Corrupt police, wild chase sequences, a gun-totting Jewish gang, Russian mobsters, an adorable cat and a love for baseball…that’s what you’ll get in Darren Aronofsky’s newest film, “Caught Stealing,” one of the best comedy thrillers of the decade.

With a new found love and the San Francisco Giants making a comeback, bartender and former rising baseball star Hank Thompson’s [Austin Butler] life hasn’t been this interesting in years. However, things take a grisly turn when a simple pet-sitting favor turns into a game of cat-and-mouse against two gangs, a shady police officer, a mob boss and Hank’s British neighbor, who are all eyeing a large sum of money.

From wrestling and the Bible to religious frights and ballerina horror, director Aronofosky reinvents his wheelhouse with nearly every movie he makes — and “Caught Stealing” is no different.

Taking place in 1998, the comedy-bent thriller offers a lens in a frozen time period just before modern technology, an era of New York where you could do anything and get away with everything. It’s here that the audience is thrown into the grit and grim of the city, being told a story that could have happened to anyone. Luckily, “Caught Stealing” offers up a cast of cuckoo criminals and attractive has-beens that are lovable — or hateable — until the very end. Austin Butler continues to prove that he is one of the industry’s most talented, young stars today, taking command of the screen in every scene he’s in. Butler also has pitch-perfect chemistry with “The Batman” star Zoe Kravitz, playing the mysterious, alluring Yvonne. Although it’s a small role, Kravitz brings the right amount of attitude to the part, allowing the character to sink her claws into viewers’ minds from her first scene and beyond. Other actors including Matt Smith, Regina King, Bad Bunny and Liev Schreiber fill out the rest of the crew, giving the film plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and nail-biting suspense. Even with a cast of 10 plus characters, “Caught Stealing” never feels overstuffed. The variety of antagonists add to the movie’s frenetic energy. Although the film may run at 180 miles per hour with plot twists at every turn, it never feels lost, but high on adrenaline and punk rock. 

Aside from the cast, Aronofsky perfectly marries the urban street grunge of “Fight Club” and “The Departed” with the sharp comedic edge of “Knives Out” and “Bullet Train.” Without missing a beat, Aronofsky manages to make the film feel as bad ass as it is hilarious. Whether it’s the dingy bars and shops or the kinetic cinematography speeding around New York City, the world of “Caught Stealing” always feels incredibly dangerous and bustling with life.

Although the crime flick starts to fall apart in the final 10 minutes, heavily relying on coincidence rather than heavy stakes and memorable writing, it does pick itself back up and cross the finish line with a heart-touching final scene. Thompson’s character arc does feel a bit thin — clearly so the movie could hit an under two hour run-time — but Butler’s acting chops more than make up for what is lacking in the writing department.

A fierce display of filmmaking from beginning to end, “Caught Stealing” is Aronofsky’s awesome ode to a forgotten era, serving healthy helpings of thrills, laughs and heart underneath its criminal exterior.

“Caught Stealing” released Aug. 29 and is in theaters now.