What Is Running on Empty About?
The premise of Running on Empty in 254 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a near-future California, the sun-soaked San Fernando Valley hums with a strange new kind of anxiety: a technology called Life Day Count, or LDC, can estimate exactly how many days each person has left to live. The number hangs over every decision, from career moves to first dates, turning the ordinary business of living into a quiet countdown. Into this world steps Mortimer, a slightly awkward, quietly ingenious mortician whose profession gives him a peculiar relationship with mortality long before any machine weighs in.
When Mortimer takes the LDC test alongside his partner during what should be an ordinary errand, the results spark a personal reckoning. Confronted with the stark reality of his own remaining time, he finds himself at a crossroads between the life he had planned and something far more urgent. His cheerful friend and coworker Sid pushes him to step outside his routine, to stop waiting and start doing, nudging Mortimer toward a path he never expected to walk.
What follows is less a race against the clock than a heartfelt exploration of what it means to truly live. Mortimer ventures into unfamiliar territory — romance, adventure, and the colorful cast of characters that the Valley seems to produce in endless supply. The tone balances gentle humor with wistful sincerity, capturing the way ordinary places can feel magical when viewed through the lens of urgency. With each new connection, Mortimer begins to discover that purpose is something built, not found, and that even a finite horizon can glow with possibility.
What Happens in Running on Empty?
The complete story of Running on Empty, from the first scene to the last, in 282 words (about 1 minute). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 6 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
In a not-too-distant future, a breakthrough called Life Day Count (LDC) can predict how long a person is likely to live. Mortimer, an awkward mortician in the San Fernando Valley, tests the LDC with his fiancée, Nicole, as they try to buy a house. Nicole learns she has nearly 60 years left, but Mort discovers he has only 345 days remaining. Fearing a future where she would outlive him, Nicole ends their engagement and begins dating a man with decades left to live. Mort falls into despair, while his coworker and friend Sid encourages him to seize his remaining time and live more fully.
Mort joins a dating service for people with relatively short life expectancies. There he meets Kate, an employee of the dating service, and the two gradually develop a romantic connection. Meanwhile, Sid helps Mort venture out into social life, and Mort ends up at a bar where he meets Rita, a sex worker. Rita dies during their encounter, on what turns out to be her own last day. Her pimp, Simon, demands money from Mort for Rita’s services and takes Mort’s car as collateral when he cannot pay. Simon continues to threaten Mort, creating a mounting pressure around his fragile existence.
As Mort and Kate grow closer, Mort begins to live more actively rather than waiting for death. The two plan a trip to Japan to climb Mount Fuji, a symbolic bid to experience something lasting together. At the airport, just as they are about to depart, Mort is struck by a vehicle and dies in Kate’s arms. In the final moment, Mort’s introductory dating-service video plays, and he reflects on the intertwined mysteries of life and death.
Running on Empty Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Life Day Count reveals Mort's mortality” to “Sid's influence endures”. 12 events name a place, across 9 locations.
- 1
Life Day Count reveals Mort's mortality
Mort and Nicole undergo the Life Day Count test while house-hunting. Nicole learns she has roughly 60 years left, but Mort discovers he has only about 345 days remaining. The prognosis immediately frames their future with a stark numerical boundary.
When:early in the film Where:San Fernando Valley
- 2
Engagement ends; love triangle forms
Nicole ends their engagement after the test, choosing to date someone who will live decades longer. Mort grapples with the looming deadline and the break-up of a shared life. Her departure leaves Mort to face his limited time alone.
When:shortly after the test Where:San Fernando Valley
- 3
Sid urges Mort to seize life
Mort's coworker Sid urges him to stop waiting for death and start living in the time he has left. He pushes Mort to go out, take risks, and pursue meaningful experiences.
When:after engagement ends Where:Mort's workplace
- 4
Mort joins dating service for the short-lived
Mort signs up for a dating service tailored to people with short lifespans. He begins meeting potential partners and testing himself against new social possibilities.
When:shortly after joining Where:Life Day Dating Service
- 5
Mort meets Kate
At the service, Mort meets Kate, an employee who shares his curiosity about living more fully. Their connection deepens as they discover common ground in facing mortality.
When:early interactions Where:Life Day Dating Service
- 6
Rita's encounter and death
Mort agrees to go to a bar with Sid's suggestion and meets Rita, a sex worker. Rita dies during their encounter, on what turns out to be her own last day. Her pimp, Simon, demands payment for Rita's services and takes Mort's car as collateral when he cannot pay.
When:night at the bar Where:Bar
- 7
Simon's threats escalate
Simon's threats to Mort continue, escalating pressure as Mort tries to stay ahead of the looming debt. The danger compounds the sense that Mort's countdown affects every decision.
When:following Rita's death Where:City streets
- 8
Mort and Kate grow closer
Mort and Kate's relationship deepens as they navigate Mort's changing outlook on life. With Kate's support, he starts to actively pursue experiences and a future rather than waiting.
When:as their bond forms Where:Around town and at the dating service
- 9
Japan trip planned
Mort and Kate plan a trip to Japan to climb Mount Fuji, symbolizing a reclaiming of time and a pledge to live in the moment. The plan becomes a shared focus that gives Mort a concrete reason to push beyond fear.
When:planning phase Where:City planning and travel prep
- 10
The fatal accident at the airport
At the airport, Mort is struck by a vehicle and dies in Kate's arms, abruptly ending their flight toward a fuller life. The moment shatters Kate's hopes and abruptly terminates Mort's countdown.
When:departure day Where:Airport
- 11
Ending credits and Mort's reflection
The film closes with Mort's introductory dating-service video playing while he reflects on life, death, and what it means to make the most of finite time. It offers a final meditation on choosing action over resignation.
When:end Where:Film ending
- 12
Sid's influence endures
Throughout Mort's journey, Sid consistently nudges him to embrace life, modeling how friendship can motivate someone to act before time runs out.
When:throughout the early to mid story Where:Mort's workplace
Who Are the Main Characters in Running on Empty?
6 characters, among them Mortimer 'Mort' (Keir Gilchrist), Nicole and Katherine 'Kate' (Lucy Hale): who each one is and the part they play in the story. 5 of them link to the actor’s page.
-
Mortimer 'Mort' (Keir Gilchrist)
Played by Keir Gilchrist
A reserved mortician in the San Fernando Valley who is haunted by a ticking clock on his life. He begins to choose more boldly after learning his time is severely limited, wrestling with fear and the urge to seize moments. His journey from passive despair to active living centers the film's emotional core.
- 💀 Mortality
- 🧑⚕️ Occupation: Mortician
- ❤️ Love
- N
Nicole
Mort's fiancée who learns she has nearly sixty years left, prompting her to end their engagement and begin a relationship with someone with a longer life ahead. Her decision reflects the weight of time on personal commitments and future plans.
- 💔 Breakup
- 💬 Relationship decisions
- 🧬 Longevity data
-
Katherine 'Kate' (Lucy Hale)
Played by Lucy Hale
An employee at a dating service who becomes Mort's romantic interest as they grow closer while navigating the implications of their differing lifespans. She embodies the theme of finding life’s purpose in the face of a finite horizon.
- 💞 Romance
- 🧭 Guidance
- 🧬 Lifespan influence
-
Sid (Jay Pharoah)
Played by Jay Pharoah
Mort's coworker and friend who encourages him to venture back into life and pursue experiences. He provides comic but grounded support, acting as a catalyst for Mort's shift from resignation to action.
- 🤝 Friendship
- 🗣️ Encouragement
- 🧭 Life advice
-
Rita (Leslie Stratton)
Played by Leslie Stratton
A sex worker Mort encounters whose death on her own last day becomes a stark reminder of mortality's immediacy. Her story intersects with Mort's, highlighting the fragility of choices under time pressure.
- 💔 Tragedy
- 🧬 Mortality
- 🔗 Consequences
-
Simon (Rhys Coiro)
Played by Rhys Coiro
Rita's pimp who leverages Mort's debt for Rita's services into threats, illustrating the coercive side of debt and mortality in a world driven by predictive lifespans.
- 💼 Threats
- 🧭 Power dynamics
- 🧬 Exploitation
Where and When Is Running on Empty Set?
Running on Empty is set in San Fernando Valley, California and Japan (Mount Fuji) (Near future). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Near future
Life Day Count (LDC) is a predictive technology that estimates how long a person will live. Mortimer discovers he has only 345 days remaining, while his fiancée Nicole is told she has nearly 60 years. The era is defined by data-driven decisions about love, commitment, and risk, making time a constant, driving force in everyday life.
Where
San Fernando Valley, California, Japan (Mount Fuji)
The story unfolds in the San Fernando Valley, a contemporary urban-suburban setting in California, where a near-future society relies on Life Day Count (LDC) technology. The environment reflects a modern blend of ordinary life with pervasive life-span data shaping decisions from dating to housing. The narrative also travels briefly to an international trip toward Mount Fuji, highlighting how time pressures influence travel and experiences.
- 🏙️ Suburban
- 🧬 Futuristic tech
- ⚖️ Mortality pressures
What Are the Themes of Running on Empty?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Love & Mortality, Time & Choice and Agency vs Fate.
-
01
Love & Mortality
Love is tested by a clock that cannot be paused. Mort's engagement to Nicole dissolves when mortality stats reveal incompatible lifespans, pushing him to reconsider what it means to share a future. His growing connection with Kate shows how affection adapts under time pressure. The film uses romance to explore meaning when life is finite.
-
02
Time & Choice
The LDC system forces characters to make decisive choices under the specter of a countdown. People chase or abandon dreams based on remaining days, altering ordinary plans into urgent quests. Mort transitions from passive waiting to active pursuit, driven by a new sense of urgency. The narrative questions whether knowing the end changes the journey or merely the pace.
-
03
Agency vs Fate
Quantified lifespans pressure characters to craft their own destinies rather than accept fate. Mort seeks agency through risky experiences and meaningful connections, testing the limits of what a life with a defined end can be. Rita's death underscores the fragility of freely choosing in a world where outcomes feel preordained. The film probes if true living is possible when time is a measurable commodity.
What Kind of Film Is Running on Empty?
Bittersweet in tone, with steady pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Bittersweet
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Sad
A darkly comedic yet deeply melancholic journey following a quirky mortician's final 345 days, blending offbeat romance with an ultimately devastating and abrupt tragic ending.
- quirky
- dark comedy
- melancholic
- wistful
- romantic
- reflective
- mortality
- life expectancy
- terminal diagnosis
- love
Content notes: death, terminal illness, sex work, harassment by pimp, vehicular death.
Quiz
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