Darren Aronofsky Takes a Detour in Hyperviolent ‘Caught Stealing’

Darren Aronofsky Takes a Detour in Hyperviolent ‘Caught Stealing’

By Alex McPherson

As it descends further into chaos, director Darren Aronofsky’s crime thriller “Caught Stealing” becomes increasingly muddled; it’s a grimy, mean-spirited film that’s effective in spurts but remains dazed by (literal) hit-or-miss sensibilities.

Based on the book of the same name by Charlie Huston (who also wrote the screenplay), “Caught Stealing” follows 20-something Hank Thompson (Austin Butler), an aimless, alcoholic man tending bar in New York City’s Lower East Side circa 1998.

Hank grew up in a small town in California hoping to become a major league baseball player. At one point years ago, he was close to achieving that dream — but the possibility was shattered when Hank was in a drunk driving accident that resulted in a career-ending knee injury and the death of his teammate.

Cool and sociable, but remaining wracked by a past that he’s too scared to address, Hank carries on well enough in the Big Apple, finding some purpose amid the eccentric clientele of his dive bar, his friends-with-benefits relationship with EMT Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz), and his continued passion for the San Francisco Giants.

Hank’s tenuous stability is threatened by his mohawked, punk-rock neighbor Russ (Matt Smith), who entrusts Hank with caring for his feisty cat, “Bud” (Tonic the Cat), while he visits his ailing father in London. Hank confronts two unhinged Russian mobsters trying to break into Russ’s apartment, and they insist that Russ gave Hank something they want.

Hank is subsequently beaten to a pulp, losing a kidney in the process, along with any hope of peace and safety. Turns out Russ is involved in some shady business with the Russian mob and, more troublingly, the cutthroat Hasidic Drucker brothers (Liev Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio), who — as sympathetic but shady narcotics detective Roman (Regina King) informs him — he does not want to encounter if he wants to make it out alive.

Thus begins a blood-soaked comedy of errors with a high body count, as Hank encounters various idiosyncratic people throughout NYC who could quickly end his life.

When the stakes are tragically raised and a large sum of money comes into the picture, Hank must stand up for himself and fight for those he cares about, in a nihilistic crime thriller that also finds room to be resolutely pro-cat in between the grisly violence and frequent bursts of smugly anarchic humor.

“Caught Stealing” represents a departure from Aronofsky, who previously directed such films as “Black Swan,” “Mother!,” and, most recently, the emotionally cruel “The Whale.”

This film, on the other hand, takes a more traditionally entertaining approach, albeit not shying away from brutal beatdowns, crossfire casualties, and traumatic flashbacks.

Aronofsky maintains a tongue-in-cheek tone throughout the carnage, whisking us along to new, high-stakes scenarios as Hank fumbles his way through an increasingly convoluted story that prioritizes momentum over depth, becoming a compulsively watchable crime genre pastiche with little actual meaning.

Fortunately, the film’s ensemble and tactile stylings lift it above the story’s limitations. Butler is a near-perfect lead here, bringing a swagger belying palpable hurt that lends pathos to a character whose traumas are hammered home with obvious force.

Aronofsky and cinematographer Matthew Libatique keep the camera close to Butler, his facial expressions highlighting Hank’s “evolution” in a richer way than the screenplay affords.

Butler’s raw physicality and vulnerability suit the character well, making Hank’s repeated near-death escapes and ability to withstand gratuitous punishment easier to buy into, if only just.

Butler and Kravitz also have red-hot chemistry, particularly in the beginning when Aronofsky lets us sit with these characters for a bit before things spiral out of control. Smith gets time to shine as the perpetually disoriented, live-wire Russ, who slings a near-constant stream of obscenities and has a rather jumpy trigger finger.

Other turns from King, rapper-turned-actor Bad Bunny, and, especially Schreiber and D’Onofrio (clearly relishing their roles) help keep energy high and the film intermittently amusing through its twists and turns. 

“Caught Stealing” doesn’t have the patience to flesh out these characters organically, though; they’re fairly well-drawn but are quickly subsumed into the convoluted machinations of a plot that refuses to slow down once the first punch is thrown.

That’s not necessarily a negative — Aronofsky ensures the film always has some harsh spectacle waiting around the next corner, framed with a gnarly eye and complemented by production value that convincingly transports us back in time to the squalid city streets and dingy locales (although the setting is used more as a backdrop than a key part of the narrative). 

What the film can’t escape is a prevailing sense of pointlessness beyond in-the-moment thrills. “Caught Stealing” becomes rather generic by the end, neatly tying up its threads and rushing through a typically far-fetched climax.

For all its gruesome violence, self-satisfied humor, and sporadic moments of strange earnestness, Aronofsky’s film lacks a true “standout” element, eventually blending together and fading away once the credits roll (the credits are depicted with more eye-catching visual flair than most of the film itself).

But at least Aronofsky is trying something new, even if “Caught Stealing” is far from a clean getaway.

“Caught Stealing” is a 2025 darkly comedic action thriller directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Austin Butler, Regina King, Zoë Kravitz, Matt Smith, Liev Schreiber, Vincent D’Onofrio, Benito Martínez Ocasio, Griffin Dunne and Carol Kane. It’s rated R for strong violent content, pervasive language, some sexuality/nudity and brief drug use, and the run time is 1 hour, 47 minutes. It opens in theatres on Aug. 29.Alex’s Grade: C+

Austin Butler Drives Dark Comedy Action Thriller ‘Caught Stealing’

Austin Butler Drives Dark Comedy Action Thriller ‘Caught Stealing’

By Lynn Venhaus

Two lethal Hasidic Jews, two Russian mobster goons, a Latino gangster and a tough-talking cop walk into a grungy East Village bar in 1998 New York City, and mayhem ensues in a fast-paced bloody treasure hunt “Caught Stealing.”

Henry “Hank” Thompson (Austin Butler), a former jock who could have had a shot in the major leagues, is now tending bar in New York City’s Lower East Side, drinking way too much and tormented by what might have been. His neighbor Russ (Matt Smith) asked him to take care of his cat while he heads home because his father had a stroke. Without warning, Hank becomes embroiled in the criminal underworld.

Inexplicably, unlucky Hank’s life becomes a living hell. Butler, with his movie star charisma,  drives the film’s energy as the former golden boy tarnished by a messy life.

Embroiled in a violent “Wrong Man” type scenario, he leads a strong ensemble cast as disparate as mohawked Matt Smith as the Brit punk neighbor, Regina King as the hardboiled detective, Liev Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio as machine gun-toting Hebrews with Carol Kane as their Bubbe, a grungy Griffin Dunne as grizzled bar owner Paul, and feisty Zoe Kravitz as his charming paramedic girlfriend Yvonne.

Zoe Kravitz, Austin Butler.

Butler and Kravitz click with tangible chemistry, and the cast digs into the quirky characters developed by author Charlie Huston, in his Hank Thompson mystery trilogy, who also wrote the screenplay.

Because Huston followed his 2004 “Caught Stealing” with 2005’s “Six Bad Things,” and 2006’s “A Dangerous Man,” can a sequel be far behind? (In case you are wondering, Huston is the grandson of legendary film actor and director John Huston and nephew of actors Anjelica Huston and Danny Huston.)

That’s the thing about a book adaptation. We don’t get the rich backstories of what’s going on in people’s heads – it’s up to the cast to convey, with nuance and depth, their inner lives.

Director Darren Aronofsky, leans more into the bullets flying and full-throttle chaos and less into character development as we’re quickly plunged into this darkly comedic-action thriller with a high body count —similar to “Bullet Train” three years ago.

Regina King, Austin Butler.

As a summer wild ride that knocks off pieces of “John Wick,” “After Hours” and any Quentin Tarantino -Guy Ritchie crime caper is light on original style but heavy on unpredictable, but it suffices as an easy-to-digest movie relying on cast appeal.

The humor is interspersed with gruesome killings, so the tonal whiplash shift doesn’t always work.

Aronofsky, who has helmed “The Whale,” “The Wrestler,” “Black Swan,” “Noah” and “Requiem for a Dream,” may seem like an odd fit, but he nails the scruffiness of late ‘90s NYC.

Of course, he benefits from cinematographer Matthew Libatique’s keen eye for detail in Pre-Millennium times, and winks by including some of his favorite spots like the long gone Kim’s Video.

Crackerjack editing by Andrew Weisblum, accompanied by a pulsating score from Rob Simonsen, also helps with the atmosphere. 

Matt Smith, Butler.

Haunted by his past, including a career-shattering drunk driving accident  15 years ago, that fuels Hank’s decisions and re-occurring nightmares. He deals with a reckoning through the film that is only touched on, but developed more in the books.

A California transplant who roots for his beloved San Francisco Giants and talks to his devoted mother (Laura Dern, in uncredited cameo) almost daily, Hank is likable but has issues he needs to address.

The pair of bald thugs who first roughed him up (Nikita Kukushkin and Yuri Kolokolnikov) are relentless, then they are joined by an enforcer (Bad Bunny) with a time-stamped ultimatum.

Trying to stay alive takes precedence for Hank as his loved ones are in danger, and he must see an endgame, but it doesn’t seem in sight. These plot threads keep unraveling, leading to tedium.

Liev Shreiber, Vincent D’Onofrio, Butler.

With all these colorful characters, one appreciates their contributions, but the chase becomes a labyrinth, and the film starts running out of gas.

Still, more surprises are in store. Yet, the cat named Bud is a reliable scene-stealer (Tonic, from “Pet Sematary” reboot).

“Caught Stealing” is a rough ride, depending on how you tolerate violence.

However, Butler proves himself as a certifiable leading man, Oscar nominated for “Elvis” and trying hard to show a range (“Dune,” “The Bikeriders,” and Eddington”). He is such a winning presence as Hank that you want to follow him on his journeys. They set up the ending for a sequel.

Wherever Hank and Bud go, you hope they go together. And you can sense they will be magnets for trouble. And there’s enough of a crime caper here to keep us turning in an imperfect summer throwaway.

“Caught Stealing” is a 2025 darkly comedic action thriller directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Austin Butler, Regina King, Zoë Kravitz, Matt Smith, Liev Schreiber, Vincent D’Onofrio, Benito Martínez Ocasio, Griffin Dunne and Carol Kane. It’s rated R for strong violent content, pervasive language, some sexuality/nudity and brief drug use, and the run time is 1 hour, 47 minutes. It opens in theatres on Aug. 29. Lynn’s Grade: B-

Regina King’s ‘Shirley’ Earns CCA Women’s Committee’s SOFEE

Regina King’s ‘Shirley’ Earns CCA Women’s Committee’s SOFEE

The Critics Choice Association (CCA) Women’s Committee is pleased to announce that “Shirley” (Netflix) will receive the Seal of Female Empowerment in Entertainment. Called the “SOFEE,” the Seal recognizes outstanding new films and television series that illuminate the female experience and perspective through authentically told female-driven stories. 

Political trailblazer Shirley Chisholm was the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress and made the audacious move to run for President in 1972. This inspiring and empowering film sheds light on the barriers she broke throughout her political career, as well as the sustained strength and grace she displayed through trial and triumph. Academy Award-winning actress Regina King stars as the iconic congresswoman and also serves as the film’s producer.

“Crafting ‘Shirley’ for over 15 years has been a journey of passion and dedication,” said King. “We are deeply honored by the acknowledgement as we gear up to unveil our film. Shirley Chisholm’s legacy has been a beacon, urging women, particularly women of color, to reach for the extraordinary. We aspire for her narrative to embolden women globally. Grateful to the CCA for this recognition!”

Nominated by CCA Women’s Committee members, SOFEE qualifying projects will have a prominent female character arc, give female characters at least equal screen time to male characters, have female leaders behind the scenes, and pass elements highlighted in the Bechdel test. To be considered, new film and television releases must possess an artistic and storytelling value and exceptionality, and score at least 7 out of a possible 10 points in the SOFEE rubric, which can be found at CriticsChoice.com. 

The Seal of Female Empowerment in Entertainment is issued by the CCA Women’s Committee. Members include Tara McNamara (Chair), Hillary Atkin, Semira Ben-Amor, Christina Birro, Lauren Bradshaw, Jamie Broadnax, TJ Callahan, Catalina Combs, Ashley Dvorkin, Marriska Fernandes, Toni Gonzales, Teri Hart, Susan Kamyab, Destiny Jackson, Emma Loggins, Lilly Liu, Lucia Magi, Louisa Moore, Gayl Murphy, Mary Murphy, Sherin Nicole, Patricia Puentes, Christina Radish, Amanda Salas, Rachel Smith, Tessa Smith, Sammi Turano,  Lynn Venhaus, Lauren Veneziani, Federica Volpe, and Stacey Yvonne, as well as Board member Grae Drake.

About the Critics Choice Association (CCA) 
The Critics Choice Association is the largest critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 600 media critics and entertainment journalists. It was established in 2019 with the formal merger of the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association, recognizing the intersection between film, television, and streaming content. For more information, visit: www.CriticsChoice.com.

Stylish Western ‘The Harder They Fall’ Falters with Flat Story

Stylish Western ‘The Harder They Fall’ Falters with Flat Story

By Lynn Venhaus
A good-looking film with a kicky soundtrack, “The Harder They Fall” comes across as a bloody western shot like a music video.

It’s no surprise, because first-time director Jeymes Samuel, a music producer and singer-songwriter known as The Bullitts, is a protégé of Jay-Z and worked with him on “The Great Gatsby” soundtrack for director Baz Luhrmann. Under his real name, Shawn Carter, Jay-Z is one of the film’s producers.

Samuel demonstrates an appealing slick style, but sadly the well-worn story lacks substance. Co-written by veteran screenwriter Boaz Yakin and Samuel as a tale of revenge and robbery, it’s merely ordinary – without much character development, squanders the talents of its extraordinary cast that includes solid-gold Idris Elba, Regina King and Delroy Lindo, with rising stars Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz and LaKeith Stanfield, who just gets better with every role.

The lethal shoot-outs and blood-spurting showdowns, an integral part of the western genre, are repetitive and do little to advance a gripping story. Overall, the plot is run-of-the-mill, mostly predictable, except for the third act revelation.

It’s unfortunate because you want to root for this type of new western that spotlights black cowboys. Supposedly, on the western frontier, one in four cowboys were black, and they haven’t been given proper due in America’s history on ‘go west’ and the great migration.

In the beginning, the director states that the story is fiction, but the people existed. Most of the action takes place in Redwood City, which was a primarily black community.

Faring well in this film are emerging stars Danielle Deadwyler as Cuffee, who identifies as him and would like a career in law enforcement, and Edi Gathegi as Bill Pickett, a young trigger-happy hotshot.

RJ Cyler has a solid turn as sharpshooter Jim Beckworth as does Deon Cole as Wiley Escoe, but it is Majors’ film. His outlaw Nat Love, no matter how many times he’s intimidated or dismissed, is driven and relentless.

Playing a man of few words who acts quickly, Elba’s physicality is felt throughout, a foreboding presence from the opening scene where he takes down a family, to breaking out of chains in prison stripes, and then as a feared frontier gang leader.

An interesting twist is how fierce the women are – Regina King as “Treacherous Trudy” and Zazie Beetz as Stagecoach Mary. They take the bullets out of their guns and use their fists and hand-held weapons for a rip-roaring knock-down drag-out brutal fight.

With its attractive production elements, the movie benefits from cinematographer Mihai Malaimare Jr.            ‘s framing of these newly constructed towns, showcasing the period production design by Martin Whist, with editing by Tom Eagles. The violence is graphic – a blown-off arm here, an exploding head there.

Amid the dusty outdoors and bullet-ripped clothes, Antoinette Messam’s costume design features a wide range of interesting vintage hats and lived-in frontier wear, with a few striking dusters and coats adding to the characters’ stature. You can always pick out Nat Love because of his jaunty red kerchief.

Not to be confused with a 1956 movie of the same name starring Humphrey Bogart, “The Harder They Fall” unfortunately lacks staying power because it preferred style over substance.

“The Harder They Fall” is a 2021 western directed by Jaymes Samuel and stars Idris Elba, Jonathan Majors, Regina King, Zazie Beets, LaKeith Stanfield, Delroy Lindo and Danielle Deadwyler. Rated R for strong violence and language, the run time is 2 hours and 16 minutes. In theaters Oct. 22 and streaming on Netflix on Nov. 3. Lynn’s Grade: C+

‘Flag Day’ Gut-Wrenching Character Study With Star-in-Making Dylan Penn

‘Flag Day’ Gut-Wrenching Character Study With Star-in-Making Dylan Penn

By Lynn Venhaus
The title “Flag Day” is meant to be a metaphor about the American Dream. Who better to embody the flip side of that, with his usual white-hot intensity, than Sean Penn?

The two-time Oscar winner starred and directed this gut-wrenching character study and gets inside the head of a deeply flawed man, John Vogel, who scammed his way through adulthood. Vogel believed life was a grand adventure but was always seeking easy street — and felt he was owed la dolce vita.

Based on Jennifer Vogel’s 2004 memoir, “Flim-Flam Man: The True Story of My Father’s Counterfeit Life,” a complicated father-daughter dynamic takes place from 1975 to 1992, mostly in Minnesota, as she learns dad is more of a train wreck than the larger-than-life figure she thought.

This father of two opted for reckless decisions instead of responsibility, which affected his wife, son and daughter.

The realities of his desperation slowly crept into young Jennifer’s psyche, whose mournful voice is heard over the narration. This is her story, of how she salvaged a broken life and became ‘someone who mattered,” pursuing a career as a journalist.

In a masterful debut, Dylan Penn embodies Jennifer with a yearning, an aching sense of loss, and a moral center. She finds the darkness inside the character as well as the light. Dylan, the 30-year-old daughter of Sean and former wife Robin Wright, is a striking, soulful beauty reminiscent of her mother.

The story, which we know won’t end well, is told in flashback. Screenwriters Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth, who wrote “Fair Game” starring Penn and 2019’s smash hit “Ford vs. Ferrari,” have created an emotional connection that some viewers will relate to – because not everyone grew up in a “Leave It to Beaver” sitcom family household.

Golden-hued memories of idyllic summers at one of Minnesota’s lakes contrast family turmoil. After dad left a trail of unpaid bills and broken promises, he split. But mom, Patty (Katheryn Wittock) descended into a bottle, neglecting the kids.

Those who did not have a safe, secure childhood can relate, and identify with Jennifer finding her voice as she struggles to survive the past, but also of that inescapable bond between parent and child.

Jennifer and her brother Nick see-saw between parents and when teenagers, emerge as the brother-and-sister Penns – Dylan is a punk-goth teen by now. Nick is played by Dylan’s younger brother, Hopper Jack Penn.

In the flashbacks, sweet performances are delivered by Addison Tymec, at 6, and Jadyn Rylee, from 11 to 13, as young Jennifer, and Beckam Crawford as young Nick, age 9-11.

In his sixth directorial effort – and first one featuring him acting, Penn covers a lot of ground. While he is especially good in the interactions with his daughter, he also lapses into proud dad behind the director’s chair, perhaps a little too indulgent with camera time on Dylan. She is, though, destined for stardom.

This might not be in the same league as his best work, “Into the Wild” in 2007, but Penn is a smart storyteller.

One of the film’s drawbacks is the brief turns by accomplished actors. Josh Brolin is part of two scenes as Vogel’s brother Beck (he and Penn worked together on “Milk”) and you want more of him. Regina King is a federal agent and St. Louis’ own, two-time Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz, plays against type as mom’s creepy boyfriend who attempts to assault Jennifer.

When mom turns a blind eye, Jennifer takes off to live with dad, and while she tries to steer him to a normal routine, that ends with more lies, schemes and a prison sentence for armed robbery. He can no longer fool his daughter.

Jennifer’s redemption and John’s lack of is how the film crawls to its inevitable conclusion, as Vogel is targeted by U.S. Marshals after counterfeiting $22 million. He was the most notorious counterfeiter in U.S. history and the subject of an “Unsolved Mysteries” in May 1995.

Melancholy tinges nearly the entire production, but there are moments of love and joy, and some glimmers of hope.

Cinematographer Danny Moder excels at capturing the youthful nostalgia and the patriotic pageantry of American holidays celebrated by many municipalities across the land.

The music is a high point, from composer Joseph Vitarelli and featuring acoustic songs written by Cat Powers, Glen Hansard (“Once”) and Eddie Vedder.

But the main takeaway is a haunting father-daughter story made more poignant by the talent and skills of a real father and daughter.

“Flag Day” is a 2021 true crime drama directed by Sean Penn and starring Dylan Penn, Sean Penn, Katherine Wittock, Hopper Jack Penn, Regina King, Josh Brolin, Bailey Noble, Norbert Leo Butz and Eddie Marsan. Rated R for language, some drug use and violent content, with a run time of 1 hour, 49 minutes. After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, the film opens in theaters on Aug. 27. Lynn’s Grade: B+.

Actors Triumph in Memorable ‘One Night in Miami’

Actors Triumph in Memorable ‘One Night in Miami’

By Lynn Venhaus
A play-based drama imagines conversations between four black icons during a crucial time in the civil rights fight.

Playwright Kemp Powers adapted his 2013 stage play, “One Night in Miami,” which set their fictional meeting on Feb. 25, 1964, after Cassius Clay (Eli Goree) emerged as the new heavyweight boxing champion by defeating Sonny Liston at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Joining him afterwards at the Hampton House Motel in the African American Overtown neighborhood is activist Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), singer Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.) and legendary NFL running back Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge).

These influential black men discuss their responsibility and roles in the burgeoning civil rights movement.

On the cusp of the cultural upheaval of the 1960s, four famous black men feel pressured as symbols, trying to determine how to support equality and empower others through their celebrity.

The discussions are thought-provoking throughout, even though the film can’t quite shake its theatrical roots. But it’s the performances that galvanize “One Night in Miami.” One of the finest ensembles of the year features four young talents establishing their value, and each is riveting.

Kingsley Ben-Adir is fire and brimstone as Malcolm X, whose heated exchanges with Cooke do lead to a new direction for the singer, as shown later in “A Change Is Gonna Come” performed on “The Tonight Show.”

As the confident Malcolm X, Ben-Adir, however, expresses doubt and grapples with loyalty to the Nation of Islam.

Eli Goree, a veteran of TV’s “Ballers” and “Riverdale,” nails the glibness and distinct cadence of Clay, who is mulling over his decision to become Muhammad Ali.

Leslie Odom Jr., Tony winner as Aaron Burr in “Hamilton,” is electric as soul music pioneer Cooke, smoothly delivering several hits. A flashback to him salvaging a live show with an a capella “Chain Gang” is one of the film’s highlights.

Aldis Hodge, long a secret weapon in films, imbues his Brown with more anger and depth as he debates a future beyond football. In one of the film’s most significant scenes, he is humiliated by a wealthy bigot (Beau Bridges) during the Jim Crow era.

Oscar-winning actress Regina King, making her directorial debut, just gives her actors room to breathe. And the dialogue crackles, resonating beyond that night and emphasizing the impact these men had in their lives. 

By the end of the year, Malcolm X was assassinated and Cooke was killed in a sketchy incident – and the athletes became two of the greatest there ever was.

This evening may have taken place nearly 57 years ago but it feels timely. It’s definitely a conversation-starter for any age.

“One Night in Miami” is a drama based on Kemp Powers’ play, directed by Regina King and starring Kingsley Ben-Adir, Leslie Odom Jr., Aldis Hodge and Eli Goree. Rated R for language throughout, the movie’s run-time is 1 hr. 54 min. Lynn’s Grade: B+
Now playing in theatres and on Amazon Prime Jan. 15