CAUGHT STEALING

As with any good caper, Hank is the straight man amongst a rambunctious cast of characters, none of whom quite know who they appear to be. Aronofsky takes full advantage of this, setting a template early on that anything can (and likely will) happen, even if that means bursts of extreme, definitive violence. It would be one thing to keep you invested in the machinations of the plot, but 'Caught Stealing' adds a palpable sense of danger at every turn, so that while this bonkers story of crazy Russian mobsters and gun-wielding Hasidic Jews has plenty to entertain with, it's grounded in real-life consequences. Hank is not only completely out of his depth, but there's a real chance he's going to drown in the process, especially as the bodies start to pile up around him.

Along with cinematographer Matthew Libatique and editor Andrew Weisblum, Aronofsky keeps the film moving at a cracking pace. Much of the comedy comes from Weisblum's sharp, almost musical editing, with lovely moments of hold and release. A bedroom seduction scene between Hank and Yvonne is a great example, a gorgeous interplay of contrasting rhythms that's both sexy and charming. When the action kicks in, the rhythm likewise plays with expectations, with bursts of rat-a-tat giving way to agonising stillness. There's a sense that this film is in constant motion, with Libatique never letting the camera sit still. There's an argument scene where, with every shot, the camera pulls back from a close-up to a wide, as if we're Hank being dragged further and further into the abyss. It's as if the film can't put on the breaks, even if it wanted to, resulting in thrilling visual maneuverers that dance us around the buildings and alleys of the Lower East Side. Aronofsky's films up until this point have all been tragedies, and a key feature of the tragic structure is inevitability. We want to believe that Hank will get out of this, but the language of the film, always throttling forward, is telling us that escape isn't an option anymore, even as it's making us laugh.

This brings us back to the film's inherent sense of danger, made all the more potent by just how unfair the situation is for Hank. There are many twists and turns in 'Caught Stealing', some funny and some genuinely shocking, but Hank's arc is coming to grips with the idea that these turns aren't his fault. We see Hank get beaten to an absolute pulp multiple times through the film, but the cruellest blows delivered to him are the causal ways the other characters try to convince him that he is the responsible party here, when we the audience can see that this isn't the case. In that sense, Hank is yet another Aronofsky character in a state of self-destruction, albeit a more subtle one. He's riddled with guilt over the accident that ruined his life, and the situation he now finds himself in tests that guilt. He wants to protect those he loves, but as is always the case in an Aronofsky film, the universe around him is cruel and unforgiving, and Hank can only see it as cosmic justice against him. And, as is always the case in an Aronofsky film, Hank's journey is a battle against the universe, whether the lie down and accept its abuse or fight against it for the sake of his soul, to see that there is no cosmic justice and the true path forward is the set his own rules.

This makes 'Caught Stealing' sound like a much heavier film than it is, but its this underlying psychological and spiritual complexity that makes it as compelling as it is entertaining. There's substance to the snap and pop of Aronofsky's direction, the filmmaker demonstrating a confidence with comedy that's wholly unexpected and genuinely exciting. He's clearly having a ball with this one, allowing himself to find a sense of play and anarchy. Compared to the oppressive dourness of 'The Whale', this is a ray of sunshine. I'd love to see him play with this kind of cinematic language again.

Credit must also be given to the production design team, led by Mark Friedberg, for their vivid, almost radiant recreation of late 90s New York. 'Caught Stealing' is indebted to many of the great urban New York films such as 'Do The Right Thing' and 'After Hours' (even casting Griffin Dunne as Hank's boss), and one of the features of those two masterpieces are the ways they make the gritty urban landscape of the city before gentrification feel almost magical, even mythical. The same is here in 'Caught Stealing', with the Lower East Side often bathed in a breathtaking golden light. It always feels alive, vital, brimming with action and detail. There's charm in the mess, an immediacy. This is one of the most beautiful-looking New York films I've seen in a good long while, and the affection Aronofsky and his collaborators show the characters in the film extends to the character of the city itself.

The film is also a fantastic showcase for Austin Butler. This might be my favourite performance from him thus far - he's been great in his other work, but here, he isn't battling an accent or costume or affectation. He's just a guy who wears jeans and t-shirts and his beloved Giants cap, and thus feels more accessible, relatable, charming. When he needs to shift Hank's charisma into complete terror, he does so with tremendous ease. This is an assured, sexy, confident leading man performance, the kind I'd love to see more of. He's matched beautifully by Zoë Kravitz, who's again given more space to be playful here than we often get to see her. She brings a real snap to her scenes, and her chemistry with Butler is thrilling to watch. The supporting cast are also uniformly excellent, from the legendary Regina King as Detective Roman to Liev Schreiber and Vincent D'Onofrio as the Hasitic Drucker brothers to Matt Smith as the bombastic Russ, and the many smaller characters that pop up around them (look out for one fun, unexpected cameo). To say more would reveal many of the film's surprises, but everyone has a rug to pull out from under our feet at some point and clearly relish doing so. Special mention must also be given to Tonic, who plays Russ' cat Bud. This is one of the great onscreen cats.

I had such a great time with 'Caught Stealing', but not in the way I was quite expecting. My desire for a fun crime caper was certainly satisfied, except that, perched on the edge of my seat, I was as anxious as I was excited to see what would happen next. It's less of a departure for Darren Aronofsky as it is a pivot, and a much-needed one. You can feel the great director crack his knuckles, flex his muscles, shake off the familiar and try something new. He's still just as concerned with the fallibility of the human soul, the way the world is built to crush the everyman into a pulp and the question of why the hell are we here in the first place, but 'Caught Stealing' offers him, in much the same way 'Black Swan' and 'The Wrestler' did, a new way of exploring those concerns. Bursting with energy, rapturously shot and anchored by terrific performances, 'Caught Stealing' is one of the hidden gems of 2025.