Austin Butler’s Action Thriller That’s Trending On Netflix Is A Must-Watch This Week

Austin Butler is one of Hollywood’s biggest stars and has risen to the spot thanks to a collection of great projects in recent years. After his Oscar-nominated role in Elvis, which performed great at the box office, he’s been part of acclaimed thrillers like The Bikeriders, spectacular blockbusters like Dune: Part Two, and hit TV shows like Masters of Air.

With his stardom continuing to ascend with his potential roles in a Miami Vice reboot and even Michael Mann’s planned Heat 2, Butler has been awarded these opportunities thanks to the excellence of his work. And while neither of his 2025 films found much success at the box office, a great action thriller he starred in is now gaining popularity on streaming.

Austin Butler as Hank with the cat in Caught Stealing

Earlier this year, Butler played the lead role in Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing, based on Charlie Huston’s 2004 novel of the same name. He stars as Henry “Hank” Thompson, a former baseball player who gets caught up in a crime scheme. Butler’s co-stars include Zoë Kravitz, Matt Smith (with a mohawk), Regina King, Liev Schreiber, and Vincent D’Onofrio.

While Sony released it in theaters on August 29, Caught Stealing recently made its streaming debut on Netflix. In just a few days, it’s become part of the Top 10 for the streaming service, currently sitting at #4 in the U.S., behind Jingle Bell Heist, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and Dog.

Why You Should Watch Caught Stealing Too

Matt Smith and Austin Butler in Caught Stealing

With the ease of accessibility of being on Netflix, Caught Stealing is absolutely worth your time. Critics and audiences alike love the movie, which has an 84% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with the Popcornmeter sitting at 83%.

Butler is tremendous in the lead role, providing another showcase of his movie star charisma. He’s completely believable in the action elements, whether that means fist-fighting, swinging baseball bats, or scaling buildings. Meanwhile, the tormented pain of Hank’s past and present circumstances comes through alongside the more magnetic sides of his personality.

Aronofsky helps elevate the film to a level above the mediocre crime thriller it might have otherwise become. The sharp direction of the action sequences keeps this entertaining, while there is a more crowd-pleasing nature to the tone than viewers may expect from the guy who made Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan, mother!, The Whale, and The Wrestler.

Caught Stealing also benefits from the strength of its ensemble. Kravitz is excellent, even if her role leaves a bit to be desired. Smith is outrageously hilarious with his comedic performance and physical look. Schreiber and D’Onofrio steal their scenes as the Druckers. Regina Hall adds power and some humor with her role too.

With its 90s setting, gritty crime thriller story, star-studded cast, and entertaining action scenes, there’s a lot to like about Caught Stealing. It’s an easy recommendation for any fans of the genre, Butler, and Aronofsky. And with a 1 hour and 47 minute runtime that flies by, it makes for a great evening watch on Neflix this week.