Caught Stealing - Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

Caught Stealing



Movie:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score:



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Movie
Darren Aronofsky is one of those directors who is hit or miss for me, with most of his films leaning towards the “miss” category. He’s a genuinely unique director who has a taste for arthouse filmmaking and crafting some wildly inventive visuals, but he’s not what I would generally consider a filmmaker who is widely accepted by the general public. He’s a niche director with an incredible bevy of cult classic films, but he doesn’t always jive for me. For every film that resonates like The Wrestler and The Whale, there is Noah, The Fountain, Mother!. He makes his films FOR him, and does so with great skill and gusto, but I haven’t really been in love with most of his films. So when I received a copy of Caught Stealing in the mail from Sony, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew that it was written and taken from the Novel by Charlie Huston, but I wasn’t sure if it would be an incomprehensible blur of visual storytelling, or whether it would be something I actually enjoyed. And while I’m not going to rate it as high as The Wrestler or The Whale, I will say that this is probably the most “normal” film that he’s done in his entire career (outside of possibly The Whale).

Set in 1998 New York, Hank Thompson (Austin Butler) is a washed-up baseball prodigy who has ended up slumming it as a dive bartender after a brutal accident a few years prior that ruined his dreams of making it to the big leagues. His on-again, off-again fling with Yvonne (Zoe Kravitz) is the one bright spot in his universe outside of watching the Giants make their attempt at glory. However, things go sideways for the kid when his punk rock neighbor, Russ (Matt Smith), drops his cat off at Hank’s apartment and tells him that he’ll be back in a few days, as he needs to visit his dying father in London. Simple, right?

Well, things are not so simple as they seem, as that very same day, Russ (and Hank by proximity) is visited by a group of Russian mobsters who seem intent on finding something that Russ had in his position. Accidentally getting caught up in things, Hank gets the crap beaten out of him by the gangster, only to find out that they’re not going to let him off the hook. It seems that Russ had a key to a storage locker filled with cash that the Russian mobsters REALLY want to get back, and they’re not exactly believing Hank that he has nothing to do with it. Plus, a group of Hasidic mobsters (played hilariously by Vincent D’Onofrio and Liev Schreiber) want in on the action, too. Now it’s up to Hank to figure out a way to play both sides against the other in hopes that he can make it out the other side in one piece. That is, if he doesn’t die by dirty cops, Russ’s insane stupidity, or just by sheer happenstance for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I’m not going to act like Caught Stealing is Oscar award-winning, but it’s a fun modern-day (ish) gangster movie that reminds me of a hybrid between Guy Ritchie monologuing and the twists and turns of Lucky Number Slevin. Quirky, fun, and definitely a little bit strange, Caught Stealing manages to be the most publicly accessible film out of ALL of Aronofsky’s filmography. It gets brutal and violent at times, while balanced out with wry humor and a biting wit that really will appeal to Guy Ritchie fans. The plot setup is brief and simple, kick-starting us into the thick of things within a few minutes. But as each act of the film progresses, there’s this peeling back of layers as you find out more and more about how things are working, and how things will work out. Again, maybe not Oscar-winning, but certainly quite a fun romp.

The cast is star-studded, with cameo appearances by the above-mentioned Vincent D’Onofrio and Liev Schreiber, as well as Regina King playing a dirty cop, Matt Smith absolutely having a BALL as Russ the mohawked punk rocker, and even Carol Kane shows up as a lovable Jewish Bubbe. My only real complaint about the film is that he last act wraps up a bit TOO nicely. Almost as if Aronofsky wanted the film to end quickly and without any hubbub. And while it works, it just doesn’t feel perfect for the vibe that the movie put out the rest of the time. Maybe I’m just used to twisted endings in gangster films, but this was just a simple “the good guy wins” ending that I wasn’t expecting. Possibly, I’ll change my mind on subsequent viewings.




Rating:

Rated R for strong violent content, pervasive language, some sexuality/nudity, and brief drug use.





Video:

Shot using 8K digital cameras and rendered down to a 4K digital intermediate for the home video release, Caught Stealing looks fantastic on Blu-ray. While I would have loved to have compared it against the 4K UHD disc, the Blu-ray certainly looks quite fetching. Heavily stylized with that grungy 1990s New York vibe, and layered with a faux grain structure to go with it, the film is not going to pop in the color department except for a few outdoor sequences. Most of the flick is shot in low light or nighttime as Hank gets off his bar shift. Daylight sequences are almost a little dreamy, with slightly boosted highlights and some pops of color when the Haisidic gangster pops off at the wedding meetup. Black levels are unusually good, with no major signs of crush or banding, and skin details are impressive. Again, a few dreamy-looking shots can be a bit soft, but other than that, this is a fantastic release.









Audio:

Like usual, Sony relegates the Blu-ray to “plain” 5.1 DTS-HD MA while giving the 4K UHD disc the Atmos treatment. But like most Sony 5.1 tracks, they’re not exactly lacking in any department. It’s a fairly active mix with a lot of chaotic activity going on, so the surrounds are filled with use most of the time. Especially when Hank is trying to fight off a Russian gangster, rush through the New York traffic in a dead-end collision, and, of course, getting shot at every few minutes. Dialog is crisp and clean as expected, and the LFE is subtle. It most certainly comes out to play when things get violent, but strangely enough, it acts more as an accentuation to the activities going on rather than trying to be a main character. Smooth, clean, and deep, but not as wild and in your face as you would expect for a film of this time.









Extras:

• Aronofsky: The Real Deal - Director Darren Aronofsky and Screenwriter/Author Charlie Huston explore the genesis of the film, the process of adaptation, and how to keep audiences guessing.
• Casting Criminals, Chaos, and a Cat - Austin Butler leads an incredible ensemble of actors – hear from the cast & crew on their characters, filming on set, and more!
• New York Story - From nosy neighbors to Black & White cookies, Caught Stealing is a love letter to New York.
• I Don’t Drive - Whether he's running through traffic or hanging from a sixth-story balcony, Austin Butler brought an intense physicality to his performance as washed-up baseball player Hank Thompson.

Final Score:

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Maybe not typical Aronofsky, but Caught Stealing was a pleasant surprise for yours truly. It was an adrenaline-filled thrill ride from beginning to end, with plenty of action and just enough wry humor to keep things interesting. I’ve never read any of Charlie Huston’s novels, but now I’m really curious to check out the book and see how close it was to the movie. Either way, if you’re a fan of Guy Ritchie type films, then I feel this might be right up your alley. As a huge fan of the aforementioned director and Lucky # Slevin, I had a blast with the film, and the excellent audio/video specs don’t hurt either. Recommended as a fun watch.


Technical Specifications:

Starring: Austin Butler, Dominique Silver, Matt Smith, Zoe Kravitz, Regina King, Liev Schreiber, Vincent D'Onofrio, Bad Bunny, Carol Kane
Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Written by: Charlie Huston
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 AVC
Audio: English: DTS-HD MA 5.1, French, Thai DTS-HD MA 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, English, Spanish, French
Studio: Sony
Rated: R
Runtime: 107 minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: November 11th, 2025

Recommendation: Fun Watch

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