great cast, intriguing story, but goes on too long

Rating: Null/10 (22 March 2003)

Entertaining real life story of Frank Abagnale, Jr., an impressionable young man growing up in poverty during the 1960s with two far from ideal parents, but that doesn't stop him from putting his father (a charming slickster played to perfection by Walken) on a pedestal. Using his quick wit and charm, the young man eventually gets what he wants by convincingly impersonating various professions and writing phony checks. His actions leave a trail, and over the years he gets drawn into a cat and mouse game with a shrewd, no-nonsense federal agent (Hanks). Overlong, but slick and interesting with a terrific cast. The two leads are definitely fun to watch, and despite some dramatic overtones there are plenty of laugh-out loud moments. ***