Darren Aronofsky's NYC crime caper 'Caught Stealing' debuts in China

Acclaimed filmmaker Darren Aronofsky's New York crime caper "Caught Stealing" opened Friday in theaters across China, marking his first national theatrical release in the country and a playful shift from his usual dark dramas.

Darren Aronofsky directs Austin Butler on the set of "Caught Stealing." [Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment]

Austin Butler stars as Hank Thompson, a former high school baseball star turned New York bartender, alongside Regina King and Zoë Kravitz. Hank's life seems settled. He has a girlfriend (Kravitz) and follows his favorite team's underdog pennant run. Then he agrees to watch his punk-rock neighbor Russ' (Matt Smith) cat, and everything unravels. He's suddenly tangled up with angry gangsters, unsure of their motives or why he's been targeted, and must hustle to survive.

The film's 1990s setting is steeped in nostalgia. The opening scene features the World Trade Center, and a Chinatown bar scene prominently displays Tsingtao Beer. "It's New York City, and that bar was in Chinatown," the director told China.org.cn. "We drink a lot of Tsingtao in New York City. It's a very popular beer here."

Aronofsky said he integrated "tons of" personal experiences and memories into the film. "We shot my first two movies, 'Pi' and 'Requiem for a Dream,' 25, 27 years ago, right when 'Caught Stealing' is set," he said. "That was fun because a lot of the same filmmakers who worked on those movies are still working with me."

Returning to shoot on the same streets with the same crew was "a great honor," he said. "I'm super grateful that I got to spend time with them again in those places. It was very moving and emotional, and I just love the energy of those streets and trying to bring them to life."

The filmmaker called 1990s New York City "peak humanity." "There was an innocence to the world: the thing we were most worried about was Y2K; the president was in trouble because he had an extramarital affair and lied about it; hip-hop was booming, grunge was peaking, and electronic music was starting," he said.

Of the East Village, his former home and workplace, he said: "It's the kernel that makes New York pop. To me, it's the most electric, most creative, most fun place in the world."

His connection to "Caught Stealing" dates back nearly 18 years, when he first read Charlie Huston's novel of the same name. "I just love the immediacy of the action, the excitement, the energy. I could feel the streets of New York. I could feel the grit and the grain," he said.

The project came back to life two to three years ago when Huston emailed out of the blue. He had secured the book's rights and written a screenplay, and asked if Aronofsky wanted to develop it. A chance meeting with Butler at an awards show sealed the deal. Aronofsky found Butler "wonderful" and perfect for the role.

"We started talking, and it came together very quickly," Aronofsky said, praising Butler as "a great movie star and a great new actor" who "really understands emotion and knows how to portray it."

"Caught Stealing" breaks from Aronofsky's typical heavy dramas like "Requiem for a Dream" and "Black Swan," embracing comedy and irony instead.

"You gotta keep challenging yourself and do different things. It's super important," the director told China.org.cn. "I always feel like all my movies are different, but I guess they've always been very heavy. Now when I go watch movies, I look for something more light and uplifting. I felt that audiences may feel the same way — that it's time to do something like that. This one was sitting there, it looked like a lot of fun, and I figured, what the heck, let's go make it."

A Chinese poster for "Caught Stealing." [Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment]

The filmmakers worked to nail 1990s authenticity through both sweeping and subtle period details. They also captured unprecedented shots, including a drone sequence on the Manhattan Bridge.

"No one's ever shot a drone shot like that on the Manhattan Bridge," he said.

New York City officials were enthusiastic about the production and granted rare filming permissions, he said. The team was allowed to fly a drone through the Unisphere, the iconic globe sculpture in Flushing, Queens.

"It was great. We had a lot of fun with the movie; we really wanted to show off New York like it had never been seen before. That's what we tried to do," Aronofsky said.