Movie: Catch Me If You Can
Genre: Family Drama
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for slight Sexuality and Language
DVD Release Date: 5/6/2003
Reviewed by: Geetarman Trung

The “No-Spoiler” Story

The film is an entirely true story about Frank Abagnale, Jr. (played by Leonardo Di Caprio) who worked as a doctor, a lawyer and as a co-pilot for Pam-Am Airlines, all before his 18th birthday. Since he is a master of disguise and a highly experienced forger, he became the most successful bank robber in U.S history, at age 17!

Agent Carl (played by Tom Hanks) from the FBI got on the case to capture Frank. But the problem is Frank is always one step ahead of him, causing publicity embarrassment for Carl as he continues to chase him.

The Critique

Although this film isn’t quite the type of movie to provoke critical thinking for the masses, it is clever in its own rights as with any other usual Spielberg works, and it’s an all-fun delightful movie to watch. It’s superbly cast, well acted, and nicely edited. It’s so convincing that 1960’s is written all over it, which is the time when it took place.

Storytelling time sequence is meticulously and thoughtfully done. As a result, the chase never looks blunt. And the ending will leave you feeling very satisfied! It’s movies like this that rejuvenates Spielberg’s image of movie producing, aside from “Minority Report”, which is his highly clever but cold and dark film about futuristic crime prevention. Geetarman gives “Catch Me If You Can” an A.

Cast Me if You Can: The Casting of the Film

Scoring "Catch Me if You Can"

Frank Abagnale: Between Reality and Fiction

The FBI Perspective

"Catch Me if You Can": In Closing

Photo galleries

Cast

Filmmakers

Production notes

Widescreen anamorphic format