JEANNE’S REVIEW

 

Darren Aronofsky has assembled an absolutely stellar cast, including Tonic, the cat who plays Bud, in his newest effort, CAUGHT STEALING. Based on the novel Caught Stealing by Charlie Huston, who also penned the screenplay, this dark comedy also happens to be an excellent crime thriller.

 

Austin Butler stars as Henry “Hank” Thompson, a bartender in a Lower East Side establishment in New York City in 1998 owned by Paul (Griffin Dunne), an over-the-hill hippie. His paramedic girlfriend, Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz), wants him to get his act together, but before he can even attempt to do that, he is nearly beaten to death by two Russian thugs, Aleksei (Yuri Kolokolnikov) and Pavel (Nikita Kukushkin), who work for Colorado (Benito A

Martínez Ocasio, aka Bad Bunny), the owner of several nightclubs.

 

Aleksei and Pavel are really after Russ (Matt Smith), Hank’s next-door neighbor. But Russ has a dying father in London, so off he goes, leaving Hank with his cat Bud and Bud’s litterbox. Aleksei and Pavel are looking for something and they think Hank knows where it’s being hidden by Russ --- thus the beating.

 

When the police get involved, Detective Roman (Regina King) warns Hank that he should be more worried about the Orthodox Jewish Drucker brothers, Lipa (Liev Schreiber) and Shmully (Vincent D’Onofrio). They’re after the same thing as Colorado and his henchmen --- and none of them will stop until it is in their possession.

 

The title CAUGHT STEALING has a double meaning. It becomes obvious that Russ has been stealing drugs and money. And Hank was a star baseball player destined to be drafted right after high school. But a devastating car crash which still haunts him put an end to that. He’s devoted to his favorite team, the San Francisco Giants, and speaks daily to his mom, who lives in Patterson, California.

 

CAUGHT STEALING boasts an amazing cast, but it is Butler who drives Aronofsky’s film. He has such a phenomenal screen presence --- and it isn’t just about his looks. He’s a terrific actor and it’s totally believable when he admits he’s scared to death of being in this current dilemma. Hank’s relationship with Yvonne is tender and sweet --- Butler and Kravitz have great chemistry. And yet, his determination to keep Bud safe and alive --- along with himself --- becomes Hank’s main focus and Butler definitely delivers.

 

Tonic as Bud is one adorable feline --- such a “Shana Punam” (pretty face). At one point in the movie, it is mentioned that Hank and Bud have the same eyes --- they are rather beautiful and green. Butler and Tonic are just too cute together, especially in the midst of all the violence. And CAUGHT STEALING is very violent --- and also very funny.

 

The Drucker brothers may be stone-cold killers, but they love their Bubbe, played deliciously by Carol Kane. The scene where Hank tries to eat matzo ball soup sitting between Lipa and Shmully while Bubbe watches is  hilarious. Schreiber and D’Onofrio are pure scene stealers along with Kane. Smith is equally entertaining as the mohawk-sporting Russ, who is ultimately responsible for this entire mess.

 

A spectacular score by Rob Simonsen, along with original songs by the post-punk band Idles, keeps pace with this fast-moving thriller. It’s a wild ride definitely worth a trip to the theater.

 

                  Opening in theaters August 29th

 

Opinion: See It Now!

 

DAVID’S REVIEW

 

This must be the year for movie titles to have double entendres affiliated with sports. Last week we reviewed THE SHORT GAME (obviously referring to golf) and now we have CAUGHT STEALING with an equally obvious reference to baseball. But the two films couldn’t be more different.

 

The baseball meaning to CAUGHT STEALING is very appropriate because its lead star, Austin Butler, plays an ex-high school phenom ball player named Hank Thompson. Hank is potentially a high draft choice by Major League baseball, but a terrible car accident derails that dream.

 

The movie’s title is also a reference to multiple criminal activities, featuring a plethora of veteran actors playing, that’s right, criminals. CAUGHT STEALING is superbly entertaining, beginning with Butler and his super good looks, plus a head of hair most men would kill for. Butler is a riveting performer who dominates every scene. The main challenge to Butler’s screen presence is a cat named Bud (real name Tonic who was rescued from the streets at 10 months.) Tonic made his cinematic debut in Stephen King’s PET SEMATARY in 2019 and is trained by Melissa Millett.

 

This movie, directed by Darren Aronofsky with a screenplay by Charlie Huston based on his own novel, has a lot going for it. It earns its “R” rating because of language, but mostly because of its extreme violence and sadism.

 

Zoë Kravitz plays Yvonne, Hank’s girlfriend. Whenever Yvonne leaves Hank’s apartment to go home, he says “Call you tomorrow?” and she answers “You have my number.” They make a credibly cute couple.

 

Hank bartends in New York City’s Lower East Side in 1998. He seems reasonably satisfied with his lot in life now that baseball is over, but he has some serious demons. Hank is close with his mother and they end their frequent phone calls with “Go Giants” (San Francisco, that is). Her identity will be revealed at the film’s end and it’s unexpected.

 

CAUGHT STEALING features wild car chases, a lively bar and some really nasty individuals. Matt Smith as Russ is not one of those, but the actor from TV’s “The Crown” is almost unrecognizable with his multi-colored mohawk. Russ implores Hank, his next-door neighbor, to take care of his cat (the aforementioned Bud) while he leaves to visit his dying father in London. This is the pivotal moment in Huston’s screenplay where everything changes for Hank. And not necessarily for the better.

 

Regina King portrays tough talking police detective Elise Roman. She is a bit of an enigma and her character is at the center of a major plot twist. Other cast members of note are Vincent D’Onofrio and Liev Schreiber as Hasidic Jews Shmully and Lipa. The two are brothers who are described accurately as “scary monsters”. Another criminal chasing Hank is a drug dealer named Colorado, played by Benito A Martínez Ocasio, aka the singer Bad Bunny.

 

Colorado is associated with two Russian thugs, Pavel (Nikita Kukushkin) and Aleksei (Yuri Kolokolnikov) who confront Hank at his apartment and it’s not pretty. Pavel is particularly thuggish --- you will understand when you see this film. Griffin Dunne plays Paul, Hank’s boss and owner of the bar. He does cocaine after hours with a couple of his cronies.

 

All the bad guys herein are after some serious loot --- $4 million to be exact. But a key is the “key” to who gets the money, and this is where Bud comes in.

 

I can’t say enough about Butler’s performance. His on-screen charisma is as real as any actor working today, or even in the past for that matter. Hank is desperately trying to cope with a tragic car accident where he was the driver.  Butler manages to summon tears at will. But he’s not alone. The entire ensemble makes CAUGHT STEALING a must see.

 

Much of the original music is by the post-punk band Idles. Aronofsky, a fan, met them while a guest on the Jimmy Fallon show. Huston’s story is seamless with enough humor to ease the more dire moments, and the colorful array of characters are always entertaining. If violence is not too bothersome for you, CAUGHT STEALING is decidedly worth your attention.

 

            Opening in theaters August 29th

 

Opinion: See It Now!