Steven Spielberg brings up a rather interesting story but makes it his own slow paced drama that is less interesting than it really is.

Rating: 4/10 (8 September 2014)

Steven Spielberg brings up a rather interesting story but makes it his own slow paced drama that is less interesting than it really is.
Inspired by true story of the con man and runaway thief and fraud checker Frank Abagnale Jr. the story is really interesting in terms of how he disguised himself into so many professions, how many flaws are there in the system. How easy it is to become a pilot, doctor and even a lawyer, how worse are background checks in America and how spineless is FBI too. Now, all this was interesting premise and this is indeed a worth telling tale. Yet, Spielberg made this to a heroic tale of a famous man and how even he has a human side where he loves his parents and wants to be faithful to a girl he loved.
I didn't want him to be humane, I would have rather loved if he was lethal and brutal than he is actually shown to be. Tom Hanks here tried to make a fool of himself and I did not like it coz, he failed even failed to make a fool of himself and that's really sad, coz Tom is a fine actor and his acting did not show up here. The movie belongs to Leonardo DiCaprio who does a fine job and the now superstar who was still a coming up actor in 2002, did show that he had the potential of making it big and his choices have made his career great. Leonardo as Frank comes with all guns blazing for whatever he is asked to do but I just wish his role was more cold blooded and cunning in despising himself and making merry with what goodies he gets.
The art direction seems to be fine, but soundtrack of Jazz caught my ears and that was some real good music and I loved the soundtrack. Now, cinematography is good too, yet this is over two hour two minute saga that loses steam by the end. I wish it had more pace and not as lethargic as it is. The supporting cast did their job well and Amy Adams was a really cute pie then and she has come a long way since then.
The writing had been a bit more crisper and the scissors been much more tight would have made this chase a delightful one, in a heist and chase movie, we do not expect drama but this loads of it, the father intervenes and the son-father relationship was not so much to my liking coz it was more of a clichÃ©d thing than a fantasy one. The son keeps saying, dad I do this for you, I do that for you, now you and mom be happy. Ah, just cut the crap man.
Oh, did I go too harsh in criticizing this movie, yeah I would have coz this is a great film for few but not for me. For me this was kind of routine stuff from a director who made a distinction to himself of making movies or telling stories that are too very engrossing and make us move, be it a ET, Jurassic park or a Schindler's List. Now, Spielberg got down to this and it was an OK attempt not a great one though.
I am going with a 2/5 for an average movie from a great director and two of the very good actors we have around. This is what your bread and butter is, I need your gold and diamonds.