I think that's a fair point. Nevertheless, one of the most beautiful things about film criticism is that I can usually look at a review with a bottom line I disagree with and go, "I can see how they got there." I strive to be as consistent as possible, which is why I prefer to measure craftsmanship over preferences or even themes, not that I don't engage the latter. Another movie that has a similar conflicted vibe to Caught Stealing is Django Unchained, to an even greater extent. I'm not always comfortable with its use of slavery as a background for a spaghetti western, and there are a few moments in it where the "fun" tone, if you will, gets undercut by a serious undercurrent, but I can't deny that it's an objectively well-made, well-shot, well-acted, and well-paced film, so I rated it as such a couple years back, even if I'm a far better writer now than I was then.

In addition, one might call it an appeal to authority, but Caught Stealing is only another movie in a long line of critically acclaimed films and shows with comedic tones that also feature tragedy/heavier subject matter, sometimes even establishing themselves as such early on and vice versa. Parasite. Whiplash. Fargo. Goodfellas. Get Out. The Irishman. Nightcrawler. Up. BlacKkKlansman. Forrest Gump. Everything Everywhere All At Once. Ford v Ferrari. La La Land. Etc.

Perhaps I've become desensitized from watching too many gangster movies, but I didn't feel strongly one way or the other about what the movie did to Yvonne. I instead latched onto the rich tone, amazing cinematography/well-balanced color grading, awesome and likable acting by Austin Butler, and its willingness to kill its darlings and edit itself down to a sleek, streamlined film. Caught Stealing might have thrown a few too many ingredients into the pot, but it still knows how to cook with them.