Caught Stealing Movie Review

Released: 29th August 2025 (UK and US)

Length: 107 Minutes

Certificate: 15

Director: Darren Aronofsky

Starring: Austin Butler, Matt Smith, Zoë Kravitz, Regina King Liev Schrieber and Vincent D'Onofrio

For more than two decades Darren Aronofsky has stood out in modern cinema with his unapologetic and often merciless portrayals of adult themes. With Caught Stealing, he takes a step back towards more traditional cinematic action. A tense story and good performances see this production through.

Based on the novel of the same name, we follow Harry Thompson (Austin Butler) an everyday bartender who lives a simple life in the Lower East Side of New York. His unremarkable routine goes sideways when he runs afoul of mobsters who are after his neighbour Russ Binder (Matt Smith). With not one but two crime families bearing down on him, Harry desperately tries to square the financial debt and escape. While Caught Stealing has moments of black comedy, the tone is more unflinching. The leading man gets himself into a dicey situation with grim consequences for those he holds close; as he desperately tries to evade his pursuers, many violent fight scenes and close calls ensue. It maintains some high tension while dipping into some humour from time to time. The momentum comes from Thompson trying to figure out a solution, only to find himself in even more trouble. Whenever Russ is on-screen, things become much more light-hearted, especially in the chaotic chase scenes. With that said, there are some plot holes along the way. Early on, Harry is established as an alcoholic and following a nasty internal injury, his heavy drinking doesn’t really factor into the action. Putting the protagonist on the run while dealing with toxins in his body would have amped up the tension even more.

Many big names are present, but Austin Butler delivers another strong lead performance. Harry is placed under so much pressure, yet he constantly tries to stifle it along the way. His broken dreams and repressed trauma pull the audience in, adding more detail to the protagonist. His assailants strike a good balance between merciless beatings and sarcastic quips. Liev Schrieber and Vincent D’Onofrio play off each other well, their performances pushing through some hefty costumes and make-up. Regina King brings both personality and physicality to Detective Elise Roman, the lead officer in Harry’s case. Most of the performances are handled skilfully, but others needed more depth and material. Matt Smith’s foul-mouth attitude and massive mohawk were a big selling point for the film, but his role in the story is quite small. He shows up briefly in the opening and only returns in the final act; it’s unfortunate that the actor’s talents weren’t fully utilised. Zoe Kravitz also feels limited; she delivers a good performance as Harry’s girlfriend Yvonne, but her participation in the narrative comes to a halt before the halfway mark.

Being set in the late nineties, Caught Stealing takes full advantage of the setting. We’re right down on ground level, planted in Harry’s struggle. The apartment buildings are old and worn out, the streets cracked and dirty and the lighting often fails to pierce through the skyscrapers. The fight scenes have a brutal impact with many nasty injuries and the camerawork is always fast and fluid as the protagonist flees from danger. The soundtrack was composed by Rob Simonsen and performed by the band IDLE. It also features has a range of hits from the decade including Scorpions, The Beastie Boys and other major artists. The music provides good grounding for every set piece.

Some of the plot points and characters feel underused, but Caught Stealing is a gritty, self-contained film that delivers many thrills. For the director it’s a step away from his relentlessly bleak filmography, falling into the same category as Good Time and Uncut Gems. If you can handle the more stressful situations, you’ll find an entertaining ride.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars (Good)