Running on Empty (1988)

"Running on Empty" is a movie about the Pope family who has been keeping one step ahead of the FBI. The activist parents, Arthur and Annie, are being pursued for blowing up a building fifteen years earlier and seriously injuring a janitor (who wasn't supposed to be there). The FBI considers the Popes extremely dangerous, despite the presence of their two children. The story begins with seventeen-year-old Danny riding his bike home from playing baseball and noticing two black government cars ("two cars, four shoes"). Danny knows to make a fast getaway to lose the FBI agents, get his younger brother, and stand along the road where his parents will see them and know it is time to move to another location and start over with new names. The Popes become the Manfield family and get the boys enrolled in a new school, claiming their school records were lost during the move but will get them. Danny becomes "Michael" and his musical talent quickly becomes known to music teacher Mr. Phillips who encourages him to apply to Julliard. Danny/Michael has been taught by his parents to stay low profile where ever they go and that the family must stay together as a unit. A breakup of the family is not acceptable because this could interfere with their ability to ever see each other again (for fear that the FBI will be constantly watching and waiting to arrest Arthur and Annie). Danny/Michael meets and develops a romantic relationship with Mr. Phillips' daughter Lorna, who is somewhat angered and rebelling over her "proper" upbringing and biased but "really nice" parents who never really get to know people (especially if they don't meet their standards). Danny secretly auditions for Julliard and is accepted, provided he submit his missing academic records. Mr. Phillips meets Danny's mother to question her about the records and she has to pretend she is aware of Danny's plan to go to Julliard. Annie informs Arthur about Danny's audition and Mr. Phillips' inquiry, to which Arthur explodes and says they must move on; the family members are instructed to go about business as usual, but to pack up and be ready to go. Danny/Michael tells his dad that he'd like to stay where he is, but Arthur gets angry and reminds him about staying together as a unit. The FBI closes in by arresting Gus, an activist-friend of the Popes, and Annie goes to the schools to pick up Danny/Michael and his brother. Danny/Michael tells his mom that he'll meet them at the prearranged spot and hurries to tell Lorna that he is leaving. Danny/Michael does not want to leave, but places the family unit above his own personal desires and fear that his father would fall apart without him. Danny/Michael rides his bike to the meeting spot and puts his bike into the bed of the truck. Arthur tells him to "get the bike out of the back of the truck " and then, surprisingly, "now get on it." Annie's parents, who live in the area, had agreed to let Danny/ Michael live with them so that he could keep his friends (especially love interest Lorna), finish at the same school, and go to Julliard to "make a difference" (in a different way than his parents had tried to do).

I found the story interesting and River Phoenix's musical performances (piano) impressive. The scenes with Gus and Arthur's drunken rant were a little too much and took away from the likeability of Arthur, as was Arthur's anger with Danny/Michael when he asked if he could stay. The network that the Popes used to get new housing, vehicles, and records were not developed or revealed enough to seem legitimate. The dentist was obviously some how a part of it and handed over all the money he had in his wallet to Annie and said he could have gotten more with advance notice, but his involvement was never exposed. How the Popes managed to move to an area where there were so many contacts and Annie's parents just happened to live seemed unrealistic. (This seemed like an area the Popes should have avoided given that Annie's parents lived nearby.) The viewer does not get to know if Danny/Michael ever gets to see his parents or brother again; the Popes are heard singing, " but I always thought that I'd see you again."

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