Possibly the finest and most underappreciated film by Sidney Lumet, this movie has moments which grab you by the throat -- they are so powerful. The cast, which is outstanding (Judd Hirsch, Christine Lahti, and River Phoenix in particular),is part of the reason for its power. The characters are totally convincing. The young man played by River Phoenix is someone we must sympathize with: his dilemma is a lifelong choice between never seeing his loved ones again or continuing to grow as a very talented pianist. The choice is agonizing, and the ending is sure to bring tears to many eyes of people who are part of a close-knit family. One scene is particularly powerful and makes me tear up every time I watch it: The luncheon meeting between Annie, the mother (Christine Lahti) and her father, played by Steven Hill. The dialog during this scene is so convincing, and the acting is perfect. But River Phoenix is the main reason to see this beautiful film, and this simply underscores the tragedy of his death at an early age. He had already proved he was a talent of considerable promise with in Stand By Me and in Mosquito Coast. I fully recommend this film to all thinking people with feelings about the inevitable conflict between family and individuality. This is a small film -- what I call "a little gem" -- most of which are small budget films with great acting and centered around the subjects of families and their values. Also see Crossing Delancey, another "little gem".

This is one of the stranger American movies of the 1980s. The plot involves a family who is constantly on the run because the parents were radicals in their youth and were running from the law. The problem was that although THEY may have still been wanted by the law, their kids suffered from being continuously uprooted--particularly their son played so well by River Phoenix. This becomes even more apparent when this talented boy is told he would be virtually assured of a music scholarship because of his amazing talent BUT staying in this town with this identity too long could be dangerous for the parents--as they were always on guard worried about being discovered.

What I particularly liked was how even though the parents had been hard-boiled radicals, they had never intended to hurt anyone AND the movie did not gloss over their prior acts or glorify their past. The film easily could have been made into an annoying pro-anarchy film, like NADA (a Claude Chabrol film of the 70s). Because of this, all audiences (right, left or in the center) will no-doubt find this movie fascinating and transcendent of other films of the era.

Twenty years after Judd Hirsch and Christine Lahti were involved in the bombing of a factory that produced napalm they are still on the run. It's a way of life to them now, they are paying big time now for their misdeeds that went way beyond protesting the war in Vietnam. They've raised two sons, one they had while fugitives. Now however their way of life is going to have an impact on their older son particularly if he continues with them.

Running On Empty is a film that will be particularly poignant for those who came of age in the Sixties. Hirsch and Lahti took action that probably many were tempted, but fortunately did not succumb. There might very well be an interesting back story as to just how the characters that Hirsch and Lahti play came to do what they did. I'm surprised a prequel was never made.

But here we're concerned with older son River Phoenix who is a mostly self taught musical prodigy and who gets a chance to get a scholarship to Julliard. But he's going to have problems from Judd Hirsch who does not want to see the family unit broken up. That's important to him because it's all he has because of the life he has to lead. Not to mention having to document Phoenix's educational background which has been spotty and under various aliases. Whenever he abruptly leaves and moves to another school the records are always conveniently lost in a convenient fire. Could never use that excuse now with data now all on computers.

In addition to which River's found himself a girlfriend in Martha Plimpton the daughter of the music teacher at his latest high school. Some critical decisions will have to be made by him and by his fugitive family.

Running On Empty got two Oscar nominations for Best Original Screenplay and for Best Supporting Actor for River Phoenix. This was a breakout film for him, it was the first really serious part he ever essayed in his short life. His roles were as juveniles in teen oriented films before were nice and showed his potential. This one was the first that took advantage of said potential.

I always thought that River drew from a vagabond background of his own which made Running On Empty so special for him and for us. His parents were children of the Sixties themselves, the tune-in, turn-on, drop out kind of hippies with a Christian flavoring. They were commune dwellers living in various places off the grid. I'm sure that background also prepared for the radically different part he played in My Own Private Idaho.

Still for all the acclaim River got my favorite scene in the film and its climax involves Christine Lahti and her father Steven Hill when they reunite surreptitiously in a restaurant where all the pent up feelings on both sides get to hang out. She's come to ask her father to take Phoenix in and pull some strings to get him into Julliard. We're told he has the juice to do it. Hill is also playing with a lot of conflicting emotions, he remembers how his rebellious teen daughter was holding him and his entire generation personally responsible for the Vietnam War.

Director Sidney Lumet put together an impressive cast with an array of impressive performances, each player stamping an individual seal on them. Running On Empty is a real classic for the decade it came out and the decade it hearkened back to.