Catch Me If You Can

On Leonardo DiCaprio's 31st birthday, I have the pleasure of praising one of the finest actors working today. I didn't realize what I was seeing when that homeless boy showed up on 'Growing Pains'--a show not exactly known for the quality of its actors. And I didn't see much to like about "Titanic" except the excitement of watching the people evacuating and the ship sinking. Also, 'Romeo and Juliet' was just corny, with 400-year-old dialogue in a modern setting.

But if he could be nominated for his 'Aviator' performance, DiCaprio must be doing something right. And here he shows us what he is capable of. Especially when Frank Jr. is conning people, and most of all when he tries to outwit Hanatty. I am reminded of Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones in "The Fugitive", or perhaps Burt Reynolds and Jackie Gleason in "Smokey and the Bandit". The strange but enjoyable chemistry between these two characters goes a long way toward making this movie work.

Frank Jr. showed a lot of intelligence, and DiCaprio effectively showed us what this man could do. Imagine what he could have accomplished if he had stayed on the right side of the law. But his life on the run was more fun to watch.

Tom Hanks, as popular as he is, can be commended for his willingness to play second banana for a change. And he did a fine job. Martin Sheen and Christopher Walken also made an impact here.

I loved the old cars and the even older songs. The clip from 'To Tell the Truth' was a nice touch. The theme song still gives me a craving for vanilla ice cream after nearly 30 years (I didn't feel I had time to watch the new version).

This was Oscar-caliber. Too bad the Academy Awards people didn't seem to agree.

At first I thought I was going to see a lightweight film from a great director but instead I watched another impressive achievement by Steven Spielberg. A few things stand out and of course the performances are terrific. Leonardo Dicaprio is believable as a guy that can convince people that he's someone else. Dicaprio is a charmer and is very smooth as we watch his character do some fancy talk to the young ladies. Tom Hanks as the FBI agent reminds me of his cynical character that he played in "A League of Their Own" and his mere presence adds more to this film. The sign of a great film star. And Christopher Walken gives one of his best performances in his already interesting career. The last scene of him as he talks to his son in the restaurant is so moving that it reflects on the great talent of Walken. You can understand why Dicaprio admires and loves his father. Walken conveys these emotions and makes the audience react just accurately. I'll be rooting for him at Oscar time. Another impressive thing about this film is the beautiful cinematography by Janusz Kaminski who's a real artist with a camera and has worked on several Spielberg films. One shot in particular stands out. The ray of sunshine coming in through the kitchen window on Walken. Very thought provoking. And of course since its a Spielberg film its very personal. Spielberg was interested in the Frank Abagnale character because as a youngster he also came from a broken family and wanted to be someone else. Spielberg would sneak onto the studios and tell people that he worked there. Also, the real Frank Abagnale jr. appears as a French police officer. Well made, extremely well acted and sharply written. Viewers seem to forget that this is really a film about the breaking up of a family and the aftermath. This really is a personal film from Spielberg, and a very good one.

From the opening credits design we get in the mood of this very entertaining film. They create the tone for what will follow. Steven Spielberg is in rare form directing this movie that doesn't have a dull moment.

Mr. Spielberg has found a perfect actor to fill the shoes of the con man with the perfect casting of Leonardo DiCaprio. It's very easy to see why all the women fall prey of this charmer. He was a fast talker and a slick operator. He exudes charisma to fill another couple of movies.

It's a welcome sight to have Mr. DiCaprio working in a vehicle that shows his talent as Frank Abagnale, a man of many faces. He plays a game of hide-and-seek throughout the movie with Hanratty, the FBI agent that is in his trail. Tom Hanks shows great assurance and gusto with this character. Of course, the DiCaprio magnetism dominates the action with the many ironic twists and the miraculous and narrow escapes he pulls with an aplomb that's bewildering to the Feds, who are on his tail all the time.

The minor roles are equally important. Christopher Walken as the father starts out as the prototype of the con man, but he's too decent to do wrong; his business fails eventually. His marriage to Natalie Baye, the fine French actress, ends in divorce because obviously she hates being married to a loser.

The action doesn't stop for one moment. This film is great fun to watch with the winning combination Mr. Spielberg assured hand gives us this time out. Mr. Spielberg can thank the genial Mr. DiCaprio who responds obviously to his direction and makes this con man endearing even when he is committing crimes.

I Don't know how accurate these events are but as they are based on accounts written by Frank Abagale Jr. himself, then i assume that they are probably only dramatised for the viewing audience.

It's hard to believe that people were so naive, that they allowed Frank Abagnale to achieve what he did, but i have give the guy credit for pushing the system, and riding the high life for as long as he did.

Leonardo DiCaprio does a great job of capturing the character of Frank Abignale Jr. (strange i didn't picture him in the role of a jet setting Gigalo) and the rest of the cast although only little more than fringe characters, are all very well cast and give typically fine performances, as you would expect with the calibre of Hanks and Walken.

All in all this is a fine film, that most people will enjoy watching 8/10

When his parents file for divorce and he has to chose between them for custody, Frank Abagnale Jnr runs away from home. He begins to con his way around - getting better and better at it with each ruse. Posing as a pilot, a lawyer and a doctor he earns his money from cashing forged cheques. As the numbers go up, FBI agent Carl Hanratty starts tracking him in a game of cat and mouse.

Based on a true story, although it doesn't rely on `and it really happened' to be a good film - although that this guy could even do half of this stuff is impressive, this film is a slick bit of entertainment even if it left me feeling a little bit like it was too much presentation. The plot starts at the end and jumps back to see the whys and the hows of the tale. It is told with a slick energy that keeps the story moving and never really lingers on any scene longer than it has to. It is for this reason that the two hours goes by relatively quickly.

The presentation is good. Williams' score is not as memorable as his usual work but it is what the film needs it to be - unobtrusive and slick. Just like the opening credits, this film is very much a chase movie with a nice sense of period. The only downside of this slickness is that it feels like eating a sweet - it is very nice while it lasts but it doesn't fill you up. I enjoyed the film but it did leave me wondering what else there was; even if I did still have a sugary taste in my mouth. But to be fair - this is a minor compliant as the film didn't set out to be some massive thought provoking film; it was a chase movie and it was a very stylish and enjoyable one at that.

The cast is good even if they aren't all used well. If anyone can tell me why Jennifer Garner even bothered to show up I'll be happy to listen. DiCaprio is very good. I'm not a massive fan of his but he was engaging here and looked about the right age to play the part - sort of between man and boy. Hanks does good work in support. Because his character is quite drab it is easy to forget him but I really enjoyed him and thought he brought more to the film than DiCaprio. Walken is good in support and Sheen adds another famous name to the end credits but it is very much a two hander with Hanks and DiCaprio more than able.

Overall this film is a slick, stylish chase movie which should be enjoyed as such and is slightly more enjoyable for being a true story. If anything it is a little too slick for it's own good, but that is a petty complaint to make against a film that kept me pleasingly entertained for the past two hours!