# Running on Empty (2024 film)
**Running on Empty** is a 2024 American romantic comedy written and directed by Daniel André, starring [Keir Gilchrist](https://www.edgepedia.org/keir-gilchrist) as Mortimer, a mortician who learns he has less than a year to live and joins a dating service that matches people by their death dates[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/running_on_empty_2024) • [2](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/running-on-empty-movie-review-2024). The cast includes [Lucy Hale](https://www.edgepedia.org/lucy-hale), Francesca Eastwood, and [Jim Gaffigan](https://www.edgepedia.org/jim-gaffigan), and the film received a limited theatrical release on August 9, 2024, followed by digital release on August 27[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/running_on_empty_2024).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director and writer | Daniel André, in his feature directorial debut[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/running_on_empty_2024) • [3](https://filmobsessive.com/film/film-news/film-interviews/writer-director-daniel-andre-talks-fear-of-death-in-running-on-empty/) |
| Starring | Keir Gilchrist (Mort), Lucy Hale (Kate), Francesca Eastwood (Nicole), Jim Gaffigan (Barry), Rhys Coiro (Simon), Jay Pharoah (Sid)[4](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/running-on-empty-2024) |
| Premise | A test called the Life Day Count gives Mort 345 days to live; his fiancée Nicole ends their engagement, and he meets Kate through a dating service that matches people by death dates[5](https://www.netflixmovies.com/running-on-empty-2024) • [2](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/running-on-empty-movie-review-2024) |
| Release | Limited theatrical release August 9, 2024; streaming August 27, 2024; distributed by Lionsgate[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/running_on_empty_2024) |
| Runtime and rating | 91 minutes; rated R for language and sexual content[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21045564/) |
| Reception | 16% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer (19 reviews) and 56% on the Popcornmeter; 4.9/10 on IMDb[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/running_on_empty_2024) |
| Production | Redwire Pictures, Analog 77 Films, and Lucky 13 Productions; filmed in Los Angeles, California[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21045564/) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
Mortimer, called Mort, works in the family funeral business in California's San Fernando Valley under his uncle Barry (Jim Gaffigan)[2](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/running-on-empty-movie-review-2024). In the film's near-future setting, a test called the Life Day Count estimates how long a person is likely to live[5](https://www.netflixmovies.com/running-on-empty-2024). Mort and his fiancée Nicole ([Francesca Eastwood](https://www.edgepedia.org/francesca-eastwood)) take the test while buying a house: Nicole learns she has nearly sixty years left, while Mort learns he has 345 days[5](https://www.netflixmovies.com/running-on-empty-2024). Nicole ends the engagement, and Mort sets out to make the most of his remaining time[2](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/running-on-empty-movie-review-2024).
He joins a dating service that matches people by their death dates and meets Kate (Lucy Hale)[4](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/running-on-empty-2024). Along the way he is stalked by a disturbed pimp named Simon ([Rhys Coiro](https://www.edgepedia.org/rhys-coiro)), who repeatedly returns to shake him down for money[2](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/running-on-empty-movie-review-2024). The film's misadventures include rounds of awkward speed dating with Los Angeles bachelorettes[2](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/running-on-empty-movie-review-2024).
## Production and release
Daniel André wrote, directed, and co-produced the film, describing it as his feature directorial debut; in interviews he framed the story around the fear of death and the question of whether one would want to know the exact day of one's death[3](https://filmobsessive.com/film/film-news/film-interviews/writer-director-daniel-andre-talks-fear-of-death-in-running-on-empty/). Producers include Robert Ogden Barnum, Greg Lauritano, Daniel André, Lucas Jarach, and Luke Daniels[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/running_on_empty_2024). Filming took place in Los Angeles[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21045564/).
Lionsgate gave the film a limited theatrical release on August 9, 2024, and released it digitally on August 27[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/running_on_empty_2024). It later became available to stream in the United States on Amazon Prime Video, including free with ads, and to rent on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Fandango At Home[4](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/running-on-empty-2024).
## Reception
The film drew largely negative reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes it holds a 16% Tomatometer from 19 reviews and a 56% Popcornmeter audience score from more than 50 ratings[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/running_on_empty_2024); IMDb users rate it 4.9 out of 10[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21045564/).
Monica Castillo of RogerEbert.com gave it zero stars, writing that there was almost nothing to savor beyond the initial premise and criticizing the repeated jokes and flat line deliveries[2](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/running-on-empty-movie-review-2024). Jeffrey M. Anderson of Combustible Celluloid gave it two of four stars, calling it an odd, bland film that starts as a dark comedy and morphs into a routine, unfunny romcom[7](https://www.combustiblecelluloid.com/2024/running_on_empty24.shtml). Ben Gibbons of Screen Rant gave it 1.5 of 5, finding the messaging and humor in contrast to each other, while Calum Baker of Radio Times gave it 2 of 5, noting some good chuckles despite a familiar plot[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/running_on_empty_2024). A more favorable take came from Benjamin Franz of Film Threat, who scored it 70 and called it a joyful contemplation of life and a solid calling card for André[8](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/running-on-empty-2024/critic-reviews/).
Reviewers noted the film's resemblance to Martin Scorsese's *[After Hours](https://www.edgepedia.org/after-hours-film)* in its one-bad-night structure, while judging that it lacked that film's energy[2](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/running-on-empty-movie-review-2024). Several critics also distinguished it from [Sidney Lumet](https://www.edgepedia.org/sidney-lumet)'s 1988 drama of the same name[2](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/running-on-empty-movie-review-2024) • [7](https://www.combustiblecelluloid.com/2024/running_on_empty24.shtml).
## References
1. [Running on Empty (2024), Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/running_on_empty_2024)
2. [Running on Empty movie review, Monica Castillo, RogerEbert.com, August 9, 2024](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/running-on-empty-movie-review-2024)
3. [Writer/Director Daniel André Talks Fear of Death in Running on Empty, Tina Kakadelis, Film Obsessive, August 2, 2024](https://filmobsessive.com/film/film-news/film-interviews/writer-director-daniel-andre-talks-fear-of-death-in-running-on-empty/)
4. [Running on Empty streaming: where to watch online, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/running-on-empty-2024)
5. [Running on Empty (2024) on Netflix, NetflixMovies.com](https://www.netflixmovies.com/running-on-empty-2024)
6. [Running on Empty (2024), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21045564/)
7. [Running on Empty (2024), Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid](https://www.combustiblecelluloid.com/2024/running_on_empty24.shtml)
8. [Running on Empty critic reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/running-on-empty-2024/critic-reviews/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Comedy and romantic films (individual works) › Comedies of 2024 › Titles M to Y*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
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