Reveling in its 1990’s era setting, Darren Aronofsky’s crime thriller Caught Stealing (2025), finds new ground within the criminal underworld while also being somewhat reminiscent of movies from that time period like Guy Ritchie’s early works in Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000), as well as one offs like The Fugitive (1993), Carlito’s Way (1993), The Boondock Saints (1999), and several others.
A rare change of pace for Aronofsky (as he usually co-writes his scripts and tends to stay outside the mainstream), Charlie Huston adapts his own book of the same name for the silver screen, adding a flair of Ritchie’s criminal style (with touches of humour, though it definitely would be considered more serious than the features mentioned above), the entrapped protagonist angle found in The Fugitive and Carlito’s Way, as well as some gonzo, go-for-broke criminal action seen in the latter film, it is also very much tinged with baseball references.
Following former top baseball prospect Hank Thompson (Austin Butler) now living in New York City, the man is what you would call ‘behind in the count’ – as he’s ruined his knee in a car accident, is addicted to alcohol, and is stuck in a dead end apartment and job. Living next to what would seem like a reject member of a late era punk rocker in Russ (Matt Smith), he asks Hank to take care of his bite happy needy cat, as he has to head back to England to check on his sickly father. . . and so it begins.
Soon, a ‘roster’ of sketchy sorts are hounding him, from skinhead Russians Aleksei (Yuri Kolokolnikov) and Pavel (Nikita Kukushkin) and a threatening Puerto Rican in Colorado (Bad Bunny), to a nosey Detective named Roman (Regina King) and Jewish hitmen Lipa (Liev Schreiber) and Shmully (Vince D’Onofrio). . . in other words, Hank wishes he could call in a ‘pinch hitter’ to replace him.
With a mother on the other side of the country (a surprise cameo from Laura Dern), a coked-out boss in Paul (Griffin Dunne), and an on-again-off-again girlfriend named Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz), he doesn’t have many allies. Certain that he is in on the money scam Russ is running on them, there’s a reason I titled this review ‘a rundown’. . . as he finds himself stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place.
As Hank is forced to ‘round the bases’ (but most definitely not in a home run type of way), each step forward brings with it more threats, greater danger, and some jarring violence. With no ‘safety squeeze’ to play, will Hank simply give himself the ‘green light’ to ‘swing away’? If so, will these numerous gangsters simply ‘take the bat out of his hands’? And lastly, will he be able to keep his few friends and family members ‘safe’?
Simply said, it’s nice to see a modern movie taking a chance in 2025. . . an edgy and most gritty piece that finds some original ground, throws in a few twists and turns, and isn’t afraid to show a few controversial touches. Top it off with some impressive action scenes, some light doses of dark comedy, as well as some nice visual touches from Aronofosky, and you’ve got a throwback that is quite engaging .
Featuring a stellar cast that is ‘batting a thousand’, Caught Stealing should appeal to those who love unique crime thrillers and are yearning for a bit of a flashback to the 1990s. It also features some great tunes from the 80s and 90s, just a few examples being: Scorpions’ “Rock You Like Hurricane”, Smash Mouth’s “Walkin’ On the Sun”, Marcy Playground’s “Sex and Candy), and Semisonic’s “Closing Time”, as well as a few quirky ones you won’t be expecting. Lastly, keep an eye open for an entertaining cameo from Carol Kane as Bubbe. So, ‘play ball’ with this original crime film, it’s a ‘fe-line drive’.