Surprisingly good movie!!!

Rating: 7/10 (5 February 2003)

!!!CONTAINS ITZY BITZY MINOR SPOILERS!!!

This movie is good, no doubt about it! I especially loved the sixties feel, very neatly captured by Spielberg. Leonardo is Leonardo as we know him, doing what he does best. Hanks is perfectly cast, and I was surprised that his face didn't bother me once, as it usually does.
The story is intriguing and the tempo of the movie is high. Christopher Walken steals the picture with his exceptional performance.
The father-son theme of the movie actually works very well which is a rarity for this kind of film.
I would rate it 8/10, but (being a European) the depiction of the French police takes one point off the score. However the Music by Frank Williams, and the intro (which captures the spirit of both the film and the sixties) gives that point back.
One could argue that the film idealizes Abigales criminal career, and that the morale of the film is, that as long as you do something good, everything will work out for you  even if your special talent is crime. However, as this film is based on a true story, and since movies in my opinion are not supposed to lecture or mould the viewer, I stand by my 8/10 (even though the movie is not breathtaking, it's a tiny bit more than just professional work).