Rated R for language, violence and brief drug use.
Starring Kevin Bacon, Shea Whigham, Camryn Manheim, Hays Wellford and James Freedson-Jackson
Directed by Jon Watts
Cop Car is dark, menacing and a little depressing.
When two rebellious young boys stumble across an abandoned cop car hidden in a secluded glade they decide to take it for a joyride. When the small town sheriff (Kevin Bacon) goes looking for his missing car, the boys find themselves in the center of a deadly game of cat and mouse and the only way out is to go as fast as their cop car can take them.
This small film packs a pretty big punch. It is a perfectly crafted and horribly fascinating chiller.
With a running time of just 88 minutes, Jon Watts is able to tell a crazy story about a corrupt sheriff, two adult brothers who apparently were mixed up with some seriously bad stuff and two boys, who have decided to run away from home and find themselves in the wrong place and the wrong time. It reminded me of the early films from the Coen brothers and Quentin Tarantino
We’re not sure why those boys are running away. We don’t know the circumstances that led to two men tied up in the trunk of that cop car. We don’t know the backstory of the sheriff, and why he has a secret stash of cash, weapons, gold bars and false I.D.’s at home. All we know is it might be something of a miracle if anyone gets out of this story alive.
Kevin Bacon is as good as ever. Most of the time we see him as the “good guy,” but it was refreshingly different to see him wear the “black hat.” The young boys are excellent and believable. And Shea Whigham delivers a strong performance during his limited screen time.
This is a big-budget blockbuster and it certainly isn’t for the mainstream audience, but I thought it was well made and worth the “Rental.”
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
There is no sex or nudity in the film, but there are a few scenes of graphic violence. There are also around 15 F-words and several more S-words.
CONVERSATION STARTER:
- Why did the boys steal the car?
- Have you ever stolen anything? What was it?
- Is stealing a car the same thing as stealing something small?
- Why are we commanded to work hard?
- What can you do this week to help people in need?
Read Ephesians 4:28
If you are a thief, quit stealing. Be honest and work hard, so you will have something to give to people in need.
Jonathan McKee
Jonathan McKee is the author of over twenty books including the brand new The Guy's Guide to FOUR BATTLES Every Young Man Must Face; The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices; If I Had a Parenting Do Over; and the Amazon Best Seller - The Guy's Guide to God, Girls and the Phone in Your Pocket. He speaks to parents and leaders worldwide, all while providing free resources for youth workers on TheSource4YM.com. Jonathan, his wife Lori, and their three kids live in California.