"Catch Me If You Can" is a movie that you get into almost immediately. You watch it, you like it, and this continues for a while. But as the movie gets longer, you start to squirm in your seat, you look at your watch, and you wonder if it's gonna end anytime soon. This movie is a true story based on the life of Frank Abagnale, Jr., a man who has lived a fascinating life. Between his mid-teens to his early twenties, enough happened to make two or three movies, but it was all squeezed into this one film. There are plenty of movies out there longer than "Catch Me If You Can," but this one seemed like it could use some cutting. Maybe ten or fifteen minutes shoulda been shaved. Or maybe not. Perhaps when I watch it again, I'll feel differently. Maybe I'll think it should be even longer, especially since there's probably even more story to tell.
This is a Leonardo DiCaprio movie. I know that Tom Hanks is in it, and I know that Steven Spielberg is directing it, but this movie is first and foremost a Leonardo DiCaprio movie, and I must say, I'm impressed. I always thought he was a decent actor (his Oscar nomination for "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" was no fluke), but after "Titanic," the media was into him a little more than I felt he deserved. The success of "Titanic" (which WAS a fluke) had little to do with Leonardo DiCaprio and more to do with writer/director James Cameron. I was swept away by the movie, giving it 10 (which is something I rarely do now), but after all the hype died down, I noticed all the glaring flaws... and that dialogue, UGH!!! Anyway, after "Titanic," Leonardo DiCaprio starred in a couple of movies, but none really shook the world. Even now, he's in "Gangs of New York," and though he's the star, he's more of the eyes and ears to help the audience along in understanding the story. With "Catch Me If You Can," Leonardo DiCaprio reminded me why he got that Oscar nomination, and he proves that when he's given the right material, he can definitely carry a film. Sure, he's gets some help from Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, but they both allow him to shine in this film. Leonardo DiCaprio does a great job playing "Frank Abagnale, Jr."
There are plenty of movies out there where the cop chases the supposed bad guy, and there's a certain level of respect and admiration that they have for each other. "The Fugitive" and "Heat" are movies that come to mind. This movie is sorta like that, but it's based on fact, so it somehow seems a little more exciting. And it helps that the bad guy in this movie isn't really all that bad. Sure, he forges checks, and he truly is a con man, but he's not evil, ya know? In fact, the movie almost paints Frank Abagnale, Jr. as a saint. A saint who writes bad checks, but a saint nevertheless.
Tom Hanks plays cop to Leonardo DiCaprio's robber, and though I like Tom Hanks a lot as an actor, his accent bugged me. Don't get me wrong, he's great in the movie, but his accent didn't seem right. I guess it was supposed to be a Boston accent, but it seemed forced. He's still awesome, though, and I really like his scenes with Leonardo DiCaprio. Christopher Walken is also in the movie, and he plays "Frank Abagnale, Sr.," the father. Christopher Walken always kicks ass, and he's great in this movie. There's also an appearance by Martin Sheen. I was surprised to see him in this movie, but it was a welcome surprise. Finally, there was a brief appearance by the beautiful Jennifer Garner. Ah yes, Jennifer Garner, star of the TV show "Alias." She's really come a long way since playing a ditzy girlfriend in "Dude, Where's My Car?," hasn't she? Personally, I think she's reason enough to see this movie, but that's just me.
"Catch Me If You Can" was based on the book by Frank Abagnale, Jr. and Stan Redding, and it was adapted into a screenplay by Jeff Nathanson (he wrote "Rush Hour 2" and he helped write "Speed 2: Cruise Control"). I think it was a really good screenplay, though it probably coulda used some trimming. As I said earlier, this movie was directed by Steven Spielberg, and I think he did another fantastic job. The guy is one of the most talented directors ever, and a movie like this is a cakewalk for him, but with minimal effort, Spielberg can make a really good movie, and he did just that. It's a little long, but it's still very entertaining.
Even though "Catch Me If You Can" may drag at times, it's a thoroughly enjoyable movie that's fun to watch. Leonardo DiCaprio proves that he's a movie star who can act, Tom Hanks proves that his ego isn't too big to let another actor take top billing, and Steven Spielberg proves that he's still one of the best. I like this movie a lot.
Scale of 1-10: 8