Caught Stealing is a new crime caper that kicks off when the hero agrees to look after his neighbor’s cat. So does the moggy make it to the end of the movie? If you need to know that information before seeing the film, we’ve got you covered.
Caught Stealing is an action thriller based on the 2004 of the same name by Charles Huston, directed by The Whale helmer Darren Aronofsky, and starring Elvis actor Austin Butler.
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We awarded the film 3-stars in our Caught Stealing review, and wrote that “everyone involved is clearly having a blast, and that fun factor bleeds through the screen, in a movie that delivers twists and turns and tonal shifts that’ll make your head spin.”
A furry feline called Bud plays pretty heavily into proceedings, and as some viewers like to know if animals survive a movie before deciding to watch, we’ve got those details below. Though that means CAT SPOILERS ahead…
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Does the cat die in Caught Stealing?
Sony Pictures
No, the cat does not die during Caught Stealing, with Bud making it to the end of the movie pretty much intact.
There is an act of animal cruelty during the film, but mercifully, it takes place off camera, with gangster Pavel revealing he threw the cat across the room when it bit him.
Which is different to how the scene plays out in the book, where said gangster snaps the cat’s leg during a scene. Something Aronofsky clearly decided was too shocking for the screen.
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Bud does spend the rest of the movie limping around with his leg in a bandage, but come the end that has healed, and the cat is alive and well, though still very much a biter should strangers try to pet him.
Who plays Bud in the movie?
Sony Pictures
Bud is played by a Siberian forest cat called Tonic, who hails from Toronto.
Previous credits include the 2019 Pet Sematary remake and 2023 slasher Thanksgiving, and Austin Butler – who spends most of the movie carrying Tonic/Bud around in a duffle bag – says the cat is a consummate professional.
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“Tonic is so brilliant, isn’t he? He’s a scene stealer,” Butler told NPR. “He had this very primal fire in his eyes, you know. And so when you fed him a treat, he didn’t just take it out of your hand with his mouth. He would grab it with his paw. He’s like this tiny little tiger. It’s just so impressive to see. And then on top of that, he could stay on a mark for an hour and a half, he’s just so focused.”
But there were similarities between the cat and his alter-ego, with Aronofsky revealing: “Tonic’s not a type of cat you pet. I would have to stop myself because Tonic doesn’t like to be touched. You just have to respect that.”
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Caught Stealing is in cinemas now, while you can head here for the best movies out this month, or here for the best action movies of all-time.
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