The true story of a real fake.
2002-12-16
$52.0M
141 min
A true story about Frank Abagnale Jr. who, before his 19th birthday, successfully conned millions of dollars worth of checks as a Pan Am pilot, doctor, and legal prosecutor. An FBI agent makes it his mission to put him behind bars. But Frank not only eludes capture, he revels in the pursuit.
This was an entertaining and fun piece of film making from the ever-reliable Steven Spielberg. It is a bit of a depart from his usual full-blown and hugely epic pictures, yet this does not detract at all from the fascinating story of Frank Abagnale Jr. I was interested in this man before I'd seen the movie, and it only served to increase my interest. Although it is important to remember (as with any such film) that this is only 'inspired' by a true story and not told word for word from one, the plot is fascinating and keeps you laughing, crying and wondering until the end.
Frank Abagnale Jr. is an astounding and interesting character. The real life Abagnale originally said that he did not believe DiCaprio to be 'suave' enough to play the role, but he certainly does pull it off. DiCaprio's acting is superb, and totally believable as a man who could lie to, deceive, and con everyone he met without once losing any of his charisma or charm. Hanks is also excellent, he plays the role of the obsessed FBI agent well, and also with a likable quality. The interaction between these two characters was great, it was interesting to see a budding relationship slowly build between two characters who were actually positioned against one another.
I loved the look of the film. It was a refreshing blast to see the 60s portrayed in such a vivid and colorful way. The whole setting and atmosphere of the film gave it a wonderful and almost (I hesitate to use the word) 'magical' sense. This tone appealed to me much more than a darker tone might have.
However, the film is rife with moral ambiguity. As much fun as it is to watch DiCaprio jumping from one place (and identity) to the next, forging checks and spending inordinate amounts of money at a whim, the film never really focuses on the morally bankrupt side of the story. The portion of the film devoted to this at the end still seems to skim over the fact that this man has stolen millions of dollars. It ends on a high note for Frank Abagnale Jr., never fully spelling out the wrongs he committed. Still, this would probably bring the whole film down, and sometimes it's fun just to enjoy a bit of escapism without being told off for desiring such things. I mean, it's hard to be totally strict and upright - you have to love it when DiCaprio's character swindles Jennifer Garner's prostitute for $400!
Overall, this is a fun film and really enjoyable. Not as much of an epic masterpiece as some of Spielberg's other movies, but still a great film!
Catch Me If You Can is an entertaining and amusing film full of Spielberg, Hanks, and DiCaprio charm.
With Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio as leads and Steven Spielberg directing, I don't think it's possible not to enjoy this movie. Everyone loves Hanks and young Leo. Every Spielberg film drips with nostalgia and enthusiasm. Catch Me If You Can is precisely what you would expect from this talented crew. A clever, witty film with growing respect between a con artist and the FBI agent trailing him. Spielberg crafts an excellent, satisfying, and entertaining movie based on the true story of Frank Abagnale Jr. and Carl Hanratty.
Just as great as expected.
I'm not quite sure how I've never got around to watching this, for two reasons: Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. Literally two of my favourite actors. Well, at least I have now and I can only add to the general vibe around <em>'Catch Me If You Can'</em>. It's very good!
DiCaprio and Hanks are terrific throughout, the former narrowly outshines the latter but the film is very much greater for having them both onboard. Neat to see the likes of Christopher Walken and Amy Adams behind 'em, too. It's as well cast, and as well made, as you'd anticipate from a Steven Spielberg flick.
I potentially would've shaved a little bit off the run time, though that's very much a minor, minor 'but' of mine. All things considered, it's entertaining to watch, has some solid amusement and is told in a interesting manner. I'd happily revisit it, certainly.
A quick look at the real life Frank Abagnale's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch_Me_If_You_Can#Cast">Wikipedia</a> seems to suggest an equally as intriguing story, with many claims of his potentially being debunked in the years since... yet that, given what has followed them, would simply make him even more of a noteworthy con man!
For me, this is one of Leonardo DiCaprio's most natural performances. He is Frank Abagnale, a hugely intuitive seventeen year old youth with a boundless imagination and a criminal mind that might have made "Moriarty" blush. He quickly realises that most of society is based on the eggshell principle. We take things trustingly, on face value, and never explore what we don't think to ask. When we do, then the shell disintegrates and we discover a man who has convinced the most intelligent people that he can be a lawyer, a doctor, even an airline pilot and he is commanding salaries from each, even if that money is also the fruits of his meticulously creative labours! Eventually, tenacious FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks) is on his trail. Instead of intimidating Abagnale, this cat and mouse game actually stimulates him and what now ensues are some entertainingly put together escapades that see DiCaprio clearly have some fun as he schmoozes, womanises and travels the world in style. Hanks doesn't actually feature so much until the conclusion, it's actually Christopher Walken who stands out more as the troubled father. Having lost just about everything to the IRS, it's down to junior to refloat his dad's boat - snd he's having s very good try! Amy Adans introduces the tiniest element of romance as Brenda, whose lawyer father (Martin Sheen) is also bamboozled by the sheer brass-neckery of this supreme con artist. Right from the Hitchcockian opening titles, we hit the ground running and Steven Spielberg paces this enjoyably, assisted by a sprightly score from John Williams. Were it not based on an true story, you'd have thought it an exquisite work of imaginative fiction. It is, and it's a really effective reflection of just what a man can get away with if he's got a nice smile and a sharp suit.
Life on the run from the FBI
From 1964-1969, a teen from New York (Leonardo DiCaprio) turns to confidence scams to survive, including posing as a Pan Am copilot, a doctor and a lawyer while raking in huge amounts of money via check fraud. Tom Hanks plays the FBI agent intent on nabbing the con artist.
"Catch Me If You Can" (2002) was inspired by Frank Abagnale Jr’s tales about his life. It comes in the tradition of films like “To Catch a Thief” and “The Great Impostor,” albeit with the more modern tone of “The Fugitive” (1993), minus the great action sequences of that film.
You can watch the real-life Abagnale in his appearance on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show in 1978 on Youtube; he shared several of the stories that made it into the movie. Whether or not they’re true is another story (he was a conman, after all), but they make for an entertaining movie set in the ’60s.
The script was based on Abagnale’s autobiography, which is more of a biography since he sat down with Stan Redding for a few interviews. Then Redding wrote the actual book, tweaking it for the purposes of entertainment. Abagnale said about 80% of it was accurate. As for the movie, he said some things are off, like the fact that he didn’t keep in touch with his dad after running away, not to mention he had two siblings and his mother never remarried. Also, the plane escape took place through the kitchen galley, not the toilet in the rest room. Lastly, the character of Hanratty (Hanks) is a composite of several FBI agents who pursued him.
Amy Adams appears in a secondary role; she was 26 during shooting, but looked like a teenager. Jennifer Garner, Elizabeth Banks and Ellen Pompeo have smaller roles.
It runs 2 hours, 21 minutes, and was shot in several locations, including Burbank, Downey, New York City (and nearby Orange, New Jersey), LA International Airport, Ontario International Airport, Quebec City and Montreal.
GRADE: B
