Trapped – Caught stealing on Canal Plus: Aronofsky lets go of the horses (critic)

Austin Butler loves the screen with his magnetic loser demeanor in this After Hours on amphetamines where the creative insolence of the director of Black Swan, far from his comfort zone, is savored without moderation.

Despite the charisma of Austin Butler, Trapped went relatively unnoticed in theaters last year, with 32 million worldwide box office receipts and only 110,000 admissions in France. So it’s very likely that you haven’t seen Darren Aronofsky’s latest film. Catch-up session this Friday on Canal Plus (and streaming on MyCanal). Our review:

It’s a messy and a bit hectic film, like an After Hours on amphetamines (the reference is completely assumed by the director and the main actor). Trapped is the adaptation of a novel by Charlie Huston by the Darren Aronofsky the most relaxed one we have ever seen; and it’s basically a planned descent into New York chaos, a gleaming kaleidoscope of gangsters, cats and dirty tricks. A narrative ordeal, a punk dance above the East Village. And unlike Aronofsky’s film, not, but then not cerebral at all.

The novel dates from 2004 and Aronofsky is visibly having fun resurrecting the visual codes of New York at the end of the 90’s. The flagship of an era when gentrification had not yet stripped Manhattan of its filth, the city becomes a nocturnal playground where seedy bars, stinking alleys and subway stations are transformed into absurd war zones. This is where a former baseball phenom (Austin Butlerextraordinary) lives in this toxic ecosystem, and he is about to see the world collapse around him…

From the neon-soaked streets to the post-punk delirium of Idles that saturates the soundtrack, the film is a triumph of dirty style. And by integrating the first division of entertainment, Darren Aronofsky, prince of indie, adored author often mired in references, decided to strengthen his playful game. Free to walk the sidewalks as he sees fit, he manages to make this cocktail of urban criticism and Scorsesian delirium sing.

Halfway through, everything goes into a tailspin; all the mafias gang up against the hero who asked for nothing and his cat becomes the focus of all the trouble. We sense the filmmaker’s obvious jubilation in releasing some control, his jovial quest for pure bravado, while Matt Smith pulverizes his guitar on his neighbors and the criminal orgy continues unabated. In fact, a lot of the excitement comes from the actors. Butler oozes old-fashioned charisma. It’s the 80s version of Val Kilmer recycled into urban chaos. He magnetizes the screen with his magnetic loser look. Zoë Kravitz brings the necessary stability to this whirlwind of betrayals, and she and Butler create a trashy couple with fascinating energy. As for Matt Smith, he delivers a crazy punk number which alone justifies the trip.

Punk. The word is out. The film captures New York underground culture with enjoyable documentary precision. Idles’ music pushes the action sequences to an almost absurd pace where chaos and post-punk riffs intertwine in perfect symbiosis. This brutal creative choice gives the film its unique identity: that of Aronofsky who recharges his creative batteries, stripping himself of all his usual moral sermons to revel in a simple story that of a man (and a cat) and a city conspiring against him.

Seemingly nothing, we witness a somewhat dizzying display of style until the final credits. It’s thrilling, funny, chaotic and well shot. Who, today, dares to initiate projects of this magnitude? Who still has the audacity to bet on these big, arty films that are unapologetically fun? Granted, this isn’t the film that defines Aronofsky’s body of work, but it is one that shows a filmmaker willing to take any risks. And sometimes that creative insolence is the most exciting thing ever. In this register, Trapped is a pleasure to see.

By Darren Aronofsky. With Austin Butler, Zoë Kravitz, Matt Smith… Duration: 1h47.