Watching a movie trailer, and then going to see the movie only to have it be even better, bigger, more ballsy, and more surprising than you could have imagined. That was exactly my experience with Caught Stealing, the latest feature by the brilliant, bonkers, Oscar-nominated Darren Aronofsky, the visionary auteur who gave us such modern classics as Black Swan, The Whale, and the Oscar-winning Requiem for a Dream. Aronofsky brings his hard-R filmmaking into focus to deliver the goods, and in Caught Stealing, he is not disappointing one bit: it is an absolute blast of a film.
The film follows our hero, Hank Thompson, portrayed by the always-great Austin Butler. Hank is a young guy living in New York City who has made some questionable decisions in the past and still has some lingering “drama” in his life. One day, his feckless and flamboyant neighbor, Russ (played by Matt Smith) has to leave town on a little adventure. Before he leaves, he makes a bequest to Hank: to take care of his cat. However, things quickly go sideways when a pack of bloodthirsty goons become convinced that Hank has some connection to Russ and will stop at nothing to finish the job.
A Rousing Cast and Award-Winning Performances
The first thing that I want to applaud is the cast. Austin Butler is, in a word, amazing. He is an actor who, when he is on screen, pulls you in and keeps you riveted to your seat. He has been fantastic in everything that I have seen him in to date, but I think with Caught Stealing, he fully arrives at a new level. He is magnetic and charismatic and commands attention. And though Zoe Kravitz is also fine in her role as his love interest, it is Regina King who absolutely shines as a police detective. Her performance is Oscar-worthy and is a reminder of why she is an Academy Award winner.
In addition to the performances of each of the individual actors, what I also love is the chemistry between Butler and Kravitz. It feels raw and genuine and there is one scene between the two of them in particular that I would place as being among the most natural and sensual that I have seen in quite some time. It’s a scene that is really earned.
Darker and Dirtier Than You Would Think
Yes, the cinematography is great and the chases are well-choreographed and exciting, but what really took me by surprise was the overall tenor of the film. The trailer gives the movie as being this light-hearted romp and a chaser of sorts with Hank as the proverbial mouse and the cat being the gangsters. It is that to a degree, but it is so much more than that. The movie is far dirtier and more violent than you would think based on the trailer, and that is a crucial component that keeps the film from being just some by-the-numbers stereotypical action thriller; it engulfs you into the dark and violent underworld that Hank has inadvertently stumbled into.
Don’t get me wrong, some of the stunts they get Hank to pull off in the course of the movie are absurd (seriously, how many gunshot wounds, knife stabs, and jump rope-style slashings can you take and still be able to make it over a fence?) and I did occasionally roll my eyes at some of the crazy plotting, but for the most part, I did not care, because the execution of the film is so good that you readily let go of your disbelief and just enjoy the wild, twisty, roller-coaster that is Caught Stealing.
I came out of the theatre ready to give the film a solid 4 out of 5 stars, but the more I thought about it (and particularly about Austin Butler’s powerful, nuanced, and sensitive performance as Hank), the more I realized I just had to give it a half a star boost. I am giving Caught Stealing 4.5 out of 5 stars. I absolutely loved this movie and look forward to seeing it again.
“Caught Stealing” is playing in theaters now.
