Caught Stealing
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 1/2 (out of 5)
Darren Aronofsky is a director who is difficult to define by a style or genre. His filmography includes Academy Award-nominated films such as The Wrestler, Black Swan, and The Whale. At the same time, he also doesn't shy away from tackling spiritual or controversial themes, as seen in outings like Noah and Mother!. Yet, his latest comedic thriller adapts Charlie Huston's book, which has all the vibes of a Guy Ritchie smash-up that plays out on the streets of New York.
Washed up before his prime, baseball player turned bartender, Hank Thompson (Austin Butler), lives a life of booze that is highlighted by his passionate love for his girlfriend, Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz). His life, set in the early 1990s, flies under the radar of too much excitement until his next-door neighbour and friend, Russ (Matt Smith), asks Hank to watch his cat, Bud. Despite having a dislike for cats, the bartender takes in the pet, unaware of the difficulties that are about to unfold. As Russians, Hasidic Jewish brothers, and the police come looking for Russ and the money that he owes them all. Hank finds himself on the run as he attempts to find his friend and determine how to escape the mess he has got himself into after simply offering to cat-sit.
One way to describe this Aronofsky/Huston outing in the seedier side of New York can be likened to a gut punch from a baseball bat after you laugh at a series of culturally inappropriate jokes. There is a comedic element that counters the excessive violent aspects of this movie, reminiscent of a Matthew Vaughn project with Aronofsky's arthouse twist. Each twist takes the audience deeper down the rabbit hole without causing confusion along the way. It is a wonder that Austin Butler's character can survive this mad dash of survival, while most of the people around him are in jeopardy as they attempt to help him out of the impossible series of events. Yet, the former Elvis star makes this character and film his own. He proves to be the linchpin that makes this whole story work and will keep people yearning to know what will happen next.
Even though Austin Butler carries the film, the support cast carries him through to make this movie a rich ensemble of comedic, violent, and dramatic heavyweights. Regina King, Zoë Kravitz, and Griffin Dunne are perfectly cast despite most of them playing against type in their own ways. Liev Schreiber and Vincent D'Onofrio are brilliant as the Hasidic brothers Lipa and Shmully Drucker, who manage to skirt the edge of societal law as they do their best to maintain the religious beliefs of Shabbos. This combination of great storytelling, action, comedy and redemption may seem familiar territory for other filmmakers. Still, Caught Stealing has a Darren Aronofsky touch that offers something new for audiences to enjoy within this violence-laden genre.
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REEL DIALOGUE: How much can one man take?
The story of Hank Thompson and his story of survival takes the statement, "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger," to a whole new level. Woven into this sordid tale of revenge, redemption and survival is the consideration of how far man's will can be stretched.
Thompson was driven by the desire to escape the mistakes of others and the realisation that running from your past is never the answer. What needs to be considered is how the difficulties in life, if we survive them, can make us better in the end.
The incredible story of Job in the Old Testament of the Bible offers a glimpse into a similar experience to Thompson's, highlighting the possibility of a greater reason behind life's challenges. The reason for the difficulties may not be fully explained in this lifetime. Still, they can be used to demonstrate how life's tribulations can potentially bless others and honour God.
