Running on Empty
“They chose their lives. Now their son must choose his.”
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.
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Cast
30 people
Christine Lahti
Annie Pope
Known for
Evil
Chicago Hope
River Phoenix
Danny Pope
Known for
Stand by Me
My Own Private Idaho
Judd Hirsch
Arthur Pope
Known for
Independence Day
Forever
Jonas Abry
Harry Pope
Also in
Slaves of New York
Martha Plimpton
Lorna Phillips
Known for
The Goonies
Task
Ed Crowley
Mr. Phillips
Known for
Network
Witness
L.M. Kit Carson
Gus Winant
Known for
CQ
Steven Hill
Donald Patterson
Known for
Law & Order
The Firm
Augusta Dabney
Abigail Patterson
Known for
The Heartbreak Kid
Plaza Suite
David Margulies
Dr. Jonah Reiff
Known for
Ghostbusters
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Lynne Thigpen
Contact at Eldridge St.
Known for
Anger Management
Bear in the Big Blue House
Marcia Jean Kurtz
School Clerk
Known for
Requiem for a Dream
Black Swan
Sidney Lumet Director · Naomi Foner Writer Tony Mottola Composer
Worldwide gross $2.8M · Budget $7M · United States release September 9, 1988
Box office
Budget
$7,000,000
Worldwide gross
$2,835,116
Gross vs. budget
0.4×
Production
Double Play
Production
Lorimar Film Entertainment
Production
Warner Bros. Pictures
Studio
United States
Produced in
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
English
Release dates
United States · September 7, 1988
Premiere · Beekman Theatre
United States · September 9, 1988
Theatrical
Argentina
October 27, 1988 · Theatrical
Australia
December 8, 1988 · Theatrical
Austria
November 1, 1988 · Theatrical
Canada
March 30, 1999 · Physical · DVD
Finland
July 14, 1989 · Theatrical
France
October 26, 1988 · Theatrical
Germany
November 10, 1988 · Theatrical · West Germany
Hungary
August 12, 1993 · Digital
Italy
September 1, 1989 · Premiere · Sorrento Film Festival
February 24, 1990 · Theatrical
Japan
October 1, 1988 · Theatrical
Netherlands
August 24, 1989 · Theatrical
Portugal
June 30, 1989 · Theatrical
Sweden
February 13, 1998 · TV
United Kingdom
February 3, 1989 · Theatrical
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Some details come from TheTVDB.