Gritty. Grimy. Twisty. Turny.<\/p>\n
\u201cCaught Stealing,\u201d a dramatic thriller <\/a>starring Austin Butler, is typical Darren Aronofsky<\/a> getting down in the muck of a situation to give a film a sense of reality.<\/p>\n This film, though not without flaws, is no different. Aronofsky, directing from a script adapted from Charlie Huston’s novel, puts its lead character Hank Thompson \u2014 a former baseball phenom \u2014 through hell courtesy of a bunch of shady New York City underworld characters in 1998.<\/p>\n Hank (Butler), once a top prospect in the 1987 Major League Baseball draft before a car accident ended his dream, has traded his small Northern California hometown for life as a bartender in New York. He still cheers for his beloved San Francisco Giants and still longs for that dream that got away.<\/p>\n Austin Butler stars in Darren Aronofsky’s “Caught Stealing,” opening in theaters Friday, Aug. 29.<\/p>\n His life becomes much more of a nightmare, however, when his neighbor, Russell (an unrecognizable Matt Smith of \u201cDoctor Who\u201d fame), asks him to take care of his cat. A couple of days later, an unsavory Russian organized crime types show up looking for Russell, who\u2019s jetted off to London to see to his ailing father, just as Hank is entering Russell\u2019s apartment looking for cat food.<\/p>\n They assume Hank knows his neighbor\u2019s business \u2013 a huge assumption \u2013 and when he can\u2019t answer any questions, they promptly beat him to a pulp costing him a kidney. Thankfully he has Yvonne (Zoe Kravitz) at his side. She serves as a nurse and a voice of reason, suggesting the borderline alcoholic get his life together.<\/p>\n In all fairness, he\u2019s trying. Fate, however, won\u2019t let him.<\/p>\n The Russians prove to be relentless and when he eventually enlists the aid of New York police Det. Roman (the formidable Regina King<\/a>), she promptly warns him that where there are overzealous Russians. Their business partners in the drug trade, more zealous Orthodox Jews in the persons of brothers Shmully (Vincent D\u2019Onofrio<\/a>) and Lipa (Liev Schreiber), follow.<\/p>\n Hank\u2019s time in Hell is prolonged. Eventually he finds himself tied up in all of their business when Russ returns to explain it all.<\/p>\n The lure in \u201cCaught Stealing\u201d is seeing just how Hank is going to get out of a jam not of his own making and it proves to be a messy, violent trip with plenty of collateral damage. But beneath the violent veneer is something more.<\/p>\n Aronofsky and Huston take the opportunity to explore the circular nature of life and contemplate moving on after making seemingly fatal mistakes.<\/p>\n Zoe Kravitz, left, and Austin Butler star in Darren Aronofsky’s “Caught Stealing,” opening in theaters Friday, Aug. 29.<\/p>\n He\u2019s extremely effective in exploring the topic and in doing so explores the humanity and motives of his characters.<\/p>\n That\u2019s especially the case for Hank, a role that Butler, who continues to impress with his choices in projects, inhabits. In some respects, Hank is like a lost puppy, he\u2019s na\u00efve and oblivious to anything but his past mistakes. Butler delivers the performance necessary to convey that.<\/p>\n He receives plenty of help with a stellar supporting cast as Oscar-winner King (\u201cIf Beale Street Could Talk,\u201d \u201cWatchmen\u201d) provides her usual gravitas with a formidable performance. And<\/p>\n Ultimately, Aronofsky and his collaborators deliver a satisfying, flawed thriller that possesses more than what\u2019s on the surface.<\/p>\n George M. Thomas covers a myriad of things including sports and pop culture, but mostly sports, he thinks, for the Beacon Journal.<\/p>\n Movie: \u201cCaught Stealing\u201d<\/p>\n Cast: Austin Butler, Regina Davis, Vincent D\u2019Onofrio, Liev Schreiber<\/p>\n Directed by: Darren Aronofsky<\/p>\n Running time: 1 hour 47 minutes<\/p>\n Rated: R for strong violent content, pervasive language, some sexuality\/nudity and brief drug use.<\/p>\n Grade: B<\/p>\n<\/span><\/div>\n
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