Darren Aronofsky’s crime thriller Caught Stealing follows former baseball star Hank Thompson, played by Austin Butler, whose life spirals into chaos after he agrees to catsit for his neighbor. The film is set in 1990s New York City and features an ensemble cast including Regina King, Zoë Kravitz, Matt Smith, and Liev Schreiber. Hank finds himself pursued by Russian mobsters, Hasidic hitmen, and corrupt police officers all searching for a mysterious key and a hidden fortune. The movie ends with Hank undergoing a major transformation and escaping the city, but not without setting the stage for potential future stories.
How Hank Changes Throughout The Movie
Hank Thompson begins the film as a burned-out bartender struggling with past trauma. A teenage car accident ended his baseball dreams and resulted in the death of his best friend. He relies on alcohol to cope with his grief until his girlfriend Yvonne, played by Zoë Kravitz, brings positive change to his life. His decision to help his punk-rock neighbor Russ, played by Matt Smith, by watching his cat Bud pulls him into a dangerous criminal underworld. Hank’s journey forces him to evolve from a passive individual into someone who confronts his problems directly.
The death of Yvonne becomes a turning point for Hank. He initially believes the Russian gangster Colorado, played by Bad Bunny, is responsible for her murder. Detective Roman, played by Regina King, suggests the violent Drucker brothers, played by Liev Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio, may be the actual killers. This tragedy, along with the accidental death of his neighbor Russ, forces Hank to stop running from his problems. He becomes more proactive and willing to engage in violence to survive and seek revenge.
Austin Butler told USA Today about his role, “In my previous few films, I’ve been exploring characters who are quite different from me, physically and vocally. I could immerse myself in this different skin.” His performance shows Hank’s transformation from a scared bartender into a determined survivor.
The Final Confrontation And Twist
Hank orchestrates a violent showdown at a supper club, pitting the Russian mobsters, the Drucker brothers, and corrupt Detective Roman against each other. This confrontation results in the deaths of most major players, including Roman and the Russian syndicate members. Hank survives the bloodshed and briefly teams up with the Drucker brothers to eliminate their common enemies. They agree to part ways and even discuss sharing the stolen money.
A major twist occurs when Hank discovers Yvonne’s distinctive gun lighter in the possession of the Drucker brothers. This proves they were responsible for her murder. They confess to killing her as a warning to Hank after he initially escaped from them. This revelation shifts Hank’s goal from mere survival to vengeance.
Hank purposefully crashes the car in a brutal act of rebellion, killing both Drucker brothers. This decision marks a notable shift from his previous personality and shows how loss and pain have shaped him.
Hank’s Escape And New Life
With his enemies defeated, Hank takes the $4 million that was at the center of the conflict. He impersonates his deceased neighbor Russ by shaving his head and adopting his punk-rock style. Using Russ’s passport, he flees New York City for Tulum, Mexico. He is accompanied by Bud the cat, symbolizing a lingering connection to his old life.
The film shows Hank embracing a fresh start. He sends half of the money to his mother in California and keeps the other half for himself. Small actions, like ordering club soda instead of alcohol and turning off a baseball game, indicate his commitment to positive change and leaving his traumatic past behind. The ending provides a satisfying closure for his character arc while leaving the door open for future stories.
The Post-Credits Scene And Sequel Setup
Caught Stealing includes a post-credits scene that sets up a potential sequel. Throughout the film, Hank’s mother is only heard as a voice on phone calls. The post-credits scene reveals Laura Dern as his mother. She is shown opening a package containing the two million dollars sent by Hank. Her reaction is a stunned whisper of a single profanity, highlighting the shock of receiving such a large sum.
This scene is crucial because it introduces a character important to Hank’s life and subtly creates a new problem. Sending the money potentially exposes both Hank and his mother to danger. The original Russian mob leaders may still want their money back and could target his family to get it. This cliffhanger teases a continuation of the story based on Charlie Huston’s sequel novels.
The film is an adaptation of the first book in Charlie Huston’s Henry Thompson trilogy. The sequel novel, Six Bad Things, follows Hank as he tries to remain hidden in South America. The Russian mafia tracks him down and threatens his family to recover their money. This forces Hank to return to California to protect his loved ones. A third novel, A Dangerous Man, sees Hank back in New York City working for the Russians to protect a baseball player.
The True Meaning Of Caught Stealing
The film explores themes of trauma and avoidance. Hank has spent his life running from his problems, first by moving across the country after his teenage accident and later through alcohol. The criminal chaos that erupts around him forces him to finally confront his issues directly. His journey is not just about physical survival but also about emotional growth.
Hank’s decision to fight back against the criminals mirrors his struggle with alcohol dependency. The movie suggests that facing problems directly is the only way to achieve freedom and peace. Yvonne explicitly asks Hank if he is someone who will stand his ground and fight for what is important. Although he fails to save her, he ultimately embodies that strength by the end of the film.
The film is a fast-paced and chaotic crime caper that balances dark humor with intense violence. It has received positive reviews, with an 85% score on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metacritic score of 66. It premiered in Puerto Rico on August 7, 2025, and opened in U.S. theaters on August 29, 2025.
Also Read: Austin Butler Slept in His Movie Set Apartment to Prepare for His Role in Caught Stealing
