Stealing Cars (2015) Reviews

• An example of why I say big budget movies aren't as good as independent ones. This should get more of an audience than it will

  cosmo_tiger2016-04-05

  "Tomorrow doesn't have to be yesterday." Billy Wyatt (Cohen) is rebelling against everything. When he finally gets caught and arrested he takes his attitude with him. Little by little he finds out his attitude has to change. With the help of warden De La Cruz (Leguizamo) Billy begins to realize why and how to change. This is a movie that was a total surprise. It started off OK but the more I watched the more I enjoyed it, and by the end it became a movie that I want to tell everyone to watch. The acting is great and the movie just feels real. The movie is emotional and moving without really trying to be and really punches you in the gut with the ending, in a good way. There really isn't a whole lot I can talk about without giving something away because it really builds on the emotion throughout and the pay off is more than worth it. All I will say is that this is what movies should be and I highly recommend. Overall, one of the reasons why I say the big budget movies are not as good as the independent ones. This should get more of an audience than it will. I give this an A.

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• That title...

  christhjian2016-03-30

  This is one of those films which didn't have too much cash to splash but tries to counter that with meaningful story and perhaps a little more alternative approach. Stealing Cars focuses around a teenage boy who basically has emotionally fallen apart, but rather than being sad and isolated starts to "rebel" and does some no good. And the film does quite a few things right, actually. It keeps the viewers guessing what's going on until the very end and has some fine twists there. But it is almost good and really misses hardly making the experience feel logical and gives the overall impression of cutting too many corners. Let's start with the title - it has almost nothing to do with car stealing, so anyone hoping to see some sort of Gone in 60 Seconds style movie will be vastly disappointed. Sometimes, of course, this kind of title with hidden meaning is completely fine, but on this certain instance, this almost feels like lying. Instead, this is essentially a prison movie, which takes place in the juvy. We see our main character Billy gaining the trust and respect of others thanks to his rather charismatic behavior and finally revealing us the key problem of his mindset. The problem there is that the writing really doesn't support that. Billy is made so incredibly obnoxious and stupid (in many ways) that it gets almost impossible to take him seriously. He often gives some really weird speeches, disobeys the orders and gets the whole collective in trouble. Still none of his comrades seemed to care and started to look him up, if anything else. The good side of the character was that he really didn't care what would come to him. He was literally fearless and this gave him a little credibility, but all in all was still rather unbelievable. Even though it seemingly was more of an alternative film, it still contains many clichés - the outcast, the sick kid, who befriends Billy, hot nurse who became a love interest for Billy and finally - surprise, surprise - a rather cruel warden. OK, he wasn't too mean, like wardens in many similar movies, but the sense of this heavily clichéd character was definitely present. And Billy himself was also a good talented kid with exceptional memory gone bad. The film used some non linear storytelling, but it only focused around the key point and could have told us a little more background. All the supporting characters were somehow dull and didn't have much depth. It was almost as if they just were there and even if they seemed to have a purpose, most of them never really opened up and didn't add much to the plot. Ultimately Stealing Cars is not a great film. On a positive note this is somewhat psychological trip which dwells into a confused mind, has few nice twists and isn't all that predictable. I understand what the producers wanted to show us, but the way it was constructed wasn't particularly convincing. Main problems are dull side characters and a monotonous plot which is hard to take seriously because of the oddly acting Billy. And one last time - that title....

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• Intense film with message and strong performances

  rcarter-880862016-04-04

  Saw this April 1 and there is no April Fools' about the content and acting of this intense film. There are too many young people dropped into badly regulated programs for young offenders. This film delves into that world and with a startlingly strong performance from Emory Cohen and strong performances from other more prominent actors, such as John Leguizamo, Mike Epps, Felicity Huffman, Heather Lind and William H. Macy provide a view of this dark world and how it fails our young. Especially those with spirit and talent. Other actors who shine in this film are Leopold Manswell, Jeff Lima and Paul Sparks. Hope you get a chance to see it and thanks to the entire production group, writers and crew for getting it made and to Director Bradley Kaplan for bringing it to life.

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• A couple leaps in logic keep it from being more powerful.

  Sergeant_Tibbs2015-07-08

  Winner of the new Zeitgeist Award at the L.A. Film Festival, Stealing Cars feels like if Starred Up wanted to be Cool Hand Luke featuring Antoine-Olivier Pilon from Mommy. Both Stealing Cars and Mommy think their lead is hilarious, tragic and charming, and many of the latter's fans agree, but I found Pilon unbearable. Not to reel Xavier Dolan's film into this criticism, but both these films hinge on their protagonists. Swap Pilon for Emory Cohen for Stealing Cars and it's a very quick reminder why most consider The Place Beyond The Pines troublesome in its third act. I'm concerned that Cohen may be too good at playing an irritating young criminal. I just like seeing him get punched. The film opens with a clear homage to Cool Hand. Emory Cohen's Billy steals a car, and the next scene we're in a Burnville Camp For Boys, an analogy for life's hardships. The film details his relationships with his fellow inmates, the guards, various staff, warden, police, a female nurse at the facility, and his parents in any jumbled order that resembles a plot towards his potential rehabilitation. He makes enemies, earns sympathies, leads teams, impresses at the least likely times, and so on. It's a script that's been gestating since the mid-90s and it's hard to ignore that it may have grown too kind to its protagonist. Billy mouths off to every authority figure and escapes three times without serious repercussions. Set aside its clumsy character study and Stealing Cars does have good intentions in its portrayal of problematic detention facilities. Punishment only breeds deeper resentment and a desire to escape. It'd hit harder if its logic was as gritty as its style, though it's not quite as rough as Starred Up. In one scene, Billy has memorized an entire passage of Fahrenheit 451 because of his photographic memory, and while characters are just as surprised as us, it feels like a step into the extraordinary that's just tacked on. The warden makes cleaning his car a dream job for the inmates, as if that's not asking for trouble. He's then also astonished Billy knows Johnny Cash. Fortunately, these unconvincing examples are executed with such earnestness by director Bradley Kaplan that it doesn't toe the line into nausea, and instead establishes this as merely the tone of the film. It's assisted by a set of familiar faces in the supporting adult cast. Paul Sparks is barely recognizable compared to his sniggering Boardwalk Empire role and a bright spark in the film as a drill sergeant-esque guard. William H. Macy shows his face briefly as Billy's father and adds his screen presence to the film's production value. Felicity Huffman has an emotional one-scene wonder as his mother that absolutely begs for more time with her character. Mike Epps also shines in his brief screen time. John Leguizamo is solid, but suffers the most from the aforementioned flaws in the writing. It's hard to deny that Emory Cohen has the confidence for this role and his charisma isn't necessarily misguided, he does contribute to the spirit of the film, it's perhaps just a matter of taste. Stealing Cars probably wasn't the wisest choice for L.A. Film Festival's award, but I'm sure there were worse on the slate. 6/10 Read more @ The Awards Circuit (http://www.awardscircuit.com/)

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• A little gem of a movie with an amazing cast!!!

  tatercarter2017-04-21

  Wow!!! I just watched this amazing little gen of a movie on Amazon, and I really hope more people get a chance to see it soon! Well worth it if you do! The ensemble cast is truly something special: starting with rising star Emory Cohen (Brooklyn, The OA) and the always incredible John Leguizamo (Carlito's Way, Moulin Rouge, Bloodline). William H. Macy (Fargo, Shameless) and Felicity Huffman (Transamerica, American Crime), who are real life husband and wife, play the parents in the movie, which I thought was super cool and authentic. The supporting cast features the stunning and believable Heather Lind (Turn) and the very talented Paul Sparks (Mud, and both also from Boardwalk Empire), along with quick-witted funnyman Mike Epps (The Hangover, Next Friday) in a pleasantly surprising, more "serious," but still charming, role. The "younger" cast members are all excellent too (including Grace Van Patten, Al Calderon, Jeff Lima and Leopold Manswell, all of whom are expertly cast)! The story revolves around a teenager, Billy Wyatt (played by Emory Cohen), who is thrust into what turns out to be a Shawshank-type correctional facility for wayward youths. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but suffice it to say the story is inspired by true events and is very gripping and moving from start to finish. The performances are stellar, the cinematography is intimate, and the writers and director really tell an interesting, engaging, thought-provoking and heartfelt story! Highly recommended!

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