Director Darren Aronofsky departs from his trademark psychological intensity with “Caught Stealing,” a darkly comic crime caper opening in U.S. theaters on Aug. 29. Adapted by novelist Charlie Huston from his 2004 book, the film follows Hank Thompson—played by Oscar-nominee Austin Butler—an ex-baseball prospect whose cat-sitting favor turns into a violent hunt for a missing key across 1990s Lower East Side New York. Early reviews describe the Sony release as Aronofsky’s most purely entertaining work, praising Butler’s physical performance and the film’s punk-rock energy. The ensemble cast includes Zoë Kravitz as Hank’s paramedic girlfriend, Regina King as a determined detective, Matt Smith as the wayward neighbor who sparks the chaos, and a comic-menacing duo of Liev Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio as orthodox-Jewish gangsters, with Bad Bunny in a supporting turn. Critics from outlets such as The Bulwark, TechRadar and Le HuffPost highlight the film’s kinetic editing, period soundtrack and unexpectedly hopeful tone. While retaining Aronofsky’s recurring themes of addiction and self-destruction, the 107-minute feature leans into fast-paced action and dark humor, offering what reviewers call a “popcorn” crowd-pleaser that expands the director’s range ahead of the late-summer box-office frame.