Displaying items by tag: Darren Aranofksy

CAUGHT STEALING

US, 2025, 107 minutes, Colour.

Austin Butler, Regina King, Zoe Kravitz, Griffin Dunne, Matt Smith, Liev Schreiber, Vincent D'Onofrio.

Directed by Darren Aronofsky.

50 years ago Martin Scorsese made the striking New York film, Mean Streets, emphasis on the Italians. Caught Stealing takes place 25 years later, moving towards the end of the millennium, but the title of this film as one reviewer suggested would include “sleazy” streets. And this reviewer would add “ugly and insane”.

At the centre of this strange picture of New York gangsters is a hapless young man, Harry/Hank played by Austin Butler who, after his striking performance as Elvis, has proven himself with The Bikeriders, Dune 2, Eddington, a significant American actor who can hold a total film. He is in New York, a transplant from California, prospective baseball player, involved in a deadly car crash, working in a dingy bar, a girlfriend, no major prospects.

But, he is asked by his eccentric roommate, Russ, British actor Matt Smith with a Mohawk, to mind his cat while he goes back to London for his father’s illness. Hank is wary of the cat, it bites, proves itself a nuisance – but, relief for cat lovers, it becomes more important as the narrative goes on, even moments of endearment.

Of course, Russ is unreliable, involved in drugs, in possession of a huge amount of cash which he has hidden in a storeroom. And then the thugs and criminals arrive, assuming that Hank is involved and has all the information. And they want the money.

The old Mean Streets had Italian gangsters. In 1998, there are the Russians, with a capacity for vicious torture. There are also the Hispanic entrepreneurs, running clubs, running drugs. And, most bizarre of all, some Hebrew gangsters – very much Orthodox and observant in Jewish traditions, folksy in their conversations, going home to mother for sabbath and listening to her cautions about driving on that day – but with Hank driving, all is well. And they are played, almost unrecognisable behind the beards and Orthodox clothing, by Liev Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio.

And, there is also a corrupt cop, played by Regina King.

Which means then that Hank is often literally on the run, even when he has had serious kidney punctures due to the vicious torture, trusting in the corrupt cop, manipulated by everyone, upset by the treatment of his girlfriend, but all the time phoning his mother in California with great devotion and baseball intensity, “Go, Giants!”

This is a film with plenty of intense and violent moments, some ironic humour, a great deal of betrayal and set-ups, the issues of whom to trust, and the put-upon Hank becoming shrewd and shrewder in how he can possibly escape from this gangster pursuit. No spoiler – he does, a victory for the little man over presumptuous brutes.

1. Literally arresting title? The status of Austin Butler as a star? The reputation of Darren often ostia as director?
2. 1990s, the mean streets of New York, the shift from Italian gangsters to Russian gangsters, Jewish and Orthodox gangsters…? But the same gangster themes, oppression, innocent victims, torture and killing?
3. Hank’s story, young man, baseball hopes, from California, ringing his mother, Go Giants? Incident, the death of his friend, alcohol, dependence? His accommodation, sharing the apartment, relationship with Russ? At the bar, his work, girlfriend? Prospects?
4. Russ, British, going back to London, criminal, the drug connections, the money? His cat? Interesting the cat to Hank? And the further involvement with the cat…? The important key in its litter box?
5. The Russian gangsters, types, personalities, demands, to the apartment, the brutality with Hank, questioning, assumptions about his guilt, torture, his injuries?? The cat?
6. The Hassidic brothers, their garb, beards, observing the Sabbath, their mother and her insistence on the regulations? Jovial manner? Yet ruthless, with Hank, searching the apartment, interrogations, torture, abducting him, at their home, the final drive – and their comeuppance?
7. Russians, Colorado, his collaboration, the questions, the complications with Hank, the key, losing, his relationship with his girlfriend, realising she is in danger, her being shot?
8. Elise Roman, police, questioning Hank, the information about the dealers? Her involvement with Hank, following leads? The revelation that she was corrupt? Confrontations with Hank? Following him? The final deals, the threats, the information about his girlfriend’s death? The key? Death?
9. Confrontation at Paul’s bar, the fights, the shootings, the key, all killed?
10. Hank, in the streets, the various encounters, his pain and wounds, the entanglements? Searching for the key, Jason, and leaving the key in his abandoned clothes?
11. Russ returning, the storeroom, the amount of money, the Russians, Hank and his handing over Russ, saving the cat?
12. Hank and survival, overcoming the Russians, overcoming the Hassidic brothers? The killing his girlfriend, his crashing the car? Getting the money, impersonating Russ, sending have the money to his mother?