I didn’t expect to be grinning through a Darren Aronofsky movie, but watching a bartender dodge Russian thugs, punks, and a cat made me laugh a lot.
I have to admit, when I first heard Darren Aronofsky was making a crime caper, my brain immediately short-circuited. as this is the guy who made Requiem for a Dream, not some lighthearted heist movie with a cat.
But Caught Stealing is chaotic, darkly funny, and somehow completely charming.
Plot Summary of Caught Stealing (Spoiler-Free)
Caught Stealing follows Hank, an everyman bartender who somehow gets caught in the crossfire of every criminal and eccentric character in 1998 New York, who is supposed to watch his punk neighbor Russ’s cat while Russ is away.
But the Russian mob thinks Hank is part of Russ’s scheme, a pair of Hassidic brothers are after him for reasons I can’t even explain without spoiling the fun, and a persistent detective is convinced Hank knows more than he’s letting on.
What follows is a whirlwind chase through grimy, analog New York, where Hank has to dodge bullets, beatings, and general chaos while trying to survive for himself, his paramedic girlfriend Yvonne, and Buddy, the world’s calmest, coolest cat.
Every step Hank takes pulls him deeper into absurd situations, all of which escalate to ridiculous but satisfying extremes.
Caught Stealing Review: Is It Worth Watching?
Caught Stealing is a very fun, tense, and absurd film, and in all the right ways. Aronofsky somehow balances chaos, humor, and tension, and I genuinely enjoyed watching it more than I expected.
Austin Butler as Hank is magnetic, and you end up really caring about him, which is important, because the rest of the film could have easily turned into complete madness without a tether to someone you actually like.
Hank is your classic “nice guy caught in insane circumstances” character, but Butler gives him a lot of charm. He’s friendly without being boring, smart without being smug, and lovable without being annoyingly pure.
He’s also dealing with some personal baggage and functions as a borderline alcoholic, which gives him a rough edge, but. it’s his likability that makes the escalating chaos enjoyable instead of exhausting.
Zoe Kravitz as Yvonne is also excellent. She’s patient, loving, frustrated, and believable as Hank’s partner, and I also really liked the supporting cast, especially Liev Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio as the Hassidic brothers, who are both terrifying and hilarious at the same time, while Matt Smith as Russ is pure energy, leaning into punk theatrics with a massive mohawk and attitude that could punch through a wall.
Then we have Bud the cat, played by Tonic, with more charisma than most human actors, and this little feline steals the show and is the real star of Caught Stealing.
Bad Bunny also appears and is really good in every scene he’s in, proving that the guy is more than just a cameo machine, and Aronofsky clearly loves creating characters that feel like people, even in extreme scenarios.
No one who in the film just exists just to get hit or killed, as they all have quirks, ticks, and motives, and it makes the chaos very satisfying to watch, whle the pacing is also relentless and well done, and I wasn’t bored at any point in the film, which is a rare thing for me to say.
Aronofsky’s direction, Huston’s script, and Andrew Weisblum’s editing just keeps everything moving very smoothly. There’s tension, there’s suspense, there’s humor, and none of it feels forced, with the film striking a balance between dark comedy and high-stakes crime, which is a a bit of a miracle considering how many moving parts are in play.
All the humor in the film quite often arises from just how ridiculous the situations are, and I laughed out loud multiple times, sometimes at Hank’s reactions, sometimes at the absurdity of the scenarios, but make no mistake, the film is not all jokes, either.
The violence is also very real, the stakes are high, and people we like die, with consequences in this world that matter. You’re never watching cheap slapstick – you’re watching survival, tension, and absurdity collide.
And kudos for the soundtrack too, which adds some nostalgia and flavor, and the Magnetic Fields song over the end credits is a perfect cherry on top.
The tonal shifts between dark comedy and suspense occasionally might bother some though if you aren’t fully on board with how mess, and over-the-top it all is, but if you embrace it, it’s a wild ride.
Overall, Caught Stealing is a bit of a rare bird. It’s a comic crime caper that has heart, humor, and chaos all in equal measure. and Aronofsky steps out of his usual intense drama territory and nails the balance, creating a film that’s simultaneously thrilling, funny, and absurdly entertaining.
What I liked (And What I Didn’t like)
Pros
Austin Butler as Hank
He carries the movie and makes you care about a man running from literal chaos. He also makes Hank relatable, funny, and genuinely likable.
Zoe Kravitz as Yvonne
Brings grounded charm and chemistry, and she also handles the absurd situations with a perfect mix of patience and frustration, which is a joy to watch.
Liev Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio
Terrifying and hilarious as the Hassidic brothers, and their dynamic is funny and unpredictable.
Matt Smith as Russ
Punk energy at its finest. He’s chaotic, aggressive, and unpredictable, making him a perfect catalyst for the film’s escalating madness.
Bad Bunny
Just steals every scene.
Bud the Cat
What can I say? If you know, you know.
Aronofsky’s pacing
The movie never drags, and every scene moves with energy.
Cons
Tonal Swings
The contrast is funny but sometimes it feels a little bit jarring.
Dangling Plot Points
A few smaller plot points never get resolved, and it leaves you with questions about certain character motivations.
Who Might Like Caught Stealing
- Fans of chaotic crime comedies
- Viewers who enjoy dark humor
- Austin Butler and Zoe Kravitz fans
- Aronofsky fans willing to try something lighter
- Anyone who loves over-the-top characters
- Fans of energetic, fast-paced editing
- Cat lovers who want Buddy stealing every scene
Who Might Dislike Caught Stealing
- Anyone expecting serious Aronofsky drama
- People who dislike long, fast-paced films
- Those who want tightly resolved plots
- Viewers who get lost in multi-threaded stories
- People who don’t enjoy absurd, sarcastic humor
- Fans of traditional crime dramas
- Anyone who hates charismatic cats
Final Verdict: Did I Enjoy Watching Caught Stealing?
I had a blast watching Caught Stealing.
It’s funny, violent, and surprisingly heartwarming, and Aronofsky shows he can take his skill in tension and character development and apply it to comedy and crime, and the result is brilliant.
This is chaotic filmmaking done right. If you like dark humor, clever chaos, and genuinely likable characters in absurd scenarios, Caught Stealing is exactly the kind of wild ride you’ve been waiting for.
8.5/10.
Caught Stealing Trailer
Simon Leasher
A lover of cinema for over 35 years, I have watched many films from around the world in many different genres, yet I still normally always come back to trashy slasher horror films when in doubt. More
And yes, The Godfather 2 is better than The Godfather.
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