If you're going to steal a car, don't steal a cop car with a man locked in the trunk. Cop Car, starring Kevin Bacon, is a simple but entertaining little thriller that never truly ventures into new territory, but still drives an unconventional road.

Oddly unpredictable, Cop Car has Bacon playing a corrupt police officer who intends to kill the man he's locked in his truck. But when two young boys stumble across his seemingly abandoned car and decide to take it for a joy ride, he'll go to any lengths to get his vehicle back.

Yep, that's the plot.

Sort of stupid and silly-straightforward, Cop Car, directed by Jon Watts (who is helming the upcoming Spider-Man reboot), thrives off its limitations. Watts, who co-wrote the film with Christopher D. Ford, never intended Cop Car to be an epic action film or a sweeping drama--it's just a film about two boys, a dude and a cop car, and what happens when they all collide. Featuring a small cast and only a few pivotal scenes, Cop Car makes the most of its material.

The climax, while not especially gripping, is well done, an effective, modern-day stand-off. Watts again keeps it simple, but it's unpredictable and fun to watch. Watts cheats a bit with a post-climax moment that is both unnecessary and unrealistic, but it's a minor flaw.

Cop Car isn't a great movie, and it's one that probably doesn't need to be watched more than once, but it is a satisfying indie thriller that goes in an unexpected direction.

Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.