After antiwar activists Annie and Arthur Pope (Christine Lahti and Judd Hirsch) blew up a napalm lab in 1971, they became lifelong fugitives. They and their children have stayed just one step ahead of the law, running from state to state, job to job, identity to identity. But now elder son Danny (River Phoenix) wants to stop running from a past not his. And to do so, he might never see his on-the-lam family again.

Directed by Sidney Lumet from Naomi Foner’s Golden Globe® Award-winning screenplay, this powerful, bittersweet movie also stars Martha Plimpton and Steven Hill, and earned acting honors for the emotional performances of Lahti (Los Angeles Film Critics Best Actress Award) and Phoenix (named Best Supporting Actor by the National Board of Review).

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Video Quality

Warner Archive presents Running On Empty with a stellar 1080p master transfer released in 2017 in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from a 2K scan of the Interpositive. Sidney Lumet is not one to draw attention to his visuals, but this presentation unveils a greater level of visual splendor than any prior release by a large margin. The natural film grain is fully intact and resolved impeccably with nothing ever swarming or clumping unnaturally. Detail and clarity are incredible with lovely flourishes within the clothing and production design.

There is also a necessary depth and vibrancy of the colors on display within this suburban community. Vegetation especially looks amazing with the shades of green radiating off the screen when the characters are trekking through the forest. Each hue is faithfully saturated throughout our journey. Black levels are deep with exceptional stability, and highlights hold firm with no moments getting overly hot. There are not any digital shortcomings such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such issues. Warner Archive did a swell job with this release.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that suits the material perfectly. Dialogue is the foremost element here, and it comes through clearly. There is practically nothing in terms of action sequences, but a few tense moments remain distinct and deliver in every way they need to. There is no serious age-related wear and tear to the track such as drop-outs, hissing, or popping. The important soundtrack is used effectively to settle you into the emotions of the story. The environmental noises come alive with the roar of the car engine, school hallways, and all other manner of unique sounds the characters come across. Warner Archive has provided an audio track that matches the visuals. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included for the feature film.

Special Features

Theatrical Trailer: A minute-and-a-half-long trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Running On Empty is a great drama from Sidney Lumet that takes a look at complicated family dynamics without ever leaning on unnecessary melodrama. These characters feel genuine, and you understand where everyone is coming from without succumbing to judgment. The performances are really great, especially from the under-appreciated Christine Lahti and the late River Phoenix. The movie trusts the audience enough to consider the tough choices and let in the emotions at play. Warner Archive has released Blu-Ray featuring a fantastic A/V presentation but not much in the way of special features. This is the type of film that makes us particularly grateful that the Warner Archive exists to shine a light on gems from their vast catalog. Recommended

Running On Empty can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.