Delightful fun!!

Rating: 8/10 (31 December 2002)

It's nice to have Spielberg movie that doesn't have to be loaded with portent. Don't get me wrong, I like portent, but I went to this expecting escapism (based on the trailers) and I got it in spades! I was immediately caught up in the movie and enchanted by the light story. The characters were all likable. The period details really great (check out DiCaprio's Bachelor pad when he's pretending to be a doctor). Even the John William's score works nicely for a change. Everyone is working in the same light-hearted vein, and the tone is very nice and consistent throughout.
DiCaprio is very charming and believable, and in his few serious scenes, he brings some real pain to the proceedings. I hope this and Gangs of New York helps us remember that he actually was (and is) a good actor, and not just that obnoxious playboy from the post-Titanic days. Tom Hanks is great: we root for him to catch DiCaprio, and we root for DiCaprio not to get caught. That's part of the fun! And Christopher Walken really gives one of his best performances in a long time. He's the most "serious" character in the film, but he shows terrific heart and spirit, and only occasionally falls back to his "creepy" mannerisms.
This is not a serious work. It is meant to lighten your mood with a competent, straightforward telling of a truly engaging story. And it succeeds. I say "catch it if you can."