Cop Car

Name: Cop Car
Genre: Thriller
Released: August 7, 2015
Duration: 88 min
Rating: 66
Cast: Camryn Manheim, Hays Wellford, James Freedson-Jackson, Kevin Bacon, Shea Whigham

2015

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 21 Critics

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 58 Ratings

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6.1	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 58 Ratings

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Cop Car

Movie Details & Credits

Focus World | Release Date: August 7, 2015

Starring: Camryn Manheim, Hays Wellford, James Freedson-Jackson, Kevin Bacon, Shea Whigham

Summary: When two good-natured but rebellious young boys (James Freedson-Jackson and Hays Wellford) stumble across an abandoned cop car hidden in a secluded glade they decide to take it for a quick joyride. Their bad decision unleashes the ire of the county sheriff (Kevin Bacon) and leads to brutal consequences.

Director: Jon Watts

Genre(s): Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 88 min

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Critic Reviews

100

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Kate Taylor

Sep 3, 2015

Director Jon Watts is smart enough never to deviate from a narrow vision that he executes superbly. Read full review

Ibad Shah

Feb 1, 2015

The movie doesn't offer much in the way of substantial character development, but that's not a deterrent when the fun twists keep coming. Read full review

New York Daily News Jordan Hoffman

Aug 5, 2015

Despite the real, bloody stakes, Cop Car keeps a boyish sense of action and adventure through to a twist ending. You have a right to remain thrilled. Read full review

Variety Peter Debruge

Jul 27, 2015

Watts demonstrates masterful control, pushing right up against the limits of what we can take (even non-parents will be rattled watching the boys mishandling loaded weapons), and yet, at every turn, the screenplay falls short of the picture’s full potential, missing opportunities that could have made this a classic. Read full review

Slant Magazine Chuck Bowen

Aug 3, 2015

The narrative derives much of its tension from the unsentimental ambivalence Jon Watts displays toward the story's two pre-teen boys. Read full review

Village Voice Alan Scherstuhl

Aug 4, 2015

The film soars early as a fantasy steeped in life and crashes into a drag of a crime drama, one ripped from the movies rather than anyone's idea of small-town Colorado. Read full review

New York Post Kyle Smith

Aug 5, 2015

Cop Car is an instance of what happens when an airy indie filmmaker tries to “do genre” and winds up being as convincing as John Kerry putting down his demitasse and dressing up in hunting gear. Read full review

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User Reviews

cronlee

Dec 2, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. One of my favorite movies of the last five or ten years! Novel concept and great writing (both plot and dialogue) - great acting, especially by the three leads (the two kids and Bacon); first rate soundtrack by a unknown to me rock band (usually these suck in indie movies: here the music works with the film and doesn't get in the way) - and wonderful photography. (Spoiler alert) A sort of Alfred Hitchcock cum Stephen King approach - two young boys out walking out in the boonies to the local stream stumble across a seemingly abandoned cop car, and eventually take it out for a joyride. But it wasn't abandoned - evil Sheriff Kevin Bacon had temporarily left it while trying to dispose of a body, but ran into difficulties with the disposal, so got delayed, tired out, took a cigarette break, then slowly walks back to his cop car to get the second body he needs to get rid of .... and the look on his face when he sees his cop car isn't there is a priceless piece of acting (and filming) ....
The plot just goes on from there, logically and = for once = unpredictably.
Despite its overall excellence, what really grabbed me was the acting of the three main characters. I have never seen Kevin Bacon so good: this is Oscar level acting. And the two boys are SO true to life re typical around 7 to 9 year old kids. I am a piano teacher, and teach and have taught a lot of boys this age, and the writer just NAILED the way boys this age act, think, and talk. I have it on DVD, and have seen it three times in the last two months. The third time was when I noticed how excellent the music and cinematopgraphy were, by the way.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

bdjude

Jan 18, 2018

The Plot or theme : Never heard - But this will sure blow you out of the seat. Brilliant in all the aspects.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TVJerry

Aug 18, 2015

The writers of this film must certainly have 10 year old boys at home, because they perfectly capture the logic and priorities of the age group (played with natural charm by James Freedson-Jackson and Hays Wellford, a RVA native). The duo stumbles across an abandoned cop car and go for aThe writers of this film must certainly have 10 year old boys at home, because they perfectly capture the logic and priorities of the age group (played with natural charm by James Freedson-Jackson and Hays Wellford, a RVA native). The duo stumbles across an abandoned cop car and go for a joyride. When the sheriff (Kevin Bacon) discovers his situation, he scrambles to cover his mistake. The innocent enthusiasm of the boys provides continual amusement, while provoking perilous caution from us grown-ups who better appreciate the dangers they face. The Coen Brothers' early films come to mind as the simple narrative develops into a compelling and quietly suspenseful ride.… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

LeZee

Dec 24, 2015

In an usual day an unusual occurrence.

It was a fantastic small-time thriller. I was completely surprised with its unusualness, either it be roles or the story or the locations. Looks like a best B movie, but Kevin Bacon's presence boosted the spirit of narration. One of the shortestIn an usual day an unusual occurrence.

It was a fantastic small-time thriller. I was completely surprised with its unusualness, either it be roles or the story or the locations. Looks like a best B movie, but Kevin Bacon's presence boosted the spirit of narration. One of the shortest movie, all the way simple yet strong and believable occurrence.

You can't ask for character development here, because it just takes place in a fine afternoon and ends at a terrible evening. Never intended to reveal before events or to disclose what might happen later. Everything was based on the very unusual circumstances. When people cross each others path and expose their secret affairs that put them most vulnerable position. Far from the big towns and out of the human sights with the characters countable on one hand.

The main attraction was the two boys and their innocence like daring attitude takes them to the unplanned adventure. Nothing like another highly intelligent, computer or the science geeky overhyped city boys, but the natural rural kids. Creepy suspense with often struck with dark comedies, you just can't get better than this. I recommend it in the view of entertainment and for those who seeks it, but not to place it in your masterpiece collections.

6½/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ydnar4

Aug 16, 2015

Jon Watts was recently the director chosen to direct the next Spiderman movie and I had not seen one of his films before so I decided to check out this movie. I don’t really know what Marvel saw in this film that made Watts look like the right fit. There is nothing wrong with the directionJon Watts was recently the director chosen to direct the next Spiderman movie and I had not seen one of his films before so I decided to check out this movie. I don’t really know what Marvel saw in this film that made Watts look like the right fit. There is nothing wrong with the direction in this movie it does not scream Spiderman This film is very independent and it is shot in a fairly isolated location. Watts does an excellent job dealing with the children in this film. There are plenty of movies out there that make young kids look way smarter than they actually are with all this big elaborate dialogue but this movie is the opposite. You could tell that the kids in this movie were young by their dialogue and by their actions and sadly the children do take up a little too much of the screen time. Kevin Bacon is excellent playing the sheriff in this film. Bacon looks very intimidating with his new mustache and he really played his character well. You had to wait until the end of the film before you really knew if he was a good guy or a bad guy. Cop Car is an interesting film for independent film fans but the movie is more of a thriller than an action film and it by no means a comedy either. There is not a lot of dialogue and there are lot of periods with no sounds so if you are looking for a truly exciting film this may not be your match right now. Besides the slowness the only other issue I had with the film was the third act. Cop Car seems to take the wrong path it its writing when an unexpected problem arises in the story and it seems like Watts wanted to take the path less traveled more than the path that was more interesting.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Dbanker96

Apr 11, 2016

What was with the ending. they left off so much at the end, wouldve been nice to see what happened to the boy, but hopefully there will be a sequel to Cop Car. in my opinion, why make a movie at all if your not going to end it with a resolution and leave it off with the biggest cliffhangerWhat was with the ending. they left off so much at the end, wouldve been nice to see what happened to the boy, but hopefully there will be a sequel to Cop Car. in my opinion, why make a movie at all if your not going to end it with a resolution and leave it off with the biggest cliffhanger ever. all and all, good movie up till the end, had alot of suspense.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

CriticoDubioso

Oct 11, 2015

How stupid is this film?

It's so stupid that the writers did not bother to think up an ending. That's right. The movie ends with a major character hovering between life and death. It just... stops. This is not done in order to make any sort of artistic point. It's not done to makeHow stupid is this film?

It's so stupid that the writers did not bother to think up an ending. That's right. The movie ends with a major character hovering between life and death. It just... stops.

This is not done in order to make any sort of artistic point. It's not done to make the audience think. It's not even done to make way for an even-worse sequel.

Hint to the writers: Next time, just run over all the main characters with a truck. Since you like to end films in moving vehicles, this is something you might just be able to accomplish. If you try really, really hard, that is.… Expand

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

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