Caught Stealing: Aronofsky’s Refreshing Detour into Crime Comedy
Following the critically disastrous yet oddly applauded movie, The Whale—which garnered questionable acclaim for Brendan Fraser’s return—director Darren Aronofsky has successfully steered his cinematic ship back on course with the refreshingly humorous crime flick, Caught Stealing. This movie does exactly what it needs to do—it provides a refreshing shakeup. Adorned with adroit pacing and just the right amount of ferocity, it breathes without being weighed down by the melancholic vibe that had seeped into Aronofsky’s recent films such as Requiem For a Dream and Black Swan. Although it’s uncertain whether Caught Stealing will be hailed as the crowning achievement in Aronofsky’s oeuvre, it is definitely an inventive detour in the right direction. To top it off, it showcases hitherto unseen facets of Aronofsky’s filmmaking prowess, which is always delightful.
Set in the year 1998 in New York, this film’s temporal and geographical placement is the same as during the production of Aronofsky’s breakout film, Pi, a gritty, lo-fi meditation on math and paranoia. This parallel emphasizes a sense of new beginnings for the acclaimed director. Caught Stealing cannot be simply considered as Aronofsky completing a full circle. The stark black-and-white experimentality of Pi is light years away from the glossy Soderbergh-inspired aesthetics and hedonistic indulgences that Aronofsky toys with in Caught Stealing. This film may be a complex and enchanting confluence of diverse stylistic influences, but that might be a puzzle much too intricate for a movie critic to unravel.
Taking centre stage in our narrative is Hank Thompson, portrayed by Austin Butler, a fallen-from-grace former baseball star, now a bartender at a graffiti-covered, grimy Alphabet City dive bar. The vivid yellows of the cabs and the quaint flip-phones instantly transport us back to New York in the late 90s. Furthermore, the pulsing soundtrack reflective of the era further grounds the audience into the temporal setting. Aronofsky’s attention to minute details of the setting is notable and often revisited throughout the film, indicating his intent to immerse the audience fully into the recreated era.
The attention to detail in reconstructing the period is so meticulous, it’s reminiscent of Robert Eggers’ approach to historical accuracy. From feeling the textures of the East Village and Brighton Beach to studying period photos, Aronofsky and his production designer plunges the audience into a vividly reimagined past. While the overall storyline of Caught Stealing is relatively simple and familiar, Aronofsky’s dedication to accurately recreating the setting and atmosphere gives the film an engaging and fresh take on a classic genre.
Hank, though plagued by disturbing dreams that become more significant as the story unfolds, seems content with his bohemian, carousing lifestyle. Our protagonist’s romantic narrative is also fleshed out through his relationship with the quintessentially 90s indie-dream-girl Yvonne, brought to life by Zoe Kravitz. However, Hank’s tranquil equilibrium is disrupted when he stumbles into a Hitchcockian thriller scenario courtesy of his punk-rock neighbor Russ, played by Matt Smith.
A seemingly mundane request for Hank to look after Russ’ cat spirals into a dangerous maze of clues where Hank’s limited knowledge lands him in trouble with Russian gangsters. The threat increases as Hank finds himself perpetually embroiled in violent encounters that often end with him on the receiving end of a barrage of blows to the head. The plot zig-zags between Hank trying to piece together his fragmentary understanding of the plot while dodging mortal peril.
When Aronofsky’s Pi released in 1998, it was celebrated for being a bold deviation in a landscape overrun with Tarantino clones. Ironically, Caught Stealing feels akin to the films it could have been contemporaneous with—signaling a chance to glimpse an alternate trajectory for Aronofsky’s career. However, when juxtaposed with his past work, the preference would lean towards the path he actually took, primarily due to the raw and bold uniqueness of his previous films such as mother!.
In its defense, though, Caught Stealing does have elements reminiscent of Doug Liman’s 1999 classic Go, owing to a vibrant cast that brings larger-than-life characters to life even within a limited screen time. The ensemble of supporting characters like Smith and Kravitz barely scratches the surface. Wait till powerhouse actors like Liev Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio enter the fray as machine gun-wielding Hasidims. Spotting the veteran Carol Kane as their petite yet fierce matriarch should bring an unexpected smile.
Caught Stealing scores another hit with Griffin Dunne’s performance as Paul, a charismatic downtown bar owner. To anyone whose favorite Martin Scorsese film is After Hours, this casting choice is a delightful nod. Despite the unconventional storyline and atypical characterizations, the film doesn’t lose sight of the signature imprints of Aronofsky’s dark cinema. It’s far from a complete dilution of his regular themes and obsessions, so fans of his darker cinema might find reasons to enjoy it.
Crudely overflown toilets, assaultive violence, and well-aimed regurgitations make sporadic appearances, ensuring the film remains tethered to Aronofsky’s signature brutal realism. There is a particular murder scene around the half-way mark that sneaks up on the audience triggering genuine shock. In retrospect, the twist might seem calculable, but the surprise element is intact for the most part.
But this rawness and grittiness sometimes find strange juxtapositions in the film with scenes like exaggeratedly expressive cat reaction shots thrown into the mix. This bizarre blend of intense, graphic scenes interspersed with unexpected feline interruptions may have been designed to strike a balance, but not everyone might appreciate it. As Hank honestly admits to his preference for dogs, the audience might lean the same way—with a desire for more gripping, nail-biting scenes and fewer light-hearted distractions.