Blessed Return to Normalcy

Rating: 9/10 (29 December 2002)

A good story. Not nearly as pretentious, overblown or intellectually devoid as, say, everything Spielberg has directed since 1994.
It still has its flaws, and I'm wondering if ol' Spielberg chose to focus on the father-son relationship a little more than other important aspects of Abagnale's life... or if he's just showing his lack of ability to direct actors. I know, I know, that's blasphemy... but the parents in "A.I." and the modern-day old people scenes in "Saving Private Ryan" were just SO bad, I have to wonder if he picked Christopher Walken and Martin Sheen for "CMIYC" because a) They wanted to work with him badly, or b) They wouldn't require the direction of someone less experienced or less accomplished. Sound fishy? Explain the parents in "A.I." Switched loyalties like some people switch channels........
As for "Catch Me," it's a cute, breezy film, with very few flaws. The most glaring:
a) Jennifer Garner's one scene makes absolutely no sense, it's a non-sequitur. If she'd turned out to be an undercover agent, that would have been something. Instead, she just shows up, pulls money from her bra, and is gone again. I felt violated, like I just watched a plug for her television show in the middle of an otherwise fun movie. She obviously wasn't a prostitute because Frank says he recognizes her... I never did understand the fascination with this actress (assuming any actually exists).
b) Brenda Strong, and her father, played by Martin Sheen. Once they exit the film, they are never mentioned again. They're set up to be fairly important in Frank's life, and I'm left wondering what became of them / Frank's relationship with them. This isn't a plot hole, so much as a huge gaping annoyance. Perhaps Spielberg is getting senile; no, it's not the screenwriter's fault, the director should be able to look at the script and go, "Hey, Jeff, what happens to characters X, Y and Z?"
Beyond that: cute, breezy and worth seeing at least twice, so you can put it all together and admire some of the DP's camerawork (which alternates between the fancy and the mundane). Kudos to Nathanson/Spielberg for giving it a fourth and fifth act, and giving us that much more about Abagnale's life.
Flawed, but only a few film geeks will notice. It gets an A from me, your opinion may vary. 9/10.