DVD Review: Stealing Cars
By John Corrado
★★★ (out of 4)
After going on a alcohol-fuelled joyride in a stolen car, troubled and rebellious teenager Billy Wyatt (Emory Cohen) is put in the Bernville Camp for Boys, a youth detention centre where intense pecking orders develop between the kids, and the guards (John Leguizamo and Paul Sparks) abuse their power. Becoming aware of the problems in the youth justice system, Billy starts to seriously shake up the status quo.
Although the story is sometimes a bit clichéd, and the romantic subplot with a young nurse (Heather Lind) can feel somewhat underdeveloped, the success of Stealing Cars rests on the very capable shoulders of Emory Cohen, who grounds this affective drama with a gripping and charismatic performance.
Following his breakout supporting role in The Place Beyond the Pines and his memorable work in Brooklyn, the young actor delivers another magnetic performance here as a tortured smartass, bringing to mind a young Leonardo DiCaprio in the way he commands the screen with both emotion and slick charm. For an engaging showcase of what Emory Cohen is capable of in a leading role, Stealing Cars is worth seeking out.
The DVD includes no bonus features.
Stealing Cars is a Sony Pictures Home Entertainment release. It’s 101 minutes and rated 14A.
