A Refreshingly Fun Departure for Darren Aronofsky

The following contains spoilers for Caught StealingCaught Stealing is a big departure for Darren Aronofsky, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. Darren Aronofsky has been directing films since the late 1990s, developing a reputation for bleak character dramas full of painfully human performances. He’s a talented filmmaker, but that signature style can feel repetitive (especially in films like Mother! and The Whale).

That’s what makes Caught Stealing such a pleasant surprise. The crime caper is unmistakably an Aronofsky film, but with a fun layer that makes for a more overtly entertaining time than most of Darren Aronofsky’s previous movies. Caught Stealing is everything I wanted it to be, and I love that it signals a potential shift in how Aronofsky approaches films.

Caught Stealing Is Darren Aronofsky’s First Truly Fun Movie

Zoe Kravitz and Austin Butler leaning in to kiss in Caught Stealing

Caught Stealing embraces a lighter tone than any of Darren Aronofsky’s previous films, and that’s a very exciting development for the filmmaker. For the most part, Aronofsky’s filmography is full of bleak melodramas or introspective arcs. Caught Stealing, by contrast, is a faster-paced thriller with plenty of fights, chases, and shoot-outs.

The sense of action is unique to Aronofsky’s films. The director is no stranger to movement pieces thanks to films like The Wrestler and Black Swan, but those films rooted the motion in deliberate character arcs. That sense of personality is still clear in each Caught Stealing character, but the frantic pace of the action gives it a fun kinetic energy.

Those vibes match the general tone of the film, which tackles some dark subject matter but largely avoids the full ramifications of the world of drug dealers, dirty cops, and assassins that it sets up. Caught Stealing is closer in tone to Guy Ritchie’s The Gentleman than something like Requiem for a Dream, leaning into broader archetypes to winning effect.

Even the supporting characters, often detestable, come with an air of cool menace or unlikely charm that makes it hard to turn away. The Orthodox Brothers, Matt Smith’s punk drug dealer Russ, and even the fairly one-note Russian brothers are fun to watch. That’s the key to Caught Stealing that separates it from his other movies: it’s just plain fun.

I’ve always had mixed feelings about Darren Aronofsky as a director, finding many of his films to be needlessly maudlin or overly melodramatic. While the visual metaphors of Black Swan and The Wrestler make for undeniably powerful stories, films like The Fountain, Mother!, and The Whale are messy at best and outright frustrating at worst.

Caught Stealing is a different beast entirely, an action-packed crime-thriller that has heavy plot turns and cheeky turns. There’s a certain gritty aesthetic and worldview that matches Aronofsky’s previous works, but Caught Stealing uses all his talents and perspective to create something that’s entertainment and well as a parable. It’s exactly what I’ve been missing from his films since Noah.

Caught Stealing Is Still Very Much A Darren Aronofsky Movie

The trick to Caught Stealing is that it’s not a complete departure from the director’s impulses, just a refinement into a different style. Aronofsky has always had an eye for striking visuals amid the harshest realities and the biggest spectacles, something he finds throughout Caught Stealing’s various chases and fights.

There’s a blunt approach to violence in the world of Caught Stealing that feels very much in line with the director’s previous approach to the subject. Similar to how The Wrestler and Black Swan were unflinching in their depictions of those worlds’ physical effects, Caught Stealing has no illusions about the sudden horror that violence can bring to any scene.

This lends Caught Stealing a gritty and dangerous edge that helps balance the darker character focus on Hank, as well as the lighter moments of snarky or morbid comedy. Unlike something like Requiem for a Dream, that bleakness doesn’t overshadow the humanity of the characters, their broad traits ensuring they retain their personalities amid the challenges of their world.

That’s also a testament to one of Darren Aronofsky’s most unsung strengths. The filmmaker is great at getting good performances from his actors, a collaborative effort that resulted in multiple Oscar nominations for performances from his films. Aronofsky’s talent with actors is clear in Caught Stealing, every performer bringing surprising depth to potentially one-note characters.

Caught Stealing also indulges in the challenging character growth that’s often featured in his films, with Hank’s attempts to go sober after an injury requiring surgery serving as a clear (and at times powerful) parallel not just for his self-destructive tendencies but his habit of running away from conflict and trauma rather than confronting it.

It’s exactly the sort of thematic arc that Aronofsky has explored in the past, but Caught Stealing gives the filmmaker a fun outlet to explore that emotional core with, symbolizing his challenges with foot chases through New York City and confrontations with crooked cops. The result is a movie that feels very in line with the filmmaker’s sensibilities while being broadly engaging.

Darren Aronofsky is immensely talented, even if I don’t care for (or outright dislike) half of his movies. However, his latest film is everything I like about his directorial efforts, coupled with a fun cast, solid story, and entertaining action. Caught Stealing is proof that Aronofsky can do way more than just bleak melodramas, and I’m extremely happy about that.