Caught Stealing ★★★

Darren Aronofsky’s films often involve characters who are pushed beyond their limits. His films are deeply memorable for this reason – few who have seen Black Swan, The Wrestler, or The Whale will fail to recall their closing shots, each depicting the outcome of their protagonist’s desperation. Caught Stealing is a different kind of film however, one that is a bit unusual in the context of Aronofsky’s filmography. Though its lead, Hank Thompson (Austin Butler), faces his share of personal challenges and trauma, Caught Stealing is a lighter, more action-driven outing from Aronofsky that bears more in common with a Coen Brothers film than one of his own.

Hank is a former high school baseball star. Though he no longer plays, his passion for the sport and the San Francisco Giants are ingrained in him. His life today is less bright than his glory days – he works as a bartender (and is an alcoholic) where he keeps up with the Giants’ games – and his prospect of becoming a professional baseball player came to an end due to injuries sustained in a car crash when he was drinking and driving. This crash also killed his friend, and the suddenness of the car crash haunts Hank years later, who refuses to drive and is often awoken from sleep in a panicked state when recalling the impact of the crash.

Hank’s girlfriend Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz) loves Hank; however, she knows Hank’s shortcomings and his difficulty in taking responsibility for the crash. When Hank’s neighbor Russ (Matt Smith), always donned in punk attire and sporting a colorful mohawk, leaves in a rush to go to London, Hank thought he would just be taking care of Russ’ cat. What actually ends up happening is Hank is forced into a confusing conflict between the Russian mafia, the police, and the Hasidics with violent consequences. It’s also unclear how Russ fits into this picture.

Hank is portrayed as an everyman, and Caught Stealing is not a film where the unexpecting protagonist turns out to be an exceptional action hero. Hank’s priority first and foremost is survival for himself and his loved ones. He has no desire to commit violence or to be a hero. It becomes clear to him how dangerous the Russian mafia and its deranged henchmen are in his first encounter with Aleksei (Yuri Kolokolnikov) and Pavel (Nikita Kukushkin). Kukushkin portrays his character as gleefully psychotic and clearly enjoys his character’s confrontations with Hank. Aleksei and Pavel soon become the least of Hank’s problems however as more wacky characters enter the mix and Caught Stealing makes its twists and turns. Even so, the unexpected conflict that Hank finds himself in becomes a means of self-discovery where getting out of this tangle and taking responsibility for his personal struggles becomes one and the same.

Caught Stealing never leans fully into comedy or gritty crime drama, the film pivoting between the two genres from scene to scene. Like his previous films, Aronofsky is focused on the personal journey of his protagonist though the strongest impression the film makes is that it must have been an enjoyable process to shoot. Eccentric characters, a cat with some serious acting chops, an Idles soundtrack, and a talented cast trading blows and verbal barbs with each other make for an entertaining movie. Time will tell whether Caught Stealing will be a turning point in Aronofsky’s filmography towards a more crowdpleasing direction or if this film will stand as a one-off detour for the auteur.