“Caught Stealing”: An Ode to Action
In an industry full of action movies that serve little purpose other than showing off their budget and raking in more cash, Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing pays homage to classic New York crime thrillers in its gritty adaptation of Charlie Huston’s 2004 book by the same name.
Caught Stealing follows how Hank Thompson (Austin Butler), a bartender who spends too much time reflecting on the could-have-beens of his ill-fated high school baseball career, unwittingly finds himself involved in a multi-million dollar crime while catsitting for his drug-dealing punk neighbor. Hank, a San Francisco Giants fan, is as out of place in New York’s criminal underworld as he is at a Mets game. Thrust unexpectedly into a life-or-death schism with stakes that prove heartbreakingly deadly, Hank must outwit the most dangerous criminals in the city if he wants to make it out alive.
After watching the trailer, I was admittedly unimpressed. Nothing particularly stood out, and the movie almost felt like an over-the-top caricature of itself. Nevertheless, I still went and saw the movie, and I’m glad that I did. Rather than the trailer overhyping the film, it failed to do it justice. Caught Stealing is much grittier than its trailer implies, but the dark comedy teased in the previews still shines through in the actual film.
Butler’s performance takes the spotlight for the film, adding another role to his increasingly diverse portfolio. The Elvis and Dune: Part Two star proves his versatility as the washed-up Hank Thompson, allowing viewers to join him in his most vulnerable moments, making Hank feel real and raw. The character makes viewers want him to succeed rather than falling into the usual pitfalls of an undesirable lead. His reluctant relationship with his neighbor’s cat, Bud, certainly improved his likability. I expected to hate his character, but I found myself rooting for him as he forced himself to improve over the course of the film.
The crime thriller is alive with ‘90s New York City charm, a throwback to films like Martin Scorsese’s After Hours, Joseph Sargent’s The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, and William Friedkin’s The French Connection, all of which served as inspirations for the film.
“I really wanted to make a love letter to New York,” Aronofsky said in an interview with IMDb. The effort is clear in the surrounding world-building of Caught Stealing—the audience is transported thirty years into the past, with careful detail ensuring the background of every scene is firmly rooted in its era. Every sign, every car, and every piece of graffiti is all intentionally placed to capture the essence of the ‘90s New York setting.
The soundtrack of the film is lengthy—34 songs—and perfectly chosen. Artists like David Bowie, Smash Mouth, and Madonna mark the musical era, and songs like “I Think I’m Paranoid” by Garbage set the tone early on in the movie. Uniquely, the film score for Caught Stealing was actually provided by a band rather than a composer.
“I built Caught Stealing to be a roller coaster of fun and wanted to supercharge the film by mainlining a punk sensibility,” Aronofsky told SPIN. Fittingly, the score was recorded by the British punk rock band IDLES. The soundtrack includes several new songs by the band written for the film, and also features a punk cover of the 1976 Junior Murvin song “Police and Thieves.”
Caught Stealing was clearly made by people who love making movies. The cinematography is on point with perfect framing and impressive drone shots. A lot of care was put into the action sequences—to keep Hank feeling real, all of his chase and fight scenes had to feel real, too. The New York setting lends its charm to the action as Butler’s character crashes through the city in thrilling chases.
The film continues its excitement into the credits. Rather than a simple scroll of names and titles, Caught Stealing put as much effort into keeping the credits alive as it did the movie itself. A short and cute animation of Bud the cat plays at the beginning, and the artwork reveals the studded collar hidden underneath all the fur belonging to the real cat—an experienced animal actor named Tonic. The credits then proceed to split, shake, and turn on their head in tune with the music in a colorful spectacle that ensures audiences stay until the end to appreciate all the people who worked on the film.
Caught Stealing may not be a big-budget blockbuster, but it doesn’t need to be. Born from a love of both crime thrillers and movie-making, Aronofsky’s new film cements itself as one of the most enjoyable movies of the summer. Caught Stealing just left theaters and is now available to rent or buy on YouTube, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies, and Fandango at Home.
