Caught Stealing immediately immerses you in late ‘90s New York City, from the sunrise shot of the Twin Towers to the dingy dive bar in the Lower East Side, where we meet our protagonist, Hank Thompson (Austin Butler).
Hank is a bartender sporting a San Francisco Giants hat, pouring beers for regulars and handling rowdy customers, gently kicking them out by pouring them shots on the house. This trope is familiar: a somewhat bad boy type with a heart of gold who knows how to handle trouble.
Soon, we learn that the only thing Hank can handle for the first hour and fifteen minutes is the denial of his past, a few punches, and an organ removal. Still, he has a likable enough face that we can enjoy witnessing him embark on his chaotic adventure.
He comes home to his apartment with his not-so-official paramedic girlfriend, Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz). His rowdy neighbor, Russ (Matt Smith), is leaving town, and gives Hank no choice but to care for his cat, Bud.
From then on, it goes downhill for Hank and seemingly everyone around him.
Caught Stealing is reminiscent of After Hours (1985) — Griffin Dunne even has a small role. But where After Hours succeeds in making every scene count, Caught Stealing falls a bit short.
The pacing of the story is excellent. It keeps you on your toes every scene change and introduces a new set of antagonists, from the Russian mafia to Hasidic drug lords. With this many individuals at play, it’s telling that Hank won’t be getting out of this easily, and the audience is in for a chaotic ride.
What makes a chaotic ride work is the heart of the individual who finds themself in that situation — not over-the-top violence and meaningless deaths.
You can appreciate the rug being pulled out from under us. However, when it happens every thirty minutes, it feels a bit too calculated, which takes away from the adventure Hank is on.
Perhaps it is the lack of conviction from Hank when he finds himself in these situations, as if he is unable to grasp the stakes.
Hank is running away from more than just the criminals who are after him. From the moment we meet Hank, we learn he experiences nightmares about his past. He was supposed to go pro in baseball until a tragic accident ended his career. Instead of facing the trauma and overcoming it, he runs to New York City and gives up on his dreams.
It seems his habits apply to the chase he’s found himself in. Hank’s rightfully angry at Russ for getting himself into this ordeal, but fails to come to the realization that he has to get himself out.
He does come to realize it eventually, even if it feels like there are only minutes left of the movie. When he starts to get a grip, that’s when the crazy revelations and violence become a part of his journey and not the whole ride.
While it is difficult for the movie to find its heart, at least we have Bud, the adorable cat, to root for.
There’s not much to think deeply about when it comes to an end-of-summer blockbuster like Caught Stealing.
The stellar cast enhances the movie, and while its message may not be as deep, it’s still a fun ride. The only glaring takeaway: don’t take care of your neighbor’s cat.
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Caught Stealing is now in theatres.
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Samantha Barker
Samantha Barker is a writer and fangirl from New Jersey. When she's not rewatching Daredevil or listening to the Beatles, she's cosplaying and attending comic-cons with her friends. Sam also co-hosts a podcast called Fangirl Confessions and writes for her Substack, Samantha, etc. Connect with her on X: @0nyourleftsam and IG: @onyourleftsam.