A Teen-age Con Man

Rating: 10/10 (9 January 2012)

A gifted forger and confidence man attempts to stay one step ahead of the lawman determined to bring him to justice in this comedy-drama from Steven Spielberg, based on a true story in this film entitled,Catch Me If You Can.It is a biographical comedy-drama film based on the life of Frank Abagnale, Jr., who, before his 19th birthday, successfully performed cons worth millions of dollars by posing as a Pan American World Airways pilot, a Georgia doctor, and a Louisiana parish prosecutor. His primary crime was check fraud; he became so skillful that the FBI eventually turned to him for help in catching other check forgers.It stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Abagnale and Tom Hanks along with Christopher Walken, Amy Adams, Martin Sheen, and Nathalie Baye.
Frank W. Abagnale Jr. is a 16-year-old high school student who finds himself emotionally cut adrift when his mother, Paula, leaves his father, Frank Abagnale Sr., after Frank Sr. falls into arrears with the Internal Revenue Service. One day at school, Frank Jr. attempts to pass himself off as a substitute teacher, and easily makes the subterfuge work. His small-scale success gives Frank some ideas, and he soon discovers bigger and more profitable ways of hoaxing others, passing himself off as an airline pilot, a doctor, and an attorney. Along the way, Frank learns how to become a master forger, and uses his talent and charm to pass over 2.5 million dollars in phony checks. Frank's increasingly audacious work soon attracts the attention of Carl Hanratty , an FBI agent who is determined to put Frank behind bars. Frank seems to enjoy being pursued by Carl, and even goes so far as to call Carl on the phone to chat every once in a while. While posing as a doctor, Frank falls in love with Brenda Strong, a sweet girl working as a candy striper. When Frank asks Brenda to marry him, he decides to assume a new identity to impress her father, Roger -- who happens to be the District Attorney of New Orleans, LA.The scene then flashes forward to a plane returning Frank home from prison, where Carl informs him that his father has died. Consumed with grief, Frank escapes from the plane and goes back to his old house, where he finds his mother with the man she left his father for, as well as a girl that Frank realizes is his half- sister. Frank gives himself up and is sentenced to 12 years in prison, getting visits from time to time from Carl. When Frank points out how one of the checks Carl is carrying as evidence is fake, Carl convinces the FBI to offer Frank a deal by which he can live out the remainder of his sentence working for the bank fraud department of the FBI, to which Frank accepts. While working at the FBI, Frank misses the thrill of the chase and even attempts to fly as an airline pilot again. He is cornered by Carl, who insists that Frank will return to the FBI job since no one is chasing him.On the following Monday, Carl is nervous that Frank has not yet appeared at work. However, Frank finally shows up and they discuss their next case.The ending credits reveal that Frank has been happily married for 26 years, has three sons, lives in the Midwest, is still good friends with Carl, has caught some of the world's most elusive money forgers, and earns millions of dollars each year because of his work creating unforgeable checks.
Steven Spielberg turns in another hit, with help from a strong performance by Leonardo DiCaprio, in this stylish, breezily entertaining, and surprisingly sweet story of real-life wunderkind con artist Frank Abagnale.It was a gently funny, sweetly adventurous film that makes you feel genuinely good, that is to say, entirely unconned by false sentiment or sharp, overmanipulative Hollywood practices.Also,it was an excellent account of FBI's youngest Most Wanted.In summary,the movie works at all levels.