Caught Stealing: Darren Aronofsky's Exciting Little Crime Thriller (Blu-ray)

The Film:

Academy Award-nominated director Darren Aronofsky has had quite an amazing career thus far, with a body of work that has included such remarkable films as "Requiem for a Dream," "The Fountain," the Oscar-winning "Black Swan," and most recently, "The Whale," which took home two Oscars of its own for Best Actor (Brendan Fraser) and Best Makeup. Now he returns with his latest project, "Caught Stealing," a crime thriller based on the novel by Charlie Huston, who also adapted the screenplay. Will this be yet another memorable gem to add to his stunning filmography, or will it be one of the rare times that he stumbles just a bit?

Taking place in 1998 New York City, the film follows bartender Hank Thompson (Austin Butler), a huge fan of the San Francisco Giants who once had dreams of playing in the major leagues until he caused a drunk driving crash that killed a friend and injured his knee. When his neighbor Russ Miner (Matt Smith) has to go to London to see his sick father, he leaves his cat Bud in Hank's care. Shortly after Russ' departure, two mobsters come calling, demanding to know where he went. Hank refuses to tell them, resulting in a severe beating that has him losing a kidney, which is followed by questioning by narcotics detective Elise Roman (Regina King). Hank soon finds himself entangled in a dangerous situation that involves a couple of gangs, a mysterious key, and a lot of missing money that's supposedly in Russ' care. With everyone closing in on him, can he possibly survive long enough to sort out this terrible mess he's fallen into?

With "Caught Stealing," Aronofsky & Huston have crafted a mildly-intriguing little thriller, one that may not be particularly complex on the surface, but which provides a fair amount of entertainment & excitement as we watch Hank try to get out of a rather sticky situation that has him trying to evade gangs & corrupt officials, while also trying to protect the important people in his life (primarily his mother (Laura Dern) and his girlfriend Yvonne (Zoe Kravitz)).

That said, it does take a somewhat long time for the plot to go into full-swing. In fact, it feels as though nearly half the film is over before it truly takes off, but even so, that first half is still put to decent use by setting the stage and introducing us to the main players that are going to be hounding Hank for the money, so it serves a purpose at the very least. Sure, it probably could've gotten to the point faster, but the second half does a fine job of making up for the wait with its wild twists & turns, some of which are fairly predictable (including the revelation of another character who's after the money), while others help make it a compelling experience that has you wondering whether Hank is going to be able to get out of this situation alive.

Overall, "Caught Stealing" balances out to be a pretty fun action/crime flick that, again, may not have all that much depth to it, but for a film like this, as long as you keep the audience entertained with a thrilling story, there really doesn't need to be all that much. It certainly won't stand out as Aronofsky's most memorable film, but it does make for an amusing outing that ultimately delivers just enough where it truly counts, and in the end, that's what makes all the difference.

Video/Audio:

"Caught Stealing" comes to Blu-ray in a 1.85:1, 1080p High Definition transfer of excellent quality, presenting a beautifully sharp & clear image throughout the film's entire 107-minute duration. Likewise, the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track is marvelous, giving you all of the dialogue, sound effects, and music in outstanding quality. Overall, Sony has done a fantastic job in both departments for the film's Blu-ray debut.

Special Features:

Aronofsky: The Real Deal (6 Minutes): A featurette that focuses on the director and the making of the film.

Casting Criminals, Chaos, and a Cat (7 Minutes): A featurette that explores the ensemble.

I Don't Drive (4 Minutes): A featurette that takes a look at the film's stunts.

New York Story (3 Minutes): A featurette that explores the film's setting.

Conclusion:

Darren Aronofsky's "Caught Stealing" may take a little time to truly get going as it sets the stage with its intriguing scenario & eccentric characters, but once it does, the audience is treated to a fun & exciting little crime thriller that comes with plenty of wild twists & turns that has them hanging on to see whether this young man can get out of this situation alive, thus adding another fine entry to the director's impressive filmography.

Score: 3.5/5

Now available on Blu-ray.

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