Film Evaluate: ‘Caught Stealing’ | Moviefone

Opening in theaters August 29 is ‘Caught Stealing,’ directed by Darren Aronofsky, written by Charlie Huston, and starring Austin Butler, Zoë Kravitz, Matt Smith, Regina King, Liev Schreiber, Vincent D’Onofrio, Griffin Dunne, Carol Kane, and Benito Martinez Ocasio.

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Preliminary Ideas

Identified primarily for intense psychological dramas that always skirt the horror style, director Darren Aronofsky has pivoted to a darkish crime comedy with ‘Caught Stealing,’ from a screenplay by Charlie Huston based mostly on the latter’s novel. Following the director’s final effort, the heavy, tragic ‘The Whale’ (2022), ‘Caught Stealing’ finds Aronofsky in a relaxed mode and even having some enjoyable, whereas additionally returning to his hometown of New York Metropolis (setting of his first movie, 1998’s ‘Pi’).

Whereas it’s good to see Aronofsky go in a lighter path, he doesn’t at all times efficiently navigate among the extra abrupt tonal switches in ‘Caught Stealing,’ making the narrative a considerably jarring and uneven expertise. Nonetheless, he manages to maintain the film unpredictable and free, aided immensely by nice performances from Austin Butler, Zoë Kravitz, Liev Schreiber, Regina King and others.

Story and Route

Henry ‘Hank’ Thompson (Austin Butler) is a former California highschool baseball star – his profession reduce brief by harm and tragedy – and now a semi-permanently wasted bartender dwelling and dealing in Decrease Manhattan’s Alphabet Metropolis circa 1998. His affected person girlfriend Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz) loves him however desires to know if he’s a person who can ‘hold his s**t collectively.’ Hank is put to the check when his punk rocker neighbor Russ (Matt Smith) asks him to look at his cat whereas Russ heads to London to see his ailing father – just for Hank to get a severe beating by two Russian thugs who come in search of Russ.

However that’s solely the start of Hank’s issues. After getting out of the hospital minus one kidney, Hank is harassed by the thugs once more, this time with a drug baron (Benito Martínez Ocasio, aka Dangerous Bunny) in tow. Quickly much more individuals are concerned in no matter bother Russ has landed Hank in, together with detective Elise Roman (Regina King) and Orthodox Jewish gangsters Lipa (Liev Schreiber) and Shmully (Vincent D’Onofrio).

‘Caught Stealing’ begins on a darkish but nonetheless humorous observe, will get much more grim because it goes alongside, and eventually takes a barely extra absurd flip because it barrels towards its conclusion. Aronofsky rides these tonal shifts one of the best he can, however one notably surprising second midway by means of is a bit troublesome to get well from. The plot additionally grows extra convoluted because it goes alongside, with one exposition dump within the center delivered so quick that it’s laborious to type out simply who’s screwing over who.

But the movie, ostensibly a caper, additionally stays resolutely distinctive because of its eclectic characters – together with Russ’s cute cat, performed by Tonic — the grainy throwback sheen given the movie by Aronofsky and cinematographer Matthew Libatique, its authentically gritty and various late-‘90s NYC milieu, and a propulsive soundtrack from post-punk act Idles.

Solid and Performances

Aronofsky has assembled a glittering ensemble for ‘Caught Stealing,’ but it surely’s nonetheless all tied collectively by the commanding work of Austin Butler. After a wasted efficiency earlier this summer season in ‘Eddington,’ he’s bought way more to work with, step by step peeling away the layers of Hank’s dissolution and lack of focus to get on the damage, grief, and anger beneath. It’s a fancy efficiency that showcases the actor’s uncommon means to be each a number one man and a chameleon.

The remainder of the solid is as much as the duty as effectively, however come out and in of the film in matches and begins. Zoë Kravitz does stable, sympathetic work as Yvonne in her comparatively temporary screentime, whereas Regina King is each powerful and enigmatic, and Matt Smith takes a giant swing because the annoying, histrionic Russ. However our favorites are undoubtedly Liev Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio, whose Lipa and Shmully threaten to steal the final third of the movie away from Butler with their humorous but surprisingly menacing repartee.

Last Ideas

Thought we wished we may see extra of these Hebrew crime barons – they actually needs to be in additional of the film — ‘Caught Stealing’ will get by on the appeal of its main man and that darn cat. It’s additionally good to see Darren Aronofsky play in a special discipline as a filmmaker, even when he doesn’t fairly grasp the stability of absurd comedy and grittier melodrama. As with all of the director’s movies, ‘Caught Stealing’ is about in a actuality that’s barely off-kilter from ours, and whereas it’s not top-tier Aronofsky, it’s a welcome change of tempo.

‘Caught Stealing’ receives a rating of 70 out of 100.

What’s the plot of ‘Caught Stealing’?

Former highschool baseball star Hank Thompson (Austin Butler) is now a bartender dwelling in downtown New York Metropolis. When his punk-rock neighbor Russ (Matt Smith) asks him to care for his cat for a couple of days, Hank finds himself caught in the midst of a motley crew of indignant gangsters — and has to search out out what they need and why he’s their goal.

Who’s within the solid of ‘Caught Stealing’?

• Austin Butler as Henry “Hank” Thompson
• Zoë Kravitz as Yvonne
• Matt Smith as Russ
• Regina King as Roman
• Liev Schreiber as Lipa
• Vincent D’Onofrio as Shmully
• Griffin Dunne as Paul
• Benito Martínez Ocasio as Colorado
• Carol Kane as Bubbe

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