Austin Butler trades in his guitar for a baseball bat in “Caught Stealing,” releasing everywhere this week.
In Darren Aronofsky’s latest film — yes, it’s an Aronofsky film, but it’s nothing like his usual fare — Butler plays a former baseball prodigy, whose life (and body) fell apart just before he was set to go pro. These days, he’s a bartender in New York, and really just a normal guy who checks in with his mom regularly.
But, when his punk neighbor asks him cat-sit, Hank is suddenly being chased by several gangsters, and has no idea why.
Here’s what you need to know.
What’s the release date?
“Caught Stealing” releases everywhere on Friday, August 29.
Is it streaming?
It is not. For now, you’ll only be able to catch it in theaters. It’ll likely head to Netflix when it’s time for streaming. We’ll keep you posted on when that is.
What’s it about?
“Caught Stealing” centers on Hank Thompson (Austin Butler), a high-school baseball phenom who can’t play anymore, thanks to an accident when he was a teen. His life turned out OK though; he’s got Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz), tends bar at a New York dive, and his favorite team, the San Francisco Giants, is making an underdog run at the pennant.
When his punk-rock neighbor Russ (Matt Smith) asks Hank to take care of his cat for a few days, Hank suddenly finds himself caught in New York’s world of crime and mobsters — he just doesn’t know why.
Is it based on a book?
Indeed it is. “Caught Stealing” is based on the book of the same name, written by Charlie Huston, who also wrote the screenplay for this adaptation.
Do I need to read the book first?
No. You can go into this movie completely cold and still understand what’s going on throughout the whole thing.
Does the cat die?
It’s fair if this was your first question upon seeing a cat in the poster and realizing how key to the story he might be. So, we’ll give you this spoiler. No, the cat doesn’t die.
