By Staci Layne Wilson
@StaciWilson

Two ten-year-old runaway boys (James Freedson-Jackson and Hays Wellford) steal a seemingly abandoned cop car from a vacant field, only to find themselves hunted by its unhinged owner. The corrupt redneck sheriff (Kevin Bacon) is relentless in his pursuit of the car-napping kids, who always manage to stay one lap ahead in true 1980s-throwback adventure fashion.

Then when he does catch up to them, the escapade kicks into even higher gear. Director John Watts’ action packed feature is the perfect subversive kids’ movie (though it’s clearly not “for” kids, what with all the gunplay and drug use) and is enjoyable for adults as well thanks to solid performances by the cast (which also includes Shea Whigham and Camryn Manheim).

Cop Car is well acted, and nicely shot (by the same DP who does FX’s “Fargo”) taking advantage of its vast Southwestern landscape. The sound design is crammed wall-to-wall with barking dogs, screaming sirens, shooting guns and curse-spewing kids, while the production design is spare and simple.

The movie, running at a brisk 85 minutes, is concise and clear as it unfolds in real time – thus nearly eliminating pauses for exposition, backstory, and character development. The players in this twisty tale are led by chance, and circumstance.  In this regard, the screenplay falls short making what might have been an instant classic into something more like instant gratification before the next Netflix click claims our wandering attention. Cop Car worth a look, but not a look again.

Cop Car is a rather lackluster affair, but I do look forward to Watts’ next film, Clown, which is a dark horror-comedy about loving father who finds a clown suit for his son’s birthday party, only to realize that it is part of an evil curse that turns its wearer into a killer.

Rated R

85 Minutes

Find tickets and times at Fandango.com.

Since we couldn’t locate a suitable trailer for our COP CAR Review, please enjoy this Variety interview with the stars.

COP CAR Review