Where to watch Running on Empty in the United States
Running on Empty (1988) is streaming on TCM. Also available to rent on Apple TV+.
U.S. availability last verified
Running on Empty
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You can stream Running on Empty (1988) on TCM with a subscription, rent on Apple TV+, or buy on Apple TV+.
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.
Can a family truly find peace when their entire existence relies on living under stolen identities? This quiet, tense drama captures the suffocating anxiety of staying one step ahead of a past that refuses to stay buried.
Trailer
Director
Sidney Lumet
Cast
Christine Lahti, River Phoenix, Judd Hirsch, Jonas Abry, Martha Plimpton, Ed Crowley, L.M. Kit Carson, Steven Hill, Augusta Dabney, David Margulies
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5 options ranked by value · 🇺🇸 United States
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Running on Empty
You can stream Running on Empty (1988) on TCM with a subscription, rent on Apple TV+, or buy on Apple TV+.
IMDb
7.4/10
RT Critics
81%
Metacritic
Director
Sidney Lumet
Cast
Christine Lahti, River Phoenix, Judd Hirsch, Jonas Abry, Martha Plimpton, Ed Crowley, L.M. Kit Carson, Steven Hill, Augusta Dabney, David Margulies
5 options ranked by value · 🇺🇸 United States
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Running on Empty is streaming on TCM. Rent Running on Empty on Apple TV+. Rent Running on Empty on Fandango At Home. Buy Running on Empty on Apple TV+. Buy Running on Empty on Fandango At Home. Running on Empty is not currently available on Netflix, Hulu, Max, Disney+, Prime Video. Availability last verified August 18, 2026.