light, breezy, fun & inconsequential

Rating: 8/10 (1 January 2003)

"Catch Me if You Can" is as light and carefree as the period it evokes. Right from the opening title sequence, accompanied by yet another great John Williams score, we are transported to the early sixties - a decade of bright colors, breezy tunes and gentile living - the Camelot of pre-assassination-of-Kennedy America.
Steven Spielberg's flashier side is well hidden here, although his style comes through in his inventive use of close ups and cross cutting to give a sense of time and place, evoke the period through the use of small details rather than large settings.
His work with the actors and the small character touches is evident. Leonardo DiCaprio fares best under Spielberg's guidance, Tom Hanks, not as well, but still strong.His use of a New England accent seemed to impede some of his line readings.
The story is fun, with just enough depth to keep it from blowing away. Ultimately though, the material may be too light for Spielberg, often feeling *too* much like 5 or 6 episodes of a 60's TV sitcom, like "Please Don't Eat the Daisies" or "Gomer Pyle" Hank's use of a four-letter expletive not-withstanding.
CMIYC is a fun time at the movies and will make you laugh and maybe get misty eyed, but it lacks the emotional pull of Spielburg's weightier films. Taken on it's own, it's an excellent film, but given the caliber of talent involved, I expected something more substantial.