Once upon a time, there was a cat...named Bud. Bud was a simple cat who didn't particularly like people much. One day, Bud's owner, Russ (Matt Smith; Doctor Who), left Bud with his neighbor, Hank (Austin Butler; Elvis), to watch Bud while Russ had to fly back to London because Russ' father had a stroke. That is when the thugs showed up and all hell broke loose. For Hank, it became a nightmarish few days that led him to take a hard look at his life choices. This is the plot of the latest Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan) directed film, Caught Stealing.
Hank was a baseball phenom in high school and was expected to be picked in the fifteenth round of the upcoming MLB draft. However, a car accident would end his baseball career and kill his best friend. Years later, Hank works in a bar and lives on the Lower East Side. He is dating an EMT named Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz; The Batman), and life is good as his San Francisco Giants are playing really well this year. Then the aforementioned Russ and Bud come into Hank's life, and suddenly, Russian mobsters are beating Hank up, Hassidic Jews are threatening everyone he loves, and a cop is trying to get to the bottom of it all.
With a well-rounded cast, Aronofsky makes a solid film with memorable moments. Butler is excellent as Hank, a man who is running from his personal demons and who suddenly finds himself in an over his head situation with deadly consequences. Kravitz is the hard-as-nails, no-nonsense, street-smart girlfriend, and the two have terrific chemistry. Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk) is the hardened police detective who brings a twist to the plot, and Smith is the typical punk rock, drug dealer who has a mohawk and lives life on the edge. Liev Schreiber (Spotlight) and Vincent D'Onofrio (Daredevil: Born Again) surprisingly play the ruthless Hassidic Jews.
Caught Stealing has that signature Aronofsky look and feel, made up of a combination of deep, reflective drama, some bloody action, and a well-placed, snarky comment that brings a little levity to an otherwise serious movie. The action scenes are relentless in their pacing, with guns and fighting from start to finish. The drama squeezes at the viewer's heart and puts a dull pallor on the whole plot. The lighter moments are well placed, if few and far between. Written by Charlie Huston (Gotham - 3 episodes), the story is a web of connected bad guys, a somewhat naive man, and a huge mix-up that ultimately costs several people their lives.
The gore is definitely a factor in this film, and if you are a little squeamish, you may want to cover your eyes when certain scenes arise. While not as blood-soaked as some recent slasher films, scenes where Hank's surgical staples are ripped out or when Yvonne fixes said wound with crazy glue are not for the faint of heart. There is a good deal of fighting throughout the movie and a number of gunshots, though some of it seems unnecessary.
Aronofsky and Huston tell a tale of the seedier side of society that showcases how evil some people can be while also giving audiences a movie they will dissect and think about long after the credits roll. Hank is a complex character who has lived through an awful experience that he can't move on from and only manages to deal with his feelings after he accidentally gets mixed up in a dangerous situation that almost gets him killed.
Aronofsky once again offers a solid movie that should be watched more than once, and Butler gives another outstanding performance, proving once again he is one to watch among young Hollywood actors, and really, it's all about Bud the Cat in the end.
Grade: B-
