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Chris Eberle
Two young boys run away from home in a rural Colorado town. They come upon an empty police car in a field with nothing but a beer bottle left on the hood. After stealing the car, the sheriff (Bacon) reappears after dumping a corpse into an abandoned well. While the two boys careen unsteadily down the highway, he attempts to find the car without attracting attention to his misdeeds. In a final showdown, it seems only the two boys are innocent while chaos reigns around them.
2015, Color, Rated R, 1 Hr 28 mins
DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, 2.39:1 Aspect Ratio
Starring: Kevin Bacon, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford
Directed by Jon Watts
Rating
Violence: Yes
Sex: No
Language: Mild
I will give this film points for creativity. The story is not like anything I had seen before. But in an attempt to portray the two boys as innocents, they inspire so many eye-rolling moments that I had to take a break part-way through. Even though they make a conscious decision to steal a police car (after only a moment’s consideration), they are so clueless about what they’ve done it borders on unbelievable. In fact I found the whole premise very far-fetched.
Kevin Bacon is a terrific actor and I’ve enjoyed his work in many films. But in this case I wondered if he could have found something better to do. Cop Car’s weak execution is just a waste of his talents though he does a good job of playing an over-the-top bad guy. The only saving grace here is that the movie isn’t too long. It almost qualifies as a short subject rather than a feature because the entire plot takes place over just a few hours.
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If you’re looking for creative and interesting material to add to your library I strongly suggest renting this one first.
The image is sharp and detailed with good contrast. Most of it takes place during a bright sunny afternoon so I thought color saturation was just a bit lacking. Hues are natural but a little more muted than necessary.
The audio mix consists almost solely of dialog which is crisp and clear. Ambient sound effects are well done but more could have been done to envelop the viewer in the on-screen environment. Your surrounds and sub will get a break during this film.
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The only bonus feature is a making-of featurette that lasts less than three minutes.