Running On Empty

This absorbing drama benefits from a fresh storyline. Arthur and Annie Pope (Judd Hirsch and Christine Lahti) are on the lam from the FBI, after being involved in a napalm factory bombing during the '60s which resulted in the blinding of a janitor whose presence in the building was unknown. The Popes, and their two children, 17-year-old Danny (River Phoenix) and 10-year-old Harry, move from town to town staying one step ahead of the feds. But Danny is coming into his own as a young man, and when he meets and falls in love with a fellow student named Lorna (Martha Plimpton), his emotions begin to battle deep down inside. Taught to be fiercely loyal to the family, Danny nevertheless resents the fact that he is a fugitive because of his parents (always changing his hair, his name, his friends). When Lorna's father, a music teacher, recommends that Danny-a gifted pianist-apply for college, Danny suddenly becomes a threat to his parent's safety. The script is very convincing in its portrayal of a family on the run, and-though the Judd Hirsch character is weak-the performances by Christine Lahti and River Phoenix are superb. An excellent drama, that's not afraid to tackle contemporary moral issues. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)[DVD Review—Jan. 13, 2015—Warner, 116 min., PG-13, $17.99—Making its latest appearance on DVD, 1988's Running on Empty features a nice transfer and a Dolby Digital mono soundtrack, but no extras. Bottom line: a welcome re-release of one of the best films from the late ‘80s.][Blu-ray Review—July 11, 2017—Warner, 116 min., PG-13, Blu-ray: $21.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1988's Running on Empty is presented with a fine transfer and a DTS-HD 2.0 mono soundtrack, but no extras. Bottom line: Sidney Lumet's excellent drama shines on Blu-ray.]