Caught Stealing directed by Darren Aronofsky, is a tale of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, making the wrong choices in tough situations, and taking responsibility for those actions.
The film follows former baseball superstar Hank Thompson (Austin Butler) as his life completely unravels. Caught Stealing begins with Hank’s punk & eccentric neighbor, Russ (Matt Smith), forcing Hank to cat-sit for him while he’s out of town. Unbeknownst to Hank, Russ is involved in some undesirable business: the drug dealing sort. With Russ nowhere to be found, his unfriendly associates go to Hank for answers. When confronted, Hank is clueless. He doesn’t know who these people are and can’t give them what they want. Without getting into further spoilers, the film pushes Hank to every extreme as he desperately attempts to fulfil the gangsters’ demands.
Caught Stealing keeps you on your toes, as about 30 minutes in you realize that they’re willing to let anybody die at any time. Additionally, it has a great visual quality. The fight scenes are well choreographed, you can feel the impact of every hit. The scenery ranges from cluttered rooms to some immersive urban landscapes. One particular wide-shot that caught my attention was of Hank climbing along the side of a building. It was recorded on a drone at least fifty feet in the air, displaying the extreme danger Hank was in while trying to avoid being seen.
However, the biggest show stealer is Russ’ cat Bud, who Hank is left to cat-sit. Throughout the entire film, you’re on the edge of your seat praying that nothing bad happens to this cute cat. Just like Hank, Bud’s life was also upended into a dumpster fire. He’s tossed around from person to person, treated poorly by some, and you have no clue as to whether things will end well for him. Bud acts as a parallel to Hank. Bud’s safety is completely tied to Hanks. Whenever the audience is left unaware of Bud’s well-being, that is when Hank is at his worst and you question if that is where his story will end. Most importantly, just like Bud, Hank is a runner. He dodges, escapes, and hides, but that is his biggest fault. When he runs away, he leaves others behind.
Caught Stealing tests one’s ability to take responsibility for their actions. Hank struggles to take responsibility for his actions throughout the film, viewing himself as a victim of his circumstances. Even though many awful and traumatic incidents happen, through no fault of his own, Hank’s reactions to these events still end up harming those around him, as he prioritizes his own safety above all else. Unless Hank can take responsibility for that harm, he will be stuck in a never ending loop of pain. It’s up to you to watch Caught Stealing to learn if he does.
Caught Stealing is a great film, a 9 out of 10. It’s my fifth highest ranking movie of 2025, just under Thunderbolts, Weapons, Sinners, & Superman.
