Watch Stealing Cars
- R
- 2016
- 1 hr 41 min
-
5.7 (1,293)
Stealing Cars is a 2015 drama film directed by Bradley Kaplan and written by Will Aldis. The movie is a coming-of-age story about a young teenager, Billy Wyatt, who has been sent to the juvenile detention center in Stockton, California for stealing two cars. The film opens with a scene of Billy, played by newcomer Emory Cohen, being led in handcuffs into the juvenile detention center by Jimmy, played by Willi Geiger. There, he meets a group of troubled teenagers who have also been sent to the detention center for various offenses. Billy is quickly warned by one of the inmates, named Pete, played by Mike Epps, that he needs to keep his head down and not get involved with anyone else's business unless he wants to end up like the rest of them.
Despite this warning, Billy finds himself drawn to a group of fellow inmates led by a charismatic young man named Stewart, played by Sasha Spielberg. Stewart is something of a legend in the detention center, boasting of his exploits and his plans for the future once he gets out. He takes Billy under his wing and shows him the ropes of how to survive in the center and avoid running afoul of the guards.
As Billy tries to navigate his new life in the detention center, he also has to confront the issues that led him to commit the crimes that landed him there in the first place. His mother, played by Felicity Huffman, is an alcoholic who has been drifting in and out of his life for years. His father, played by John Leguizamo, is a workaholic who has little time for his son. Billy is also haunted by the memory of his older brother, who died in a car accident several years earlier.
One of the most powerful scenes in the movie comes when Billy is visited by his father, who tries to convince him to plead guilty and take a plea deal that will result in a shorter sentence. Billy is torn between wanting to get out of the detention center as soon as possible and knowing that the charges against him are unjust. In the end, he decides to fight the charges and take his case to trial, even though it means risking a much longer sentence if he loses.
Throughout the movie, we see Billy struggling to make sense of his life and his place in the world. He befriends another inmate, named Roy, played by Paul Sparks, who teaches him how to read and gives him a sense of purpose. He also begins to develop feelings for a new girl at the center, played by Heather Lind, who shares his love of books and poetry.
The themes of redemption and forgiveness are strong throughout the movie, as Billy tries to make amends for his past mistakes and forge a new path for himself. He learns to take responsibility for his actions and to stand up for what he believes in, even when it means going against the system. In the end, he emerges from his time in the detention center a stronger, more mature individual who is ready to face whatever challenges life has in store for him.
Overall, Stealing Cars is a powerful and poignant movie that explores the complexities of the human experience. It is a must-see for anyone who has ever struggled to find their place in the world or who has faced adversity and emerged on the other side a stronger person. The cast delivers powerful performances, and the cinematography captures the stark realities of life in a juvenile detention center. This is a movie that will leave a lasting impression on anyone who watches it.
Stealing Cars is a 2016 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 41 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.7.