This is like a 21^st century version of a Hitchcock thriller: An innocent man (Austin Butler) finds himself in the middle of an escalating puzzle of violence and danger, relying on his wits to stay alive. With this role, Butler continues his ascension as one of our most charismatic and talented young actors. His continual confusion and desperate attempts to avoid danger keep his character engaging. The supporting cast has some enjoyable characters: the sardonic cop (Regina King), the punk crook (Matt Smith in a wild mohawk), Live Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio as Hasidic gangsters, an almost unrecognizable Griffin Dunne as the bar owner and one surprise cameo at the end. The real star of the movie is director Darren Aronofsky, who’s crafted a non-stop complex of mean violence, moments of comedy, frantic chases and intimidating character interactions in a crime-ridden 90s NYC. Sit thru the credits because they feature cool, colorful animation. (4 / 5)

Movieland link