Caught Stealing Does One thing That No Darren Aronofsky Film Has Executed Earlier than

This put up incorporates minor spoilers for “Caught Stealing.”

Darren Aronofsky is many issues. He is been working as a director in Hollywood for practically 30 years now, courting again to his low-budget breakthrough 1998 debut function “Pi.” He is directed the likes of Natalie Portman (“Black Swan”) and Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”) to Oscars. Aronofsky has made a number of the most acclaimed and most divisive movies of the final 25 years, together with the legendarily divisive “Mom!” which earned a particularly uncommon F CinemaScore. However there’s one factor that Aronofsky has just about by no means been as a filmmaker: enjoyable. 

That’s, till now.

After directing an adaptation of Samuel Hunter’s play “The Whale” for A24 in 2022, Aronofsky determined to noticeably change gears for his follow-up, which is now in theaters within the type of “Caught Stealing.” It is a breezy, tense, at occasions horny crime caper led by Austin Butler (“Elvis”) with a superb surrounding ensemble together with the likes of Zoe Kravitz (“The Batman”), Matt Smith (“Physician Who”), and even music famous person Unhealthy Bunny. Extra importantly than any of that although, Aronofsky, arguably for the primary time ever, has made a enjoyable film.

It facilities on a burned-out ex-baseball participant Hank Thompson (Butler) who’s working as a bartender in New York Metropolis within the ’90s. His life is easy, and he is making an attempt to navigate his budding relationship along with his girlfriend Yvonne (Kravitz). When Hank’s punker neighbor asks him to look at his cat, he unwittingly winds up tangled within the internet of the town’s prison underbelly. Chaos ensues.

I beforehand touched on the funness of “Caught Stealing” in my evaluate of the movie, but it surely’s one thing I felt compelled to increase upon. It is the factor that sat with me probably the most after having a ways from my preliminary viewing. Aronofsky is an unquestionably gifted filmmaker, however it could be troublesome to accuse him of typically making nice and/or historically fulfilling viewing experiences. He isn’t one for popcorn escapism. Thus, it is fairly outstanding how rattling good he’s at exercising that enjoyable muscle greater than 25 years into his directing profession.

“Requiem for a Dream” is a harrowing film and considered one of Aronofsky’s biggest. It is also unflinching and difficult to look at. It is most likely a kind of “I beloved it and I am going to by no means watch it once more” films for plenty of individuals. “The Fountain” is a particular epic. Even those that like it could not rightfully accuse it of being enjoyable, per se.

Then there’s Aronofsky’s character items. “The Wrestler” is a harrowing take a look at the game of wrestling with a outstanding efficiency by Mickey Rourke. It is also fairly rattling miserable. “Black Swan” is likely to be the closest factor to enjoyable in his filmography beforehand, however that is extra of a “enjoyable for sickos” train for the correct kind of cinephile. For many viewers, it is a fairly messed-up and intense watch. His films typically really feel difficult in a roundabout way. 

That brings us again to “Caught Stealing,” which feels rather more akin to an early Man Ritchie crime flick like “Snatch” than it does the rest in Aronofsky’s earlier filmography. A lot of that’s owed to Charlie Huston’s novel on which it’s based mostly, with the writer additionally personally penning the screenplay. It is not like Aronofsky has by no means dealt with an adaptation earlier than, with “Noah” being his tackle a Biblical epic, however that is the primary time he is felt compelled to carry materials to life that has a way of pleasure in it. That lends itself to extra broad, old-school leisure as solely films can ship.

That is to not say that the movie is a pure pleasure trip or something like that. Hank goes by means of it. There’s a truthful quantity of demise and grizzly violence on the heart of all of it. There’s a substantial amount of private trauma. There’s some gnarly imagery. It positive as heck does not glorify violence both. However not not like a Tarantino film like “Reservoir Canines,” it manages to be violent and seedy, whereas additionally being a extra conventional good time on the films. It is a new gear for Aronofsky, but it surely’s additionally one which audiences would absolutely welcome extra of sooner or later. Enjoyable Aronofsky is a refreshing change of tempo.

“Caught Stealing” is in theaters now.