Running on Empty (2019)

Running on Empty is a documentary that offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of a directionless family in Vienna, Austria. Directed by Lisa Weber, the film follows this family over more than three years, revealing their existence centered around a sofa. The family members, including teen mom Claudia, her glued-to-the-chair mother, and her brother, are seemingly perpetually on the run—though not in the traditional sense. Instead, they remain rooted to their couch, their lives revolving around television screens and smartphones.

Weber’s unobtrusive camera captures the mundane yet poignant moments of their daily routine. The family sleeps away their days, trapped in cramped apartments with no energy or motivation to venture outside. Even celebrating a birthday at a restaurant becomes an insurmountable task. Job applications yield little hope, as the lack of diplomas and qualifications leaves them with no prospects. Their world is one of resignation, where emotional development has stagnated, and the future appears bleak.

The film’s dystopian vibe mirrors our contemporary reality, where virtual reality software and digital distractions offer tantalizing escapes from somber surroundings. The characters’ inertia is palpable, and the thick cloud of cigarette smoke hangs in the air, suggesting that fresh air and movement are scarce commodities. Yet, despite their inertia, the family clings to moments like taking a family photo, even as they’ve given up on most other aspects of life.

Weber’s documentary is an exhausting watch, but it serves as a stark reminder of the world we inhabit—a place where technology can both connect and isolate us. Running on Empty portrays a family caught in a cycle of inertia, their lives suspended in a perpetual present. As Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston’s ballad “When You Believe” plays incongruously in the background, the film challenges us to consider what it means to believe in a future when hope seems elusive.