Running on Empty - Moving.

        Running on empty (1988) is a movie about a family which has been in hiding since the 60's. Due to their situation, they had formed a close family bond just within the four of them. (Parents and children). The children has learned that sticking together is the only way they would survive, that they are strongest when the were together. Thus every year they moved about twice with different aliases. Although they have moved around quite a bit, their values and culture still remains, this is because their family values were reinforced by their father ever since they were young and they never had the chance to adopt a different way of life or culture for that matter since they were always on the move.

Changed hair color so that they are unrecognizable

The family system theory best explains this. This is a theory that views a family as a unit. This is exactly what happens in this film. The father (Arthur Pope), say this to his family

 Danny: I wanna stay.
Arthur:   Do you think this is a good time to be talking about this?! we're in trouble here! a unit is only as good as it's strongest link; we're a unit! i taught you.....i taught you all of this, dont you remember that? are we finished discussing this now?
-Danny and Arthur


This theory adds that a family is connected emotionally and that families often and very much do affect its members thoughts, feelings and actions (Psychology Press, n.d.). Families based on this theory, also wants attention and approval from its members and in turn reacts to its members need, attention and support (Psychology Press, n.d.). 

        Take for example Danny and his younger brother, they were brought up differently than their peers in their varying schools. They are very polite and far off smarter. They think more independently compared to their peers as their parents has always taught them to question authority.
        Besides that, Danny has a strong passion for music which he has taken after his mother [whom took after her mother (Danny's grandmother)]. Though, at the end he was not going to pursue it because his dad had told him not to (family's approval and support). This also shows the strength of inter-dependency within this family.
        Annie Pope ( Danny's mother), also turned out the way she is ( a wanted person) because of  her rebelling against her parents. Of-course she did it (participated in the bombing) with purely good intention of making a difference but the other reason was because of her parents, to make a point to them as well.

Annie Pope:         Will you take him, dad? He want's to study music. He's good. They want him at Juilliard.
Donald Patterson: Just like they wanted you. Still have that practice board?
Annie Pope:          So far. Danny learned to play piano on it.
Donald Patterson: So you taught him. There's some irony in this. Don't you think, Annie? Here you are, asking me to take Danny into a life that you ran from like a shot out of hell. This what he wants?
Annie Pope:          I think so. Got himself an audition without telling me. He'll need money and people to care for him. 

 Another important scene is Danny's love life. In the new town which he is living in, the meets a girl name Lorna who is his Professor's daugther. She encourages him to go to Juliard, to have an future as well as finally let someone in and fall in love. From my gathering, without her support, he would not have had the encouragement to tell his dad about Juliard or even taken the audition for that matter. College would not have mattered much if it was not for her asking him about it.

Social learning theory would fit in to this. This theory shows that partners learn from their relationship behaviors (Bardbury & Kamey, 2010). They have learned to trust each other hence that is why Danny tells Lorna about who his family really is, they also transmit positive outcomes to help better the other. Danny would not have took college as that important if it was not for Lorna who speaks about college. He learned a few things and a different way of thinking with Lorna around, he finally wanted to stay in one place and not move around so much, he finally made a decision on his own and decided to talk to his parents about it.

Both this theory is important but family system theory would have had a bigger impact on Danny, only with his parents blessing did he finally pursue his ambitions. This is because Danny is from a nuclear family, which only consist of the four of them whom always had each others back and was always close in terms of space and in terms of relationships (only constant relationship they had).

P.S. First movie of River Phoenix that I've seen. Since watching it I have become a fan of his work (acting), what a shame he had to die so young, just when he was at his peak (like Heath Ledger). Off to watch more of his movies now, cheers!

 References (Links):
http://www.wwnorton.com/college/psych/intimate-relationships/ch/03/summary.aspx
http://psypress.co.uk/smithandmackie/resources/topic.asp?topic=ch11-tp-03#Effects%20of%20Relationships
 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096018/trivia?tab=qt&ref_=tt_trv_qu