Zoë Kravitz has a central role in Caught Stealing, but I was upset with how it turned out. Caught Stealing‘s reviews have been positive since the movie’s release, with many praising the work of its cast. The tone has also received praise, given that Caught Stealing is a very different type of Darren Aronofsky movie.

The plot of Caught Stealing centers around Austin Butler’s Henry “Hank” Thompson as he gets wrapped up in a world of drug money, corrupt cops, and New York City gangsters. By the time of Caught Stealing‘s ending, this plot twists and turns its way through many different reveals, showcasing the talents of its cast members in several ways.

One such cast member is Zoë Kravitz. Based on the trailers for Caught Stealing, it was expected that Kravitz’s Yvonne would have a major role in the film. While this is true to an extent, I found myself disappointed by how the story handled Kravitz’s character by the time the post-credits scene of Caught Stealing rolled around.

Why Zoë Kravitz’s Death In Caught Stealing Feels So Regressive

Caught Stealing‘s first act establishes how seemingly important Kravitz’s Yvonne will be to the movie. The film establishes Yvonne and Hank’s on-and-off relationship, with the former telling the latter she wants things to be real if he can prove to her that he can handle himself rather than dwelling on the past and burying himself in booze.

Yvonne becomes aware of Hank’s unwitting involvement in a major criminal case, further establishing her importance to Caught Stealing‘s plot. However, a shocking scene reveals that Yvonne was killed by some of the gangsters looking for the money that Hank was thought to have in his possession. This scene comes less than midway through Caught Stealing.

In many ways, the death of Kravitz’s Yvonne in Caught Stealing feels frustratingly regressive. Perhaps one of the oldest narrative tropes in media history is the concept of “fridging.” Fridging was a term coined by prominent comic book writer Gail Simone, stemming from a story in which Green Lantern’s girlfriend was murdered and stuffed into a refrigerator.

The basic outline of this trope, which had existed long before Simone coined the term, surrounds prominent female characters being significantly injured, wounded, or murdered with no other purpose than to spur the male lead character into action. Above anything, Kravitz’s role in Caught Stealing can be described as this.

Yvonne’s death is the catalyst for Hank delving deeper into the criminal underworld of New York. Despite the importance of her character in the first act, Yvonne simply disappears from the story both physically and figuratively, with Hank only mourning her for a brief period before moving on to the next stage of his journey.

Although the modern cinematic landscape is certainly improving its depiction of female characters, there is evidently still work to be done. Caught Stealing proves this, with Yvonne’s death feeling painfully regressive. This could be due to the fact that Caught Stealing is based on a book released in the early 2000s, where fridging was arguably at its peak.

Regardless, the film commits to removing an important female character from the plot early into the runtime. This causes Caught Stealing‘s cast to skew heavily towards male characters, with only Regina King’s Roman serving as an on-screen presence. Ultimately, Zoë Kravitz deserved better than what Caught Stealing offered her.

I Wish Caught Stealing Had Fixed Yvonne’s Fate From The Book

As already alluded to, Caught Stealing is based on the 2004 book of the same name, with both being written by Charlie Huston. Unfortunately, Huston did not change Yvonne’s fate from the book to the adaptation, though I wish he had. Yvonne’s fate could have been changed in a way that still allowed Caught Stealing to work.

Overall, the stakes in Caught Stealing are fairly high. Yvonne’s death is one very obvious reason for this, but beyond that, the film does a good job of providing some compelling reasons to want to see Hank succeed. The safety of his mother in California is one reason, as is his care for his neighbor’s cat, Buddy.

If audiences can relate to anything, it is familial bonds and pets. Caught Stealing could have leaned into these two more heavily as a means of providing Hank’s journey with stakes.

Moreover, Yvonne’s role could have been altered to add to this, with the promise of a healthy relationship between her and Hank at the end of everything. This would have made the audience root for Hank and Yvonne without stripping away their potential by killing the latter. Despite this, Huston decided to keep Yvonne’s fate the same from page to screen.

This only adds to the regressive nature of Kravitz’s role in Caught Stealing. The filmmakers had the opportunity to take a dated trope and update it for a more modern audience, giving a star like Kravitz a much bigger role to work with. However, her fate from the book was not altered, rendering Kravitz’s role in Caught Stealing a regressive disappointment.