Movies that blend genres have to walk a thin line to get the tone right and maintain it. Guy Ritchie's “Snatch” is an example of one that gets it right, blending violence and humor in just the right proportions. Darren Aronofsky's latest, “Caught Stealing,” is one that struggles a bit to walk that line.
Austin Butler plays Hank, a washed up baseball player whiling away his life tending bar, drinking heavily, and hooking up with his impossibly-cute girlfriend, Yvonne (Zoe Kravitz). His shady neighbor Russ (Matt Smith) asks Hank to cat-sit while Russ is out of town, and things take a left turn when a parade of Russian, Colombian, and Orthodox Jewish mobsters come looking for Russ.
“Caught Stealing” has its share of laughs, thrills, and shocks, but they don't fit well together. The zany, heavily-accented characters are entertaining, but they are a bit too madcap for the number of shocking deaths in the film. Fortunately, excellent cinematography and an outstanding cast (including Butler, Kravitz, and Regina King) make up somewhat for the plot issues. Aronofsky doesn't hit a home run here, but he manages to make it around the bases eventually.
3 stars out of 5
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