“Running on Empty”, a movie directed by Daniel André, delves into the thought-provoking premise of knowing one's death day, but fails to translate it beyond just a playful premise. The narrative embarks with Mortimer the mortician (Keir Gilchrist), who following family mantra is involved in the funeral business, with his characteristically creepy Uncle Barry (Jim Gaffigan). Mort’s predictable journey begins when he purchases a house with his attractive fiancée Nicole (Francesca Eastwood). A visit to a clinic reveals Nicole is expected to live for many more decades while Mort is destined to die within a year.
Rather than spiraling into an insightful tale about how Mort utilizes the limited time he has left, the movie flatlines through repetitive, uninspiring jokes, lackluster performances and a dialogue that sets a new benchmark for dullness. The story further disintegrates with painfully awkward speed dating sessions with LA’s worst bachelorettes and frequent money shakedowns by a nightmare of a pimp named Simon (Rhys Coiro).
Although “Running on Empty” had the potential to combine humor and mortality in a compelling mixture much like Martin Scorsese’s “After Hours”, it unfortunately lacks the energy and innovation required to seamlessly mesh time, death, and urgency. The character of Mort, comes across unremarkably, with Gilchrist’s delivery failing to instill any life into the dying narrative. The characters Nicole and Kate are similarly underwhelming, despite Hale’s attempts at contributing levity to the narrative.
“Running on Empty” continues to stumble through lackluster performances, recurring dead-end jokes, and a visual style that is anything but captivating. Despite the promising premise, the movie fails to introduce any humor or engaging narrative elements, thereby living up to its title – empty and devoid of impact. With cinema-goers in search of enriching and entertaining content, "Running on Empty" sorely disappoints, unable to achieve liftoff or make any significant contribution to the romantic comedy genre.
