Review: Catch Me If You Can

Catch Me If You Can opened on Christmas Day in 2002. The film starred Leonardo DiCaprio & Tom Hanks. Catch Me If You Can was directed by Steven Spielberg.Synopsis:

Frank Abagnale Jr. (DiCaprio) forged millions of dollars worth of checks while pretending to hold highly successful careers. The true story centers on the pursuit of Abagnale Jr. by the FBI, led by agent, Hanratty (Hanks). Frank Abagnale Jr. would go down in history as one of the most successful con artists ever, all before his 20th birthday.

Positives:

• Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks both give two of their best performances. Both play the kind of characters that the audience traditionally isn’t supposed to like. DiCaprio plays a criminal, but he does so with so much charm that you not only believe he could pull off the crimes, you root for him. Tom Hanks plays an antagonist to our lead character. The dedication that Hanks shows with his portrayal makes you feel sympathy for him every time Frank dupes him.

• The costumes, set design and locations all capture the 1960’s authentically. Everything in the film feels accurate to the decade and does a great job of putting you in that era.
• The score by John Williams is different than the music we are used to from him. It has a very 1960’s sound and also captures the caper story’s tone. It’s one of Williams’s best, and most unique, film scores.
• Catch Me If You Can is one of Spielberg’s lightest and breeziest efforts. It moves briskly and is easily one of the director’s most rewatchable films.

Negatives:

Catch Me If You Can probably would have been an even stronger film if 10-15 minutes were cut out. There are moments and scenes that come across as redundant.

In Closing:

• Catch Me If You Can is one of Spielberg’s most unique and underrated films. The performances by its two A-list leads are exceptional. Catch Me If You Can is a great example of the diversity of Spielberg’s filmography and it is one of his greatest achievements.

Rating: A