PG-13

Running on Empty

They chose their lives. Now their son must choose his.

1988 • 116 min • Drama · Romance · Crime

Join the Angel Guild Write your review Sign in to rate and review

Synopsis

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.

Our family guide

Best from age 13

Movie Knight Score

364 reviews

75 Audience · 364 · 100%

The Pope family has been on the run for years after the parents destroyed a weapons lab to protest the Vietnam War. Their precarious, hidden life is complicated when their eldest son falls in love and yearns for a normal existence.

Violence & peril: 3/10
Language: 2/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 3/10
Romance & sensuality: 2/10
Scary moments: 4/10

Heads up

Discussions about living under assumed identities
Parental involvement in illegal activities is a central theme
Characters smoke and drink alcohol

What it models well

Family loyalty
Seeking personal freedom
The impact of choices

Talk about it after

Generational differences in values
The meaning of justice and protest
The sacrifices parents make for beliefs

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Running on Empty. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.