Caught Stealing ★★★★

Has Darren Aronofsky made a home run of a movie or simply been caught trying to outgrow his previous works?

Stars: Austin Butler, Zoë Kravitz, Regina King, Matt Smith
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Writer: Charlie Huston
Where: In Cinems from 29 August

Known for his unsettling psychological films such as Black Swan and The Wrestler, Darren Aronofsky returns with Caught Stealing, starring Austin Butler as the protagonist in a gritty, twisting ride. While the argument can be made this film is more accessible than others, it still has elements his fans will still love.

Hank (Austin Butler) was once a prosperous baseball player with a sparkling future, but a horrific incident leads to him slowly turning to booze, which is where we start our story off. Based on Charlie Huston’s novel titled the same name, we follow Hank Thompson (Austin Butler) becoming caught up in the world of gangsters after his neighbour Russ (Matt Smith) simply asks him to look after his cat while he is away. With a girlfriend (Zoë Kravitz), gangsters, and an intellectual scene-stealing policewoman (Regina King), it’s a wild time filled with death, love, and tension. A story that continuously surprised and never stopped till the credits rolled with high tension but also moments of quite dark humour.

Austin Butler is sitting on a sidewalk next to a cat
Photos by Courtesy of Sony Pictures - © Sony Pictures

With this twisted script, the cinematographer, Matthew Libatique, perfectly matches the story and the visuals. As the biggest standout of the movie is the directing, especially the visuals as it’s not entirely flashy, with the film being more muted and grittier, with only sheer neon lights occasionally bringing brightness into a moody New York City. Libatique shots are stunning, but moments where tension arises are when the film ultimately gets into its element, as the camera is mainly tight with slow, deliberate movements creating a mounting tension and showcasing characters predicaments. Fans of Aronofsky’s previous film will appreciate this essence, as he undoubtedly master’s the art of making audiences uneasy and tense.

When it comes to acting, Austin Butler demonstrates a strong performance conveying a charming, varied performance, as his character goes through a lot. Though this is not his strongest acting it still a spotlight-worthy performance however, with Regina King and Matt Smith, it’s them who continuously steal it away from him. As a tough detective, Regina King brings life into a dark story with humour but also seriousness in what is easily the best character, while Matt Smith has the biggest transformation in a grungy punk character that brings in the constant energy. This does leave out Zoë Kravitz, who is excellent, but without spoiling wished she had more of a presence in the story. 

Caught Stealing is a gnarly ride that is possibly more accessible but still will not be for everyone, as it still has his twisted dark ways intertwined. The acting is great, and the stunning visuals make this an engaging film till the end, with characters you become attached to and watch grow.

Darren Aronofsky takes a huge swing and delivers – ★★★★ 4 stars

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