Cop Car (2015), R, ★★★

An eerie and menacing Kevin Bacon. 

Oh, cops. Either they will help you in their own courteous right or they get so carried away with their "example of the law" that they can do whatever they want. However, I have not seen a movie where a cop and two kids are in the middle of a situation in which anything can go very wrong. The question is will anybody survive? But, this movie serves as a psychological examination of a corrupt cop's psyche in both his professional job and a greedy situation in which he can possess anything he wants with his egotistical and menacing sense of nature, especially when it involves two boys. The movie has a sensational first act and true performances, however, the material becomes jumbled in its suspense that the tone and mood loses its way and becomes inconsistent. But, with reservations, this is a solid piece of work.

Travis and Harrison (James Freedson-Jackson and Hays Wellford) are two troublesome boys that steal a cop car in a lightly wooded area. They mess around with the brakes and gas and the shifting gear. However, Travis thinks it is a good idea to drive around the cop car but Harrison is a bit more reserved, although, he does get in. But, earlier, a man named Sheriff Kretzer (Kevin Bacon) is in the middle of a "job" in which removes some of the uniform and struggles to drag a body and put him into a hole but when he approaches his cop car, it is not there anymore. Uh oh! The boys are in trouble.

Later, when they stop, they hear Kretzer on the radio and he says that the boys are in a lot of trouble and are being felonious. But, the two boys discover a man covered in blood in the trunk saying that the sheriff is the bad guy and is involved in a drug operation. The man is going to help the guys to find a hiding spot. But, when the sheriff catches him and the boys, it is a stand-off that is sort of reminiscent of a film directed by the Coen Brothers.

The boys are going on a joy ride. 

This indie flick is a little gem that blends in innocence, dark comedy and grisly violence that, again, is sort of reminiscent of a Coen Brothers movie only it is not as good. I mean it is tough to chase and follow that Holy Grail of movies such as No Country for Old Men and Fargo, two of their best works. The movie almost seems to copy that as the style and narrative goes into that direction and the movie stumbles due to the routine action and lack of likability from almost all of the characters. I don't think I want to hang out with any of them. Also, there are a few plot holes as to why are the boys isolated, why is the cop involved in a drug deal and what is with the body and the guy in the trunk.

Kevin Bacon gives a fun and menacing performance, one of his best, as a psychopathic and corrupt cop that goes through so much trouble even trying to kill or get the boys in trouble to get his way. He is sort of the "lawful" version of Anton Chigurh. The performances from the two young leads are captivating and even though they are sort of bratty in the opening act, they seem to perform at a natural level.

Director Jon Watts is a man who as an eye for sophistication, discipline and interesting storytelling that we have a sense of direction as to where he is leading the moviegoer as the moviegoer is holding one's breath. He has a way to go as to having a more structured film as the final acts go in a more predictable and uneven way and becomes more an action movie. I felt a bit cold after the film was over. But, the movie delivers fine performances and a story that is ludicrous but astute that you cannot take a minute off the screen to see what happens. The results are unsatisfying but entertaining that it is a movie you can watch on a late night.

***