Running on Empty is an uneven mess
Streaming Movie Review - VOD - Comedy/Drama
The topic of death is one that impacts everyone. It is an inescapable aspect of life and is something that everyone will have to reckon with at some point. But what if you knew when that was happening? How would knowing your death day impact your remaining time on earth? Those are some of the questions asked by writer and director Daniel André in his debut feature film, “Running on Empty,” coming to VOD on August 27th.
When Mort (Keir Gilcrest) and his fiance Nicole (Francesca Eastwood) are trying to get a mortgage, they must first find out their death dates, a new process discovered by “science.” While Nicole still has sixty years ahead of her, Mort discovers that he has less than a year to live. Nicole leaves him, and his uncle Barry (Jim Gaffigan) suggests that he should find someone else to date. Mort discovers a dating service for people with close “death dates,” and while there, he meets Kate (Lucy Hale), with whom he forms an immediate connection. But despite that connection, a series of strange events complicate that burgeoning relationship.
This movie is tonally all over the place. It starts out so strong, with a mortician who stages these “adventure funerals” that celebrate the lives of the deceased and conversations about how death can be much more than something to be feared. The themes feel incredibly clear and well-defined. Then, the comedic elements are introduced, and it goes absolutely off the rails. A movie that has something unique and thoughtful to say about death and dying becomes one really gross kind of sexist joke. The whiplash between the elements in this movie is incredibly jarring.
There are some odd choices in the performances as well. Gaffigan isn’t who I would think of for raunchy humor, and he doesn’t quite pull off the sleazy character very convincingly. Both Gilcrest and Eastwood are fine, though it never quite seems like their hearts are in it. Hale, as Kate, is one of the only bright spots in the movie. She is one of the only characters who feels like a real person, but we simply don’t spend enough time with her to understand who she is beyond the love interest.
The frustrating thing is that you can see how this movie could be something special. The theme of living every day as though it’s your last isn’t a new one, but “Running on Empty” approaches it from a fresh perspective, and that, coupled with a lead character who is a mortician, is something genuinely unique. I found myself rooting for this film to find its footing, but there is no point when it achieves that. Blending comedy with heavy themes is tricky. When it works, it can elevate both to something extraordinary. But when it doesn’t, you end up with a tonal mess. Unfortunately, “Running on Empty” is far more messy than extraordinary.
This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on August 24, 2024.
Watch my full interview with filmmaker Daniel André about the making of this movie.