Caught Stealing (MA) – 106 minutes

Caught Stealing, by the Oscar nominated director of Black Swan, Darren Aronofsky, is an adrenaline pumping ride.

Set in 1998, it concerns a talented high school baseballer turned burnt-out bartender named Hank Thompson (Austin Butler).

Hank, who loves him mum, a drink and major league baseball, lives in a grungy New York City apartment .

He has a smart, hot girlfriend, paramedic Yvonne (Zoe Kravitz).

A British punk rocker neighbour, Russ (Matt Smith), prevails upon him to mind his cat, Bud, while he flies back to London after his father had a stroke.

Hank is hardly enamoured with the idea, though, because he is a dog person and the cat is a biter, typically lashing out at anyone who comes close.

What Hank doesn’t count on is suddenly being caught up in an increasingly vicious gangland war over drugs and money. 

It starts when he is roughed up by Russian mafia types who come to Russ’ door while he is abroad.

Also, chasing the loot is a pair of seemingly respectable, but ruthless religious Jewish siblings.

When Hank turns to police detective Roman (Regina King) for help, things take a decidedly unexpected turn.

Suddenly, Hank is in a fight for his life, as the body count around him grows.

The surprises keep coming in what is a violent, grimly humorous psychological thriller, written by Charlie Huston, from his book of the same name.

It is a fish out of water story, in which Hank must learn to adapt on the run and use his hustle to circumvent disaster.

Caught Stealing is packed with colourful characters, who are brought to the fore with some fine acting.

Austin Butler excels as the key protagonist, whose past continues to haunt him.

Zoe Kravitz is outstanding as his pragmatic and sexy girlfriend, with their early encounters lighting up the screen.

Regina King brings attitude to her portrayal of a cop who wasn’t born yesterday.

Matt Smith has low life swagger as the misfit punk rocker, who is in with the wrong crowd.

Liev Schreiber as Lipa and Vincent D’Onofrio as Shmully add much as mercenary religious types, their scenes among the best in the film.

Also worthy of mention is George Abud, who plays a neighbour named Duane, who builds websites and doesn’t appreciate the tumult taking place outside his door.

There is some funny stuff in there.

As for the cat, played by Tonic, bravo. Teaching a cat to act is no mean feat.

In the context of the film’s central conceit, Matthew Libatique’s cinematography in capturing some of the seedier sides of the city works well.

So, too, Rob Simonsen’s charged score.

The treachery and the treacherous, overlaid with the outrageous and the outlandish, not to overlook the darkly comedic, did it for me.

I was engaged and involved from the get go, having no idea where it would land, but Caught Stealing led me on merry a dance.

Rated MA, it scores an 8½ out of 10.