Running on Empty

What a gem of a directorial debut by Daniel André! From the shot section to the soundtrack, each choice seems on purpose. Its a bright gray comedy that is dark but not depressing, light yet realistic. All in all, it's a film that only leaves me wanting in the category of what will André do next? Rated higher for exposure.

This movie is kind of confusing in its tone and presentation. It truly seems like the work of amateurs; perhaps a film school project.

The cast seems to consist of first-time actors, led by a completely charmless main character, and I would've dismissed it completely after the first disheartening 10 minutes, if not for the puzzling presence of names like Monica Potter, Lucy Hale, Jim Gaffigan and Rhys Coiro.

Did they owe money or favors to the producers?

The script is a mess, the dialogue clumsy, scenes are long and ambling and poorly edited. The entire pacing of both individual scenes and the movie as a whole seems off. It tries to come off as a sort of quirky unpredictable dark comedy, but it's neither funny nor original, and completely devoid of any charm.

According to IMDb this is the director's feature debut, and honestly: that doesn't surprise me one bit.

Don't pass this sweet little film by. It's got lots of life. You'll see that while watching the movie. What would you do if you knew your death date. Would you choose to be sad, mad or just cry everyday. We have that choice everyday - what are you going to do with the rest of your life. Before you decide that watch this film for directions. A++

In weakly meandering LA indie dark comedy "Running On Empty" science has developed a way to accurately predict everyone's natural death date. On learning he has less than a year to live meek Keir Gilchrist's life takes a jolt. Fiancee Francesca Eastwood (Clint's daughter) dumps him, but he befriends Lucy Hale. Pimp Rhys Coiro steals his car and repeatedly tries extorting cash out of him. Oh, and his weird job for mortician uncle Jim Gaffigan (good) carries on as normal. Daniel André may have hoped his debut as writer / director would strike a bleakly genius tone similar to that of the likes of "Wristcutters: A Love Story"... but it doesn't. Disappointing.

The movie had a truly unique hook that was utterly squandered by bizarre plots that get in the way of where this movie should have gone.

Taking place in the near future, Keir Gilchrist plays Mort. A mortician who is on his way with a fiancee (Francesca Estwood) to the middle class life. But in this world "science" can calculate your death date. Too bad for Mort he only has 300 or so days left. Immediately his fiancée leaves him and he is left stunned and hurting.

Unfortunately this is where the story goes off the rocker. Mort meets a prostitute who dies but her pimp keeps coming after Mort for the money... for the entire movie? OMG I never thought it would end. I can't figure out if that was studio interference or if two scripts were spliced together.

Eventually Mort meets the love of his life with Kate (Lucy Hale) and that is where this movie should have spent the majority of its time. Alas Lucy Hale is only a small part of this movie.. far too late.