Cert - 15

Run-time - 1 hour 47 minutes

Director - Darren Aronofsky

Looking after his neighbour's (Matt Smith) cat leads bartender Hank (Austin Butler) into the circles of various New York City gangs as they all search for hidden money he knows nothing about.

Darren Aronofsky may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of 'fun' directors. His last two offerings alone have been 2017's mother! and 2022's The Whale, for which Brendan Fraser won a Leading Actor Oscar over Austin Butler in Elvis. It's Butler who takes the lead in Aronofsky's speedy caper through the streets of New York City.

After finding himself, once again reluctantly, looking after his neighbour Russ' (Matt Smith, having as much fun with his character as he is his mohawk) cat, whilst he visits London to see his ill father, Hank (Butler) runs into two Russian mobsters trying to get into his neighbour's flat. From there a corridor beating leads him to hospital for kidney surgery and into the circles of different criminal gangs, all looking for money which Russ has hidden.

The set-up is simple and it allows for the pressures from the different characters Hank comes across to have a joint effect while playing out separately. It brings in the feeling of a 90s ensemble thriller, perhaps pushed by being set in the grimier streets of 1998 NYC. This is a film that looks at an underbelly, for some of the city and for all the crime within it, and yet doesn't use it to push a major sense of seriousness or edge, or just a downbeat nature.

Caught Stealing, adapted by Charlie Huston from his novel of the same name, is largely something different from Aronofsky as it moves along with a quick pace, bringing in occasional chuckles as lines begin to cross. Yes, there are moments of seriousness, particularly losses for the central character, but they still keep up with the surroundings for an overall enjoyable thriller.

Liev Schreiber and Vincent D'Onofrio properly turn up a good way through the run-time, yet as the Drucker brothers, simply labelled The Hebrews, their friendly and conversational nature, driving around in a minivan before launching gunfire at a wedding, is made sinister by the overhanging threat they carry with the potential to cut someone's eyes out. While The Russians (Yuri Kolokolnikov, Nikita Kukushin) are quick to land a heavy punch, The Puerto Rican (Benito A Martínez Ocasio AKA Bad Bunny) is swift to remind of his gun and police detective Roman (Reigna King) may be even more no-nonsense than seems, it's the differing presentation of the strict-Shabbos-observing brothers which has the most effect.

The strands, some of which are brought together to make things less busy and a stronger combined threat, create a handful of cat-and-mouse chases across the city. Well tracked by the writing, editing and directing for an entertaining, 90s-esque thriller with enjoyable characters and performances which help to keep things moving along. It's nice to see this more fun side to Aronofsky.

Four stars