Cop Car

Starring: Kevin Bacon, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford, Camryn Manheim, Shea Whigham, Kyra Sedgwick (voice)
Directed by: Jon Watts
Rating: R
Genre: Thriller
2015

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Two boys (James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford) steal a police car, which threatens to reveal a secret the sheriff (Kevin Bacon) is desperate to protect.

Review:

Tim: I don't know if Jon Watts is a great director, but he did something with Cop Car that great directors do- they elevate the films they are making. This movie is a fairly simple, straightforward thriller. There's nothing overly complex about any aspect of this film. It could have come across as too simplistic and redundant to be any good. And yet, this is an incredibly effective thriller. Watts ratchets up the suspense and creates a very, very good movie.

Execution is one of the biggest complaints I have with many films. So many movies take a great idea and fail to execute on it. Watts hits this one squarely- this is an intense, entertaining, exciting movie that holds your attention. It's an extremely well made film. A film that looked like it might be generic instead felt fresh and compelling.

As mentioned, the story is simple, but powerful. Two kids who've run away from home come across a police car. They decide to steal it and go for a joyride. Now, this might seem hard to believe- what kids would steal a cop car? The film does a remarkable job during these scenes, showing the thought process so that this action actually seems believable. Watts treats the kids in a very realistic manner- they're not just miniature adults. They said and do incredibly stupid, naive things throughout the movie. They felt like real kids to me- they want to protect their egos, but their experience is lacking and they succumb to fear fairly easily. The depiction of the two boys was one of the most authentic moments of the film and an achievement.

The film really picks up after the cop car has been stolen- we quickly realize that the sheriff has some dark secrets that he'd go to any length to protect. Some of the most compelling moments of the film involve Kevin Bacon's character trying to figure out how to get out of the terrible situation he finds himself in. What's interesting is that there's no reason for us to care about his character, and yet, we somehow do. At one point, I exclaimed out loud when he finds himself in a dire situation. I immediately said, "Wait, why do I even care about this character?" There was no reason for me to care about what happened to him, and yet for some reason, Watts got me invested. That is a great achievement.

The film has a fairly powerful conclusion that perfectly uses the R rating. It's intense, violent, and bloody. Watts directs it with the perfect balance. The end of the film is great.

Now, this is only Watts' second feature film. There are moments when the movie does feel a little generic, like the focus had wavered. None of these last very long, but there were a few lulls in the movie. For the most part, though, this movie moves at a good pace.

Cop Car really should have been a film that was easy to dismiss. Watts, however, crafts a thrilling story that makes a big impact. His second film might not be great, but it's way better than it had any reason to be. I'm excited to see what Watts does next.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



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