Running on Empty Dreams

Synopsis: Young and athletic Sydney Harris finds out that she has six months to live unless she and her husband can come up with the money for her medical treatment. Sounds simple enough; get the money, save her life. But her underpaid, working class husband can't afford the treatment. And time is ticking away. As Sydney begins to seek out a means to save her life, she begins to question her existence and does some soul searching, only to find herself falling in love with a single mom in the neighborhood that Sydney and her family have just moved into. Sydney is then forced to choose between her religious upbringing, her husband and son, and a love that she hides, all while fighting a losing battle to save her own life.
Genre: Drama, Romance
Director(s): Nitara Lee Osbourne
Production: Running on Empty Productions
  2 wins.
 
IMDB:
4.6
R
Year:
2009
120 min
545 Views


Soon as we get settled

in, we'll get you to a doctor.

Hopefully, it won't

cost too much

So, this is it.

Starting over?

Are you scared?

No, just day dreaming.

Matt, be careful!

Well, this is it.

It's something.

It's ours.

Rent's cheap.

Yeah, I guess it

beats an apartment, right?

Gotta get going. I'm late.

For what?

Gotta meet my new boss.

I know, no business trips.

Promise?

I promise.

Hey, a man's supposed to take

care of his wife and kid.

What's he worth if he can't do that, right?

You're lucky to be alive

after taking a fall like that.

Mommy, can we go now?

Yeah, in a minute, sweetie.

Let me talk to him.

Go sit over there.

So, your husband doesn't have

insurance with his job, what-

No, well, he does.

It's just it's $500 a

month for a family plan.

Can't really afford that.

Right, yeah. Insurance, ouch.

Well, based on the reports that came back,

it looks like you have thyroid cancer.

It's a medullary thyroid cancer.

It's genetic.

It's really not that big a deal.

From a financial standpoint,

after the initial treatment,

which is only $1,500,

you're looking at maybe $200 a month

for the first six months

for your office visits

and your medication.

That's with my discount.

Am I gonna...

Is this life threatening?

Yes and no.

Yes, if it goes untreated,

but no if we take care of it right now.

I don't have this kind of money.

Well, this cancer could

spread to your lymph nodes

or other parts of your body.

We're not going to know

until we do more tests.

It's not a death sentence,

but it does need to be taken care of,

and the fact that you've had hand tremors,

you're tired, and you're

dealing with weight loss

leads me to believe that

you're also dealing with

some hyperthyroidism.

So, what we need to do is

to destroy the thyroid,

and take care of both problems, no chemo.

Son...

You're kid is playing with my globe.

Matt, grab your stuff, babe.

Let's go.

Thanks.

One more thing.

You're a runner, right?

Uh-uh, no more.

You're putting way too

much stress on your body.

I don't have the money to save you.

Yeah, I know.

I was going to get a job,

but I don't want somebody else

watching Matt after school.

When I was in the

Marines, I solved problems,

just like that.

You see a problem, you fix it.

In war, I was a hero.

I bet you didn't know

that about your dad, huh?

You know what?

I have heard all of this before, Corey.

This is real life. I don't need a hero!

Why'd you marry me?

Are you serious?

Why? Huh?

Because you and

I make sense, Corey.

Okay? That's why.

Daddy, what's the matter with Mommy?

Just will have to see what he says.

Okay.

Syd.

Daddy, you're home!

Oh, hey, Corey's home.

Okay. Let me call you back.

All right, bye.

Sydney, Hey Corey, I finished my script.

This is the one that could make it.

I feel it. I want you to read it.

I've got news.

I'm in a line for a promotion.

A promotion, that's great.

Hey bud. Whatcha doin'?

Drawing.

Can I help you?

Mm-hmm.

All right. Scootch over.

You wanna go play?

Go.

Hey!

Mommy, Mommy! He squirt me in the face!

You okay?

Did you get water in your eyes, babe?

Tony, what are you doing?

Mom, I'm just playing.

It's okay. I think

he actually liked it.

I'm sorry.

It's okay.

So why'd you guys move in here?

A new job, or...?

Actually, it was my husband's job.

He's a private investigator.

Oh, really? That

must be really exciting.

Yeah.

Okay, well, this is me.

This is it?

Yeah, it's simple, but that's me.

You wanna come in?

Sure.

Yeah.

Come on in.

Yay!

Music time.

You have a beautiful home.

Thank you.

So, what do you and

your husband do for fun?

We visit him in prison once a month.

I'm sorry, Jane. I didn't know.

No, it's okay. I'm a big girl.

Are you a writer?

What?

Are you a writer?

Oh, yeah, but screenwriter.

Get out! Oh, my God.

Sit, I have to show you something.

This is so amazing because

I'm a writer too.

Well, actually, you know, poems and stuff.

But, actually, let me show you.

This one, read this one.

Oh, this one. Yeah.

It's from a long time ago, don't worry.

It's just scars. I was a kid.

Yeah, this one.

Okay.

Oh. I'll take him.

Come here, Mr.

Mr. Crabby Pants.

Oh, we've got a huge new pool,

and a great new golf course.

You're absolutely gonna love it.

Oh, absolutely.

It'll be the time of your life.

I swear, the best time you'll

ever have will be here.

Excuse me, sir.

Excuse me a second.

I think I have a fire to put out.

I'll call you back shortly.

I need a raise

without the promotion.

Everybody needs more money, Corey,

and you know the only way to

get the smallest increase

is to take on more work

and travel all the time

and take a promotion.

How long have you been with the company?

A year, year and a half?

Eight years?

You do good work, but you

need to be a man about this.

If you want more money,

you need to do more work.

Case closed.

Let me ask you something, Bill.

You ever been a hero?

Excuse me? You mean like Superman?

I served in the

United States Marine Corps.

Desert Storm, and I was a leader.

I never let my unit down.

I need you to let me be a hero again.

Not going to happen.

Oh, I got a whole new

list of literary agents today,

and Jane may even have

some new contacts for me.

It's like six degrees of

separation, you know?

Me and Mommy met new friends today.

I see. That's nice.

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