Catch Me If You Can Movie Review 2002

Spielberg's lightweight, entertaining, but overly lengthy flick follows the exploits of Frank Abagnale Jr. (DiCaprio), who, starting at age 16, eluded the FBI (in the person of Carl Hanratty, played by Hanks) while passing bad checks in the guise of airline pilot, doctor, lawyer, and college professor in the early '60s. Frank's journey starts when his perfect suburban life is turned upside-down by the divorce of his parents and his dad's (Walken) trouble with the IRS. DiCaprio is chameleon-like in his portrayal of Frank, as befits the role, but takes it further by looking every age he's supposed to be. Hanks make the most of what could've been a thankless role as Frank's workaholic pursuer/father figure, but Walken stands out as the broken father who, with more chutzpah and luck, might've been what Junior became. Based on the real Frank Abagnale, Jr's memoirs.

Distribution

DreamWorks SKG, 1000 Flower St., Glendale, CA 91201, Phone: (818)695-5000, Fax: (818)695-7775, URL: http://www.dreamworks.com

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 140 minutes.
Originally from United States.

Cast and Crew

Genres

True Crime, Not-So-True Identity, Scams, Stings & Cons, Teen Angst, Bad Dads, FBI, Period Piece: 1960s, Period Piece: 1970s, Flashback, Men in Prison, France, Divorce, Strained Suburbia, Director/Star Teams: Spielberg & Hanks

Screenplay

Jeff Nathanson

Cast

Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Nathalie Baye, Martin Sheen, Amy Adams, James Brolin, Jennifer Garner, Frank John Hughes, Steve Eastin, Chris Ellis, John Finn, Brian Howe

Cinematography

Janusz Kaminski

Director

Steven Spielberg

Music

John Williams

Other

Ronald Judkins, Michael Kahn, Mary Zophres, Jeannine Oppewall

Producer

Steven Spielberg, Walter F. Parkes, Amblin Entertainment, Kemp Company, Splendid Pictures, Dreamworks Pictures

Awards

British Acad. 2002: Support. Actor (Walken); Natl. Soc. Film Critics 2002: Support. Actor (Walken); Screen Actors Guild 2002: Support. Actor (Walken).