A Terrific Austin Butler Gets Away With Everything in ‘Caught Stealing,’ an Ode to Late-1990s New York City

Director Darren Aronofsky has trekked through several genres in his pilgrim-like journey through independent cinema and Hollywood — from downbeat drama (“Requiem for a Dream,” “The Wrestler,” “The Whale”) and psychological thriller (“Pi,” “Black Swan”) to spiritual epic (“Noah,” “The Fountain”) and whatever “Mother” was. Yet the Brooklyn-born filmmaker has never made a picture as purely entertaining as his latest, “Caught Stealing.” A fairly standard action movie set in New York, the film involves an all-American hero played by Austin Butler, a “where is the money” crime plot, and multiple set pieces. To call it standard, though, ignores that it’s also a lot of fun. Filled with offbeat touches and punchy performances, the feature proves the director can do more than just wallow in misery and ponder the meaning of life; he can choreograph chaos with flair and deliver escapist entertainment without sacrificing idiosyncrasy or intelligence, at least for the most part.The film’s escapism primarily emanates from the period in which it’s set: a pre-9/11 New York City, 1998 to be exact. From dingy bars and songs like Madonna’s “Ray of Light” on the jukebox to references to Giuliani and gentrification, the movie serves as catnip for those who reminisce over a “lost New York,” specifically the city before the Twin Towers fell.Screenwriter Charlie Huston’s original novel, published in 2004, could be seen as a valentine to this version of the city, despite the prevalence of violence in the book. Mr. Aronofsky is also very familiar with late ’90s NYC, seeing as that’s when and where he made his first two movies, and his love for the era comes through in nearly every frame. Liev Schreiber, Austin Butler, and Vincent D’Onofrio in ‘Caught Stealing.’Niko Tavernise/Sony Pictures EntertainmentNostalgia will get a director only so far, though, especially when a film’s funding flows from a major Hollywood studio. A movie has to have a plot, and this one serves it up like a tasty slice of reheated New York pizza: Lower East Side bartender Hank (Mr. Butler) is asked to cat-sit when his floormate Russ (Matt Smith), a British punk complete with a mohawk, has to rush to London due to a family emergency. Soon, members of the Russian mafia come looking for Russ, and Hank, after being beaten up and losing a kidney, gets himself mixed up in drug money and murder.Zoë Kravitz plays Hank’s girlfriend Yvonne, one of the story’s myriad characters. An early scene with the actress and Mr. Butler in their underwear exudes considerable sexiness, with the two actors generating a chemistry that feels both grubbily New York and L.A. body-conscious. Yvonne works as a paramedic, which comes in handy after Hank’s second encounter with the sadistic Russians, one of whom, Pavel (the effectively psycho Nikita Kukushkin), embodies a human battering ram. This scene, along with others involving blood, jolts the movie’s playful vibe, yet one doesn’t dwell on the violence and various deaths for long when the plot rushes to get to another set piece. The improbability of Mr. Butler’s character even being able to walk after surgery is another obstacle to enjoyment that must be quickly overcome if one is to accept the film on its own buoyant terms. Other stand-out characters include an adorable longhaired cat named Bud, the ponytailed bar owner Paul played by Griffin Dunne (“After Hours”), and ready-to-retire NYPD detective Roman portrayed by Oscar winner Regina King. Arguably the most memorable supporting roles are a pair of Hasidic brothers, the Druckers, whom actors Liev Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio depict with relish. A late scene in which Hank joins the intimidating brothers for Shabbat dinner at their mother’s is easily one of the film’s highlights. That the mother is played by Carol Kane, who 50 years ago starred as a turn-of-the-century Jewish immigrant to New York in “Hester Street,” only makes the scene sweeter.Of course New York City is also one of the principal characters, and Mr. Aronofsky orchestrates several sequences in iconic locales such as Chinatown and Flushing Meadows. Mr. Butler navigates the various twists and turns around town with his indelible star quality. Besides the physical demands of the part, the actor is able to convey emotion efficiently as well, with Brad haunted by a tragedy in his youth and by how it reappears through his negligence.Some might judge the narrative too frenzied, and a couple of elements don’t work, such as Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny’s stunt casting. The dialogue, too, isn’t always as clever as it could be, though mentions of the Mets, black-and-white cookies, and other city mainstays will have New Yorkers smiling and/or nodding in recognition. Attempting to find a message amongst all the clobbering and shooting might be like trying to dance in a New York bar in 1998. Nevertheless, the film could be read as a cautionary tale — of the dangers of living in a city overrun by garbage, crime, and corruption — even if Mr. Aronofsky’s intentions lay elsewhere. They’re likely to be found in the diversity, resourcefulness, and gumption of the New Yorkers he portrays, and in the rough and tumble, seedy side of city life he revels in during a time that now feels almost innocent.

A Terrific Austin Butler Gets Away With Everything in ‘Caught Stealing,’ an Ode to Late-1990s New York City

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