Caught Stealing (2025) - Film Review

      Caught Stealing, 2025.

      Directed by Darren Aronofsky.

      Starring Austin Butler, Zoë Kravitz, Regina King, Matt Smith, Liev Schreiber, Vincent D’Onofrio, Griffin Dunne, Bad Bunny, Carol Kane, Will Brill, George Abud, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Action Bronson, Yuri Kolokolnikov, Gregg Bello, Nikita Kukushkin, and Tonic.

      SYNOPSIS:

      Hank Thompson, a burned-out former baseball player, unexpectedly gets caught in a perilous fight for survival in the criminal underbelly of 1990s New York City, compelled to maneuver through a dangerous world he never anticipated.

      While it’s fair to say that Caught Stealing represents a departure for director Darren Aronofsky, this assertion isn’t fully accurate. The film is a chaotic and entertaining late '90s crime caper featuring disgraced fictional ex-MLB draft prospect Hank Thompson (played by the charismatic Austin Butler, who enlivens the story even amidst genre clichés), as he becomes entangled in a web of drugs, money, and gangsters.

      However, this film also demonstrates a brutally harsh tone (scripted by Charlie Huston, based on his own novel), with the narrative consistently reminding Hank of his failures and punishing those connected to him for his errors. The portrayal of alcohol abuse underscores what drew the director of Requiem for a Dream (which explored various vices in stark detail) to this project.

      Darren Aronofsky is attracted to characters with addictions as if compelled to race for bases. Even when Caught Stealing reveals familiar elements or extracts every possible meaning from its somewhat cheesy yet enjoyable baseball metaphor reflecting Hank’s tumultuous life and slight redemption (notably mild, as even protecting an endearing cat for 107 minutes doesn’t excuse the harm caused to others), it remains compelling in ways that modern mainstream action films often lack.

      No character is safe, regardless of their significance. The film also isn’t shy about including risqué moments during a time when many mainstream releases lack sexual content, even those centered on romance or intimacy. In fact, Aronofsky elevates the depiction of undressing and sexual positioning with a stylistic flair, showcasing his collaboration with frequent cinematographer Matthew Libatique. Following this, the plot introduces a convoluted yet engaging storyline about Hank acquiring a key (which he subsequently loses while intoxicated) linked to a large sum of money that dangerous criminals from various backgrounds seek. In this regard, Caught Stealing resonates with the vibe of '90s films, reminiscent of something that Guy Ritchie might have created before losing his edge.

      The film is filled with coarse language and sarcastic humor, alongside a range of eccentric characters, like British punk-styled Russ (a wildly transformed and unrecognizable Matt Smith), who leaves New York to visit his ailing father in the UK. His only request is for Hank to look after his cat. The task seems simple, but various groups of mobsters (including actors like Bad Bunny and Liev Schreiber) complicate matters, quickly dragging Hank into the conflict and resulting in a brutal beating.

      Consequently, after Hank has a kidney removed, he resolves to stop drinking. This commitment, which he makes to his girlfriend Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz), also serves as one of her conditions for deepening their relationship. After a tragic event shatters Hank’s life, someone else's, and crushes his dreams of playing for the San Francisco Giants (or any MLB team), his inclination to drink remains a persistent issue. In classic Aronofsky style, the narrative descends into a binge spiral, and from this juncture onwards, Hank's life transforms into a nightmare, intended to confront him with his past and compel him to forge a new path.

      From this point, Caught Stealing propels Hank in multiple directions and introduces various characters on both sides of the law, leaving him uncertain about how much to involve Detective Roman (Regina King). While it may not showcase a hidden mastery of action direction, the star power, dynamic energy, character interactions, a cat, and regular updates on the San Francisco Giants’ games are more than sufficient to maintain an enjoyable atmosphere. The action sequences are also effectively set against fitting backdrops, including the outskirts of the New York Mets’ Shea Stadium and nearby train stations.

      Despite its themes, Caught Stealing doesn't summon the essence of a typical Darren Aronofsky film, yet it remains a valuable addition to his body of work; it represents a shift towards a lighter tone while still revealing the filmmaker’s darker tendencies. At times, it is unclear whether he struggles against himself or the source material in pursuit of levity, contributing to its undeniable appeal despite imperfections. Having delivered a series of deeply melancholic films like Requiem for a Dream, Black