I only knew a few things about the movie Caught Stealing when I went to see it. 1. Hank was a High School Baseball star who is no longer able to play. 2. He is a bartender in New York. 3. His neighbor is an old school Punk and played by Matt Smith. 4. Hank gets asked to watch his neighbor’s cat and gets mixed up in something. That was enough for me to want to see it, and I hope the same is true for you.
If that isn’t enough to pique your interest, allow me to give you more reasons to check out this movie. Adapted from the book of the same name by Charlie Huston, we are given a story set in the late 1990s on the Lower East Side of New York City, New York where the city is almost a character in the story itself. You can see the love and the memories Director Darren Aronofsky has for New York.
Hank, Austin Butler, is obviously a transplant from California, with blonde hair a casual approach to life, and a friendly greeting by name to everyone he knows. He is content with his life, his girlfriend Yvonne, Zoë Kravitz, is a confident woman who accepts Hank and is beginning to push for the two of them to move the relationship and themselves forward in adulthood. After long day of work for them both they head to Hank’s and find his neighbor Russ, Matt Smith, leaving a note to ask Hank to watch his cat. Russ’s Dad is not well, and he is rushing off to the UK to be with him. Hank isn’t so keen as Buddy is a biter, Yvonne loves the idea and brings the cat and litter box into Hank’s apartment. The next morning Hank and another neighbor, Duane, hear people outside Russ’s door. When Hank tells them Russ has left the country Pavel, Nikita Kukushkin, and Aleksei, Yuri Kolokolnikov, take their frustration out on him, until Duan threatens to call the cops. Things kick off from this point of what is Russ involved in, who can be trusted, is anything anyone says the truth?
The visuals in the film are raw and gritty, such as when Hank has overindulged to the point of being sick and the multiple dead bodies that are part of the story. It offers a comparable glimpse into the darker, more unvarnished aspects of life, like Trainspotting does. There is also a bit of ‘adult time’ between Hank and Yvonne, so be aware of who you are sitting near in the theater if that can trigger you.
The characters are expected and unexpected versions of people you would find in New York City at the time. The unexpected being more about not 100% in following their culture without pushing the boundary past being believable. While the expected are not characters from other stories, yet what other movies, shows, and books have taught us exist. The cast embraces their characters and made it look like they had a lot of fun while filming. With two other stories about the main character, I hope there will be more movies coming.
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Cast: Austin Butler, Regina King, Zoë Kravitz
MPAA Rating: Rated R for strong violent content, pervasive language, some sexuality/nudity, and brief drug use.
Selig Rating: 5 stars
Runtime: 1h 47m
Release Date: August 29, 2025
Genre(s): Comedy, Crime, Thriller
Movie Site: Caught Stealing website
Trailer: Caught Stealing trailer
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.
4 Stars – Good movie/show
3 Stars – OK movie/show
2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…
1 Star – Total waste of time.