Okay, I'll admit it—I scrolled past the first poster for Caught Stealing and thought, “Another gritty Darren Aronofsky joint?” Then I saw the cat. And the punk rock vibes. And suddenly, I'm hooked—confused, sure, but hooked. These new character posters just dropped, and they're a fever dream of collage chaos, starring a lineup that's got me raising an eyebrow: Austin Butler, Zoë Kravitz, Matt Smith, Liev Schreiber, Vincent D'Onofrio, Carol Kane, Griffin Dunne, Benito A. Martínez Ocasio, and Regina King. August 29 can't come fast enough.
This isn't your typical Aronofsky brooding fest. After years of Requiem for a Dream intensity, he's swinging into a crime caper with a grin—scripted by Charlie Huston, based on his own book. The plot? Hank Thompson (Butler), a washed-up baseball star turned bartender, gets roped into gangster nonsense after cat-sitting for his punk neighbor Russ (Smith). Chases, fights, The Clash blasting—Chris Bumbray from JoBlo (who caught the trailer at CinemaCon with Aronofsky himself) called it a late ‘90s action flick with soul. Aronofsky's all about “making a genre better with real craft,” and I'm torn—excited or skeptical?
Back in the day, I'd have eaten this up. Now? It feels like a gamble. The posters scream personality—Butler with a cat and cash, Kravitz in paramedic gear, Smith in a spiked jacket, Schreiber and D'Onofrio with guns like old-school mobsters. Even a random kid with a bat pops up. Shot during what looks like allergy season, everyone's eyes are red—someone on set probably sneezed through half the takes. The art style? Torn-up flyers glued together, like a punk zine threw up on a wall. It's bold. Maybe too bold.
Critics might love the shift—fans of Aronofsky's darker side might not. I laughed at the cat angle. Then sighed at the inevitable plot holes. Then… ordered a pizza. Is it smart? Maybe. Do I care? Not yet. The trailer's out there, and it's a jolt—different from his usual gut-punch style. August 29, it hits theaters. That's the date. No festivals, no delays—just a straight shot.
So, what's the deal? A director known for heavy lifting tries something light. Will it stick? Or flop? Reminds me of that weird rave scene in The Matrix—not the cool part, the “huh?” part. I'm rooting for it. Kinda. But if it tanks, I won't be shocked. And that's the thing—or not. I don't know anymore.
