Cop Car

Cop Car

Year: 2015

Runtime: 88 min

Language: English

Director: Jon Watts

Thriller

While playing hide-and-seek, two young boys discover an abandoned police car and impulsively decide to take it for a joyride. Their innocent game quickly turns dangerous when they realize the vehicle belonged to a troubled officer and is connected to a dark secret. Now, they must outsmart those seeking the car and uncover the truth behind its past, all while trying to stay alive.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Cop Car yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Cop Car (2015) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of Cop Car (2015), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.

Corrupt sheriff Kevin Bacon as Kretzer begins a chilling night of concealment, stripping his uniform shirt, leaving his handgun in the back seat, and pulling a bloodied body from the trunk. He drags the corpse to a shallow, covered pit in the woods and pours quicklime over it, a cold, deliberate attempt to erase what he has done as darkness settles in.

Two young runaways, Travis James Freedson-Jackson and Harrison Hays Wellford, stumble upon Kretzer’s cop car and, convinced it’s abandoned, hijack it for a reckless joyride. Their impulsive act kicks off a desperate chase through a rural landscape, with the teens weaving down the wrong side of the road and almost colliding with a woman driving toward them in the opposite lane.

Back at a trailer park, Kretzer steals another car but, after narrowly escaping arrest, abandons it and returns home in his own pickup. Mary Allen relays to him a report of a stolen sheriff’s car driven by two underage youths, a lead he refuses to acknowledge. He orders Allen to ignore the report and to switch radios to a different channel, while he takes the regular channel to reach the boys—who do not respond.

Inside the car, the boys experiment with Kretzer’s weapons. A thump from the trunk draws their attention, and they open it to reveal a bloodied man bound as if he were the very body Kretzer had disposed of earlier. The stranger tries to turn the situation to his advantage, convincing the boys to free him by framing Kretzer as the “bad guy.” Yet the tension deepens when the man’s story ties him—and his dead brother—to a drug deal that went wrong with Kretzer.

After this, the man from the trunk slips into a more dangerous game, locking the boys inside the car’s backseat and threatening their families, all while taking cover near a windmill. Bev [Camryn Manheim] arrives on the scene, shouting at the boys, and she becomes an unwitting key to exposing the intruder’s whereabouts as Kretzer asks her to search for his keys. Bev spots the trunk intruder, but she is shot, triggering a fierce gunfight between the two men. Kretzer shoots and incapacitates the intruder but is gravely wounded in the process.

The boys make their escape by firing out a window; Travis is struck by a ricochet, while Harrison takes the wheel and drives the cop car toward town to seek help for his injured friend. Kretzer, though damaged, gives chase, taunting them over the radio as night falls and the town lights begin to appear on the horizon. Harrison presses on, unsure how to turn on the headlights, while Kretzer tries to force them off the road by ramming the car. A near-miss with a cow sends them careening toward the outskirts of town, and the town’s glow grows brighter as Allen attempts one final contact over the radio, a line Harrison seizes as he speeds toward safety.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 01:15

Unlock the Full Story of Cop Car

Don't stop at just watching — explore Cop Car in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Cop Car is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Cop Car Timeline

Track the full timeline of Cop Car with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Cop Car Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Cop Car

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Cop Car. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in Cop Car

Cop Car Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Cop Car that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Cop Car Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Cop Car

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Cop Car: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Cop Car

Similar Movies to Cop Car

Discover movies like Cop Car that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.