Even though filmmaker Darren Aronofsky achieved recognition during the late 1990s and early 2000s as a movie director, he never attempted to capitalize on the success of pulpy criminal films that resulted from the pop cultural impact of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, which often permeated cinema during this era. However, in 2025, Aronofsky, captivated by Charlie Huston’s novel, Caught Stealing, decided to apply his skills in adapting the pulp thriller, with, of course, an adapted screenplay by Huston himself. The result is a fun, dark, and exciting movie that recaptures the pulpy spirit Tarantino and his contemporaries, such as Guy Ritchie, reinvigorated in cinema during this particular period. Caught Stealing is definitely Aronofsky’s most enjoyable entry, and that is because he has an outstanding sense of what makes these types of stories work and how they captivate the imaginations of people who enjoy this genre of fiction.
Taking place in 1998, former baseball player and now down-on-his-luck dive bartender Henry “Hank” Thompson ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time. His neighbor, Russ (Matt Smith), a charming punk rocker and solid apartment mate, asks Hank to care for his cat while he must leave town to see his ailing father in London. While that responsibility seems simple enough, Hank soon discovers that Russ is involved with all the wrong kinds of criminals who are desperately seeking a massive sum of money that Russ had promised to deliver. These particular sorts of undesirables attack Hank and demand answers for which Hank has no clue. So, Hank must take care of the cat while uncovering the truth behind Russ’s more nefarious activities.
I had an absolute blast with this movie. Aronofsky takes Huston’s story and makes it feel very genuine and critical. At the same time, Huston and Aronofsky include the dark humor one would expect from this type of story. This film really took me back to an era where I was discovering and loving what independent cinema had to offer. There are definite shades of Tarantino and Ritchie (his earlier films) within this movie. For example, Hank is a sad sack, out of his element, but is willing to participate in the game to remain alive. During this journey, he encounters a variety of crazy and entertaining criminal characters who, while they have a job to do, do it in some hilarious and thrilling ways.
Austin Butler, who first caught my attention in Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, gets to shine here. He does an outstanding job portraying Hank, a man who frequently finds himself in stressful situations, some of which are self-inflicted. I also loved seeing Matt Smith portray the punk rock-inspired Russ, a character entangled in the criminal underworld, but probably shouldn’t be, because he just isn’t all that smart. He certainly feels like he belongs in an old Guy Richie flick like the ones that made Ritchie famous.
I also enjoyed the sardonic wit that Zoe Kravitz brings to her character, Yvonne, Hank’s love interest, who often calls out Hank on his missteps. The movie also features some amusing turns by Liev Schreiber, Vincent D’Onofrio, Regina King, Benito A. Martinez Ocasio (also known as Bad Bunny), and Carol Kane.
Although there isn’t a lot of depth to this movie, except for Hank’s arc, I still had a great time. I highly recommend Caught Stealing for those who enjoyed the film that emerged following Reservoir Dogs, True Romance, and Pulp Fiction because, despite the violence and dark themes, these films were often exciting, provocative, and fun.