Like Antoine Doinel standing before the immensity of the sea, Hank Thompson in Caught Stealing (2025) finally confronts the demons of his past. The worlds of Truffaut’s character and Aronofsky’s are as distant as the beaches of Normandy and those of Coney Island, yet both experience a kind of epiphany when facing the vastness of the ocean. Aronofsky has often taken us on journeys that explore the complex psyche of human beings. This time, it comes disguised as a fast-paced thriller—an unusual entry in his filmography, but one that, if we look closely, bears his unmistakable signature.

The structure of Caught Stealing is built in the most straightforward way possible. The script clings, without fear, to the conventional forms of action thrillers. The way the characters are introduced, how conflicts are set up, the story’s twists, and the expected third act where all arcs finally close—it’s all delivered with a simplicity that surprises in its effectiveness. Director Darren Aronofsky adapts Charlie Huston’s own novel into a lighthearted heist film laced with dark humor and action. Amid the chaos and adrenaline, Aronofsky still finds a way to bring us intimately close to Hank Thompson, played by Austin Butler.

We are not dealing with Randy Robinson from The Wrestler (2008) nor Nina Sayers from Black Swan (2010). Yet Aronofsky still manages to offer us a character study through Hank, who unwillingly gets entangled in a conflict between two criminal organizations after his neighbor leaves him in charge of a cat during an unexpected trip. A series of peculiar characters begins to invade Hank’s world, and things grow increasingly complicated to the point of putting his life in danger. The cinematography by Matthew Libatique (Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan) and the editing by Andrew Weisblum (Mother!, The French Dispatch) fully immerse us in the world of Caught Stealing and stand out as some of the film’s strongest elements.

The performances are another factor that makes the film flow with dynamism. Austin Butler proves he has true star power, delivering a solid performance. Zoë Kravitz provides balance as the counterpart and love interest of the protagonist. Matt Smith brings comic relief as Russ. Nearly unrecognizable, Liev Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio play two eccentric Jewish brothers, while Regina King takes on the role of a police detective. Against the backdrop of 1990s New York, Caught Stealing puts all these characters on a collision course. From the moment the central conflict is established, we know there will be no easy way out for our protagonist.

Caught Stealing may be Darren Aronofsky’s least ambitious film, but it reaffirms his great talent for storytelling. Even within a genre film—a thriller driven by action, fueled by the adrenaline and vertigo of chases and shootouts—he doesn’t abandon his obsession with exploring human fragility and resilience. He still finds space to look closely at a character and make them relevant beyond the surface level.