comment
01/01/01
Robert Roten
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope
 
 
1 - 16 (sorted by critic A-Z)
Text View
all

Latest News for Running on Empty

March 09, 2006: Trailer Bulletin: Find Me Guilty
Wondering what Vin Diesel's been up to lately? Well, he's been off making a fact-based courtroom flick with ... legendary director Sidney Lumet, that's who. Entitled "Find... More...

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
36% 36% Angels & Demons
25% 25% Four Christmases
68% 68% Funny People
95% 95% Star Trek
14% 14% The Ugly Truth

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
32% 32% Terminator Salvation
44% 44% Night at the Museum: B…
86% 86% A Christmas Tale
60% 60% Paper Heart

More New Releases…

RT On Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196

What’s Hot On RT

Disney Countdown

Disney Countdown

Look back on Disney's best animated movies!

RT's Gift Guide

RT's Gift Guide

Give the best movies, gear, and more!

Jason Reitman

Jason Reitman

The Up in the Air director's Five Faves

Friday Harvest

Friday Harvest

This week's best pics, vids, and posters!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Spielberg Hops Away from Harvey Source: Variety
 20
  • Tarantino Could Have Directed Green Lantern Source: MTV
 24
  • Will Duvall be Gilliam's Don Quixote? Source: Collider.com
 26
  • No Hobbit Until 2012? Source: The Wrap
 22
  • Don't Hold Your Breath for Hancock 2 Source: HitFix
 42
  • Peter Berg Talks Battleship Source: CHUD
 2
  • Summit Ponders Twilight Finale Source: Variety
 159
  • First Look at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Source: USA Today
 56
  • Jeremy Renner Talks Hawkeye Possibilities Source: Superhero Hype
 14
  • Todd Phillips Talks The Hangover 2 Source: Entertainment Weekly
 18
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Total Recall: Natalie Portman's Best Movies
 69
  • Five Favorite Films with Jason Reitman
 46
  • 10 Horrifically Profitable Films
 45
  • Critics Consensus: Everybody's Fine Is Just OK
 44
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Vampires and Football Break Thanksgiving Records
 42
  • Five Favorite Films with Jesse Ventura
 39
  • Sundance 2010: RT's 10 Most Anticipated Movies
 25
  • Awards Tour: National Board of Review Winners List!
 24
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Terminator Salvation and a Smithsonian Battle
 22
  • Weekly Ketchup: Tron Team to Remake The Black Hole
 20
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
 2
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
 17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
 12
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
 22
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
 8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
 15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
 22
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
 9
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
 28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
 28
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Running on Empty at Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh Links

Featured
History of Disney Animation
History of Disney Animation External Link

MSN Movies offers a little background on the success of Disney Animation.

90 Years of Screen Vampires
90 Years of Screen Vampires External Link

TIME takes a look back at the history of vampires on film.

Virtuoso Vistas of Lovely Bones
Virtuoso Vistas of Lovely Bones External Link

Techland examines the visual splendor of Peter Jackson's upcoming film.

Recent Headlines as TV Movies
Recent Headlines as TV Movies External Link

AOL put together a list of 10 recent news items that would be perfect as TV Movies.

The Death of Original Thought
The Death of Original Thought External Link

Hollywood.com's C. Robert Cargill explores how remakes and reboots have warped our thinking.

Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Follow RT on Twitter External Link

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.