A brilliant story, with stunning acting, and a gripping plot

Rating: 9/10 (26 September 2016)

Catch Me If You Can is quite a unique film, one of which is to be commended for the beautiful way it tells a magnificent story. Directed by the great Steven Spielberg, it recounts the true story of Frank Abagnale, one of history's greatest imposters. Spielberg has portrayed a story that has viewers connecting with the characters, with a well-paced narrative that is bound to both impress and shock the audience, alongside spectacular acting, and a simple yet intriguing musical score to couple the most tense scenes.
Frank Abagnale is your typical 60s teenager. A 16 year old, he is an only child living with his parents, a simple yet sufficient life.
But his whole world is turned upside over the course of a few weeks. When the IRS come after Frank's father for unpaid taxes, the family is forced to move into a small apartment; not much time passes before the two parents separate. This is the turning point for Frank, and sends him on a journey that will go down in history as one of the most remarkable stories of an imposter.
So begins a story that spans three years, three jobs, almost $6 million in stolen money, counterfeit checks, not to mention a wedding, and tells the story of both the teen on his crime spree, and the FBI agent who will stop at nothing to catch him.
Frank Abagnale is played by Leonardo DiCaprio, with FBI agent Carl Hanratty played by Tom Hanks. These are two big names of Hollywood that do remarkably well in their individual roles. DiCaprio plays Abagnale in a realistic manner, bringing out the teenager's sly nature, while also taking into account his more human side, of which pushes him out on his journey in the first place.
Tom Hanks was an excellent choice as the FBI agent; his acting is convincing, as he portrays the workaholic as a tough, no-nonsense guy who has a troubling backstory and, deep down, a heart.
Frank Abagnale Senior, played by Christopher Walken, plays a pivotal role in the plot. It is the financial troubles that Frank Junior sees his father in that in turn encourage him to set out on his journey of three jobs.
Amy Adams, who as Brenda Strong plays Abagnale's bride, seems to have been an unusual inclusion. Nothing eventually comes of this proposed marriage, and as convincing an actor as DiCaprio is, it at no point seems as though Abagnale is truly in love. Perhaps this is intentional, however, considering the outcome.
There are several minor characters in the film, including Martin Sheen as Brenda's father and Natalie Baye as Frank's French mother. Cheryl Ann is played by Jennifer Ann, in a short and unnecessary scene of which, again, nothing comes out of.
It is in fact from the moment that Frank leaves the US that everything begins to fall apart. The scene of which involves his eventual arrest in France sees DiCaprio let down his performance a little, switching from a character who is in control to that of one now distressed. After this, the relationship between Abagnale and his capturer, Hanratty, is built up; for the most part this is successful, however there are some flaws. The scene where Abagnale nearly leaves the country again is not particularly realistic. Clearly Hanratty had enough faith in Abagnale to believe he would not leave, and while this is what happens, surely he would not take the risk?
The film features yet another unique and beautiful score from John Williams, who approaches scenes of action with a jazzy motif, of which makes a two minute debut in the opening credits. The actual theme for the movie contrasts this motif, and is a pleasant tune with hemiolas, a trademark Williams-styled theme reminiscent of ET and Jurassic Park in its instrumentation. This score is truly a positive for the film.
However, as with all films based on true stories, there are certain aspects that need to be pointed out. There was no planned wedding in Abagnale's real life; while he does eventually marry, this is actually after his release from prison. His parents were never in financial trouble, and in fact Frank's first victim of fraud was his father himself.
While Frank did have a relationship with an FBI agent, it was not to the extent seen in the film. He most certainly did not call him every Christmas; the real Frank Abagnale called the prospect of calling the man in charge of capturing him absurd.
One thing that isn't stressed enough in the film is the fact that Abagnale committed most of his fraud before the age of 19. There is no way that Abagnale looked 28 (DiCaprio's age at time of filming) when he was only a teenager, and if it were made more clear he was a teen for most of the film the audience may have been even more impressed by his crimes.
However the film is right to portray a criminal in a positive light; the real Abagnale has gone on to assist the FBI and other crime agencies in counter-fraud measures, from his experience in the real world.
Overall, this is a pleasant watch that will certainly leave a positive impression on viewers. Remarkable acting from DiCaprio and Hanks are the highlights of the film, with a plot that, regardless of inaccuracies, is simple yet interesting. The music score by far is a positive, with in-depth character development that keeps the audience engaged throughout the film.
Although the film has flaws specifically in its romance, it wins in almost every other aspect, keeping viewers connected to the story. The film certainly is to be commended in the way it portrays a troubled teenager and the man sent out to stop him. It most definitely succeeds at telling the true story of a real fake.