Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan, The Whale) directs this comedic crime-thriller written by Charlie Huston (All Signs of Death) based on their 2004 novel about ex-baseball player Hank Thompson (Austin Butler) who inadvertently becomes embroiled in New York’s criminal underworld. (107 min.)
CAUGHT STEALING
What’s it rated? R
What’s it worth, Anna? Full price
What’s it worth, Glen? Full price
Where’s it showing? Colony, Downtown Centre, Park, Stadium 10
Glen Henry “Hank” Thompson has demons in his closet. The once promising California high school ballplayer poised be drafted into the majors was sidelined by an injury and now lives in Lower East Side Manhattan, circa 1998, apparently during the city’s notorious garbage strike. Aronofsky’s depiction of the city is gritty, and the dive bar Hank works in is grittier still. About the only bright thing in Hank’s otherwise gloomy, neon-light-tinged life is his budding relationship with sexy paramedic Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz). Things go from driftless to dangerous after Hank’s next-door neighbor, mohawk-sporting British punk Russ (Matt Smith), leaves his cat, Bud (Tonic, a very fine feline actor), with Hank when he rushes home to his dying father in London. Soon two Russian mobsters—Aleksei (Yuri Kolokolnikov) and Pavel (Nikita Kukushkin)—show up looking for Russ and decide Hank knows something. Over the next week or so, Hank will encounter confrontational Detective Roman (Regina King), dangerously criminal Hasidic brothers Lipa (Liev Schreiber) and Shmully Drucker (Vincent D’Onofrio), and Puerto Rican gangster Colorado (Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio). With pressure coming from all sides, Hank must tap into his former athletic promise and competitive tenacity to fight his way through.
Anna Hank is a mama’s boy—we hear her voice (Laura Dern) on his answering machine, always ending every love-soaked message with “Go Giants!” Even Yvonne doesn’t know what to think of Hank sometimes. He seems nice enough, but clearly he’s haunted and uses booze to push away the pain more frequently than he’ll admit. At first, he’s annoyed with his new task of taking care of Bud, but we slowly see his protective layers stripped away as he works to keep himself and Bud safe. Whoever Russ is tangled up with is bad news, and Hank realizes he may just have to out-crook the crooks to make it out alive. This film does such a great job of painting a picture of gritty ’90s New York, from Hank’s dark and rundown apartment to the garbage-strewn streets. This film certainly felt less weird and disturbing than some of Aronofsky’s other works (I’m looking at you, Mother!) but still offers a taste of life’s underbelly. I thought Austin did a fantastic job—just the right mix of vulnerability and desperation.
Glen The story is about Hank learning to take responsibility for his life. Over the course of several harrowing days, he comes to own his past and present mistakes. The tale is also filled with engaging characters. I loved the Drucker brothers, who are real anomalies with a unique morality. When they speak in Yiddish to each other, we can read the subtitles while Hank remains in the dark to their intentions. Carol Kane is wonderful as the Druckers’ Bubbe, who makes them all matzo ball soup. Griffin Dunne is terrific as Hank’s drugged-out hippie bar owner, Paul. So many fully realized characters. It’s a tribute to Charlie Huston’s brilliant story.
Anna The film’s inspired me to read Huston’s work. Hank has buried what he believes about himself so deeply that when it comes bubbling up, he can’t help but turn into the spin and hope to survive. Even if Aronofsky’s other work has been too intense for you, give Caught Stealing a go. It benefits from the author’s intimate knowledge of the characters and a fantastic cast. ∆
Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Split Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Sept 4-14, 2025.