Recxpectations: Caught Stealing

I started reading “Caught Stealing” (New Thing #2) after I heard that Darren Aronofsky was going to adapt it into a film but I only made it maybe a quarter or third of the way through before I found it to be fairly generic and I decided to just wait for the film.

DON’T EXPECT: a Guy Ritchie movie
The trailer make the movie seems like it’s Aronofsky making a Guy Ritchie movie - a crime caper filled with comical characters - but it isn’t an ensemble piece like Ritchie’s films usually are. This film is focused on Austin Butler’s character as he finds himself stuck in over his head in a kind of wrong place, wrong time situation. I can’t remember if there’s a single scene that doesn’t include Butler’s character. The film does have some comedic moments but it also doesn’t have the rakish charm that Guy Ritchie’s crime capers usually have.

EXPECT: a generic crime thriller
In the 80s or 90s, I don’t think Caught Stealing would have made much noise because there’s nothing about it that stands out. The thing going for the film is that they don’t make many movies like this anymore so what is generic for someone who grew up in the 80s and 90s might seem fresh for younger audiences. Still, this is a film that, for me, didn’t really have any standout moments or characters.

EXPECT: a love letter to NYC
Matthew Libatique’s cinematography is, as usual, great and there are some shots that seem to capture the Lower East Side in all of it’s 90’s era “glory”. I wouldn’t say that New York is a character in the film but the film does seem to go out of its way to hit up different parts of the city to show off as much as possible.

DON’T EXPECT: a smart movie
This is definitely a turn your brain off and go along for the ride type flick. There’s a little bit of cat and mouse but not that much and it’s never really about characters outdoing one another. This is more of a film about a guy stuck in a downward spiral.

DON’T EXPECT: much depth in the characters
Austin Butler’s character is a former baseball phenom who lost it all in a car accident and… that’s basically his entire character. Everyone else is pretty much one-dimensional. The script has a few nods towards trying to have some emotional growth but it’s not very successful at it and wisely doesn’t spend much time on it. The movie is under two hours and focusing on keeping the pace going was probably the wise decision.

In the end, I have this movie ranked 23rd, right above another NY-based film Highest 2 Lowest. I liked Caught Stealing more but Austin Butler is no Denzel Washington. Butler has movie star looks but he hasn’t found the role to really push him over the top. Obviously, Elvis was his breakout, and he showed me something in Eddington, but he seems to lack an edginess - in fact, that’s basically mentioned in Caught Stealing as he plays a small town California kid who lives in New York.