Really good movie.

Rating: Null/10 (30 August 2007)

Starring:
Leonardo DiCaprio as Frank Abagnale, Jr. Tom Hanks as Carl Hanratty Christopher Walken as Frank William Abagnale, Sr. Martin Sheen as Roger Strong
Plot: 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.
Where to begin? I had heard nothing of this movie before I saw the trailer in theaters, and then just had to see it. How does, I wondered, a man become a pilot, a doctor and a lawyer all before his 19th birthday? And when it revealed it was based on true events I became even more interested. What was this story and why hadn't I heard about it? I checked it out and I was blown away.
The best thing I think about this movie is the cast assembled. When you have a cast this good you are bound to deliver in terms of quality. DiCaprio, Hanks, Sheen and Walken all come through in their roles and DiCaprio especially blew me away. Before this I had known him as that guy in that chick flick that's set on a boat(which wasn't very good). When it came to playing a smart kid who knew how to con everyone, Leo brought the chops and put on a very engaging performance. Christopher Walken may whore himself out to a lot of movies just for a paycheck, but he does have what it takes and earned his Best Supporting nomination. Martin Sheen does well for the small amount of time we see him. Tom Hanks puts forth his best Boston accent but I don't think he brought it as he normally does.
The story itself was a little different from the book(which I read later) but it was still pretty damn good. It hooks the audience right from the beginning with it's premise, and the fact that everything that transpires is (mostly) true keeps them hooked. Between the story and performances, and Spielberg working his usual magic, it all comes together for a strong movie. And again, Williams score always comes through. The title theme gets stuck in my head and I find myself humming it whenever I watch this.
What did I not like? Well there were some, awkward moments. I myself felt like the entire Hanratty/Abagnale relationship didn't ring true and didn't really work at times. Whether it was because I didn't see any chemistry between Hanks and DiCaprio or the fact Hanratty is a mostly made-up character, it just didn't work for me. I also felt like Walken's character was just dumped after a strong show. I suppose that's how it actually happened but they wrote him out with one line and not much mourning on the part of Abagnale (who for some reason decides to escape as soon as he hears the news).
But even though it's a flawed movie, it's still one of my favorites. If you haven't seen it, I recommend you do so. I don't really hear this movie mentioned in the same breath as Spielberg's other films and that's a shame because while this isn't one of his big budget blockbusters, it's a nice change of pace from all that. It shows that hey, he really can do something different(Schiendler's List aside). Go watch it.
Rating: **** of *****