Darren Aronofsky is one of our more fascinating directors and movies like Caught Stealing prove why he has been one of the best. The 90s era caper is fast, fresh, and one of the more original and fun films you’ll see this year.
Hank (Austin Butler) is a once great baseball player who now works at Paul’s bar as a bartender. But when his neighbor Russ (Matt Smith) asks him to watch his cat, his entire life gets thrown into a mess all because he tried to be a good neighbor. Where the film ends up frustrating is watching as person after person ignores that Hank doesn’t know anything. Luckily, we have Butler’s performance to fall in love with to make those moments worthwhile.
Butler’s work as Hank is something truly special, cementing him as one of the best actors working today. That paired with his chemistry with Zoë Kravitz and there is never really a moment while watching Caught Stealing where you’re questioning whether or not this movie is “fun.” Every single second is captivating to watch.
From the moment that Russ leaves to go visit his “dying dad,” Aronofsky weaves in iconic New York landmarks with 90s music and aesthetics that make even the quieter moments a picturesque experience. But what really makes Caught Stealing something special is the way that Aronofsky weaves character growth through the high stakes action of the film. And getting to see the East Village come to life in this world of Russian mafia henchmen and Liev Schreiber questionable, at best, Orthodox Jewish mobster.
Through it all, the film makes you care about Hank and Russ despite everything going on and that’s what makes this such a worthwhile ride.
Hank is the best kind of leading character
Butler’s Hank makes this movie what it is. He’s a man who doesn’t really know what he’s doing with his life post his career ending accident but he’s someone who doesn’t hold a grudge because of it. He recognizes his own faults, is just trying to live his life, and it, in turn, means that when everything starts to go wrong in his life, you feel bad for him.
For me, the most telling characteristic of Hank comes in the form of the cat, played by the perfect Tonic the Cat. Hank is put in charge of taking care of the cat and he could easily have left the cat behind when everything goes south but instead, he makes sure that the cat is safe and protected. That’s all I need to know about this guy and it makes me want to root for him.
And that was, for me, was what worked the most with Caught Stealing. With everyone else in his life being a little out there and over the top, having Hank be as grounded as he is makes him relatable and someone that the audience wants to root for. It is so different from Aronofsky’s other work and it makes Caught Stealing something truly special.
See Austin Butler shine in Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing, in theaters on August 29.
(featured image: Sony Pictures)
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