Clunky ‘Running on Empty’ lives down to its title
If there’s one thing Daniel André’s “Running on Empty” gets right it’s the title, the perfect encapsulation of a cockeyed rom-com that’s completely out of gas. And the reason there’s nothing left in the tank is the rookie writer-director’s obsession with quirkiness. The more peculiar the better.
On a basic level, I admire his desire to be daring, but not when it involves squandering precious time on characters who are weird for weird’s sake. It’s not engaging, and it’s certainly not funny. It’s just exhausting.
It’s also a waste of a fine performance on the part of Keir Gilchrist, best known for his affecting portrayal of the autistic teen, Sam, on Netflix’s excellent sitcom “Atypical.” As Mort, a Sherman Oaks mortician doomed to soon occupy his own embalming table, Gilchrist exhibits many of the same endearing traits as Sam. He’s awkwardly charming but socially inept, a perpetual fish out of water. Yet, he’s managed to land the gorgeous Nicole (Francesca Eastwood, daughter of Clint) as his bride-to-be, although you don’t buy their relationship for a second.
Since the film is set in the not-too-distant future, couples have access to a test called an LDC, or Life Day Count, which determines with “97.9 percent accuracy” how long each person has left to live. For Nicole, it’s more than 21,490 days. But for unsuspecting Mort, it’s less than 350. Yikes! What’s a couple to do? In Nicole’s case, dump her betrothed and move on. For Mort, it means joining a short-term dating service.
That’s the premise, which admittedly is somewhat intriguing, particularly in how it places you in Mort’s psyche. What would we do if we were him? We’d likely quit our jobs, make final arrangements and see as much of the world as possible in the time we have left.
But like I said, André is all about quirkiness, so he sends Mort off on a truly bizarre adventure involving flirtations with Kate (Lucy Hale), the charming videographer at the matchmaking service, and repeated run-ins with the imposing Simon (Rhys Coiro), an unhinged pimp attempting to extort thousands of dollars Mort doesn’t have. These two plot strands will eventually meet, but the convergence is so contrived it defies credulity.
For André, this is what passes for comedy. Well, that and occasional equally unfunny drop-ins by Jim Gaffigan as Mort’s horndog uncle and business partner, Barry, a guy so crass he flagrantly hits on Mort’s recently widowed mother, Elaine (Monica Potter in a throwaway role). If there’s a chuckle to be had, it’s courtesy of “SNL” alum Jay Pharoah as the mortuary’s gofer, Sid. If nothing else, Sid seems relatively “normal,” making him a welcome oasis amid all the idiosyncrasies.
Right there with him is Hale, who shares a modicum of chemistry with Gilchrist, but is forced to wait until the third act to display it, as the movie finally begins to find surer footing. The ensuing romance between her Kate and Gilchrist’s Mort is so sweetly and assuredly convincing you wonder why André was holding back so long. You also contemplate how much better his film might have been if he had emphasized the rom over the com.
For example, what is it inside that impels Kate and Mort to pursue an affair doomed from the start? I couldn’t help ruing the missed opportunities, particularly to explore the notion that it’s not the quantity, but the quality of love that matters most. There’s a trace of that sentiment, though not nearly enough. But that’s to be expected from a filmmaker who values eccentricity over electricity.
Movie review
Running on Empty
Rated: R for language and sexual content
Cast: Keir Gilchrist, Lucy Hale, Francesca Eastwood, Jim Gaffigan, Monica Potter, Jay Pharoah and Rhys Coiro
Director: Daniel André
Writer: Daniel André
Runtime: 90 minutes
Grade: C
