Before going into this film, I didn’t see a ton of advertising for it, so I kind of went in blind. I just wanted take a trip to the movie theater, grab some popcorn, and roll the dice on a random film I’ve never heard of. I’m happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Caught Stealing is a dark action comedy that takes place in 1990s New York and follows a former baseball player whose days of bartending are upended when he inadvertently gets involved with a criminal mob. The performances from the entire cast are outstanding, the pacing is solid, and the plot following our protagonist getting pulled deeper and deeper into New York’s criminal underworld remains gripping from start to finish, especially as we learn more about his motivations and dark past. This film does have its fair share of comedic elements admist its shockingly brutal violence, but if I were to give this film any gripe, it would be the movie’s tonal inconstancies at points. Too comedic to be a straight up action thriller, but too brutal to be considered a comedy. However, I still recommend this film to anyone who’s looking for an edge-of-your seat theater experience this year. Despite the film’s violent nature, it’s hopeful undertones remained as resilient as the film’s protagonist. Also, very similar to Superman, the film’s animal character completely stole the show. Score: 8/10
Noah Robinson 