Catch this one if you can

Rating: 8/10 (18 December 2008)

"Catch Me If You Can" tells the true story of Frank William Abagnale, Jr. After running away from home at age 16 he became an expert impostor pursued by the FBI for millions of dollars worth of check fraud.
The story is a highly entertaining one. Sure, liberties were taken with the facts but the true story is extraordinary enough that the fabrications don't seem out of place at all. While the story is mainly light-hearted it also shows some depth in dealing with the characters.
The cast is a fine one with Tom Hanks & Leonardo DiCaprio excellent together as pursuer & pursued. Just having one of them would have been great but having both of them together is a rare treat. The supporting cast is also top-notch with Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen & Amy Adams all giving memorable performances.
The direction by Spielberg is flawless as usual and the cinematography is a key contributor to the film's vibrancy. The period look is very appealing with close attention to detail and a retro opening credits sequence to boot. Also adding to the film's flavour are the jazzy score by John Williams and a number of well-chosen pop songs from the period.
The fact that Spielberg has directed so many excellent films unfortunately means that some of them get unjustly overlooked. In my opinion, "Catch Me If You Can" is one such film. That's a shame because it's a fine, fun romp with impeccable production values.