Catch a good movie

Rating: Null/10 (26 December 2002)

I don't believe that it's the films stars that make the movie this time. It just so happens that Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks were cast. It could just as well have been any number of actors today. I think DiCaprio was chosen because he still looks very young. On the other hand he does exude a certain charm and it's a good performance. Hanks on the other hand, starts out sounding like a character and ends up sounding like the guy from Castaway. That would be how he usually sounds. The film is not a landmark or even a great movie. It tells a fictionalized account of the title character's true story but not in the same way as a Dog Day Afternoon. It just stands on it's own as a good movie, something that might have come out during the summer. It's not a notable Steven Speilberg film because of the directing. It's pretty standered, old fashioned Speilberg, although the choices he does make all work well for the story. The story grabs your attention and just when it seems it might lose track, it always grabs your attention back. It stands as one of the few Spielberg films that don't have a tacky sentimental ending added on for the kids. The true life story already has a happy ending, so Spielberg follows what seems natural and one doesn't feel manipulated. Cristopher Walkin, manages to give a better performance than Hanks. The supporting players come out better than the stars. It's a Speilberg film that tells a great story, minus the special effects, running ontime, with just enough humor and worth watching. It's his fastest moving film. That's a good sign. 8 out of 10