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Sometimes, good movies get lost at the box office regardless of the talent behind them.
One of the films that exemplifies that this year is Caught Stealing, a comedic crime thriller from director Darren Aronofsky that features Elvis star Austin Butler in the lead.
Unfortunately, Elvis has left the building, and audiences were caught napping on this film.
It’s not all bad news for this flick. It’s catching fire now that it’s streaming, and Watch With Us is sharing the reasons to watch Caught Stealing on Netflix.
Austin Butler Is Impressive as the Movie’s Hapless Hero
Austin Butler in Caught Stealing Sony/Everett
It’s been obvious for some time now that Butler is a star in the making, even if none of his post-Elvis solo movies have broken out yet. In a film loaded with stars, Butler carries Caught Stealing in his role as Hank Thompson, a normal guy who finds himself in a world of trouble. This film is like a darker version of The Big Lebowski, but with actual life-or-death stakes. And usually, Hank comes out on the short end of the stick.
Hank wasn’t even a criminal at the start of this film. He just agreed to look after his neighbor’s cat. Russ Miner (Matt Smith) neglected to tell Hank that some very deadly people would come looking for him. Since they can’t find Russ, they take out their anger on Hank and terrorize him. Butler beautifully plays Hank’s rising anger and fear. But by the time Hank is finally moved to take action, he’s already in too deep.
The Supporting Cast Is Terrific
Smith is barely recognizable as the former star of Doctor Who, who adopts a punk rock criminal persona as Russ. He’s very good in the role and he’s not the only standout member of the supporting cast. Zoë Kravitz, Regina King, Bad Bunny, Liev Schreiber, Vincent D’Onofrio and even comedy legend Carol Kane all have memorable roles in the movie.
Out of that group, Kravitz is a little underused compared to her costars. But King has a very commanding part as Elise Roman, a dirty cop who keeps the pressure on Hank to reveal everything he knows about the money Russ stole from her employers. Elise may be the most amoral character in the film, but even she has her limits. Schreiber and D’Onofrio play Jewish crime bosses Lip and Shmully Drucker, while Kane plays their mother, Bubbe, in a fun extended cameo. Bad Bunny’s role is an enforcer named Colorado, and he’s one of the film’s most fearsome characters. He gives the role a real menacing edge.
‘Caught Stealing’ Recaptures the Vibes of New York in the ’90s
Darren Aronofsky has directed some of the best movies of the last three decades, yet Oscar gold has continuously eluded him. Unfortunately, Caught Stealing isn’t likely to be the film that changes that. It’s not a dazzling fever dream like some of Aronofsky’s most famous films, like Black Swan and Requiem for a Dream. But this is a film that recaptures the spirit of the late ’90s in both the setting and the tone of the Quentin Tarantino-esque movies that were prevalent at the time.
Caught Steeling isn’t as funny as a genuine Tarantino movie, but some darkly comedic moments are offset by shocking deaths and some serious consequences. It’s one of the best crime thrillers to come along in a while, and it deserves the overdue attention it’s getting on Netflix.
Caught Stealing is streaming on Netflix.
