Refreshing Opening Credits... Unrefreshing Film...

Rating: Null/10 (31 December 2002)

'Catch Me if You Can' (2002) Dreamworks Pictures 2 Hrs. 20 Mins. Starring: Leonardo Di Caprio, Tom Hanks and Christopher Walken. Directed by: Steven Spielberg.

Perhaps this is just cynicism influencing my decision, but I came to expect much more form this collaborative trident. One of the greatest Directors assembles a cast wherein Leonardo Di Caprio and Tom Hanks share the screen in a genre-less film and out of all this talent; a mixed feeling arises when exiting the screening. How could it be all this talent concocted this mediocre film? Furthermore, what was the direction and drive for the film? Was it a comedy, a crime caper, or just an outlet to admirably lens Di Caprio's blue eyes from as many angles as possible?
Director Steven Spielberg recreates the unreal yet true story of Frank Abagnale Jr. by casting Leonardo Di Caprio as a charming and surreal con man. Spielberg opens the movie with a refreshingly different credit sequence using John Williams' main theme as the tone setter for the film. Williams' superb saxophone/jazz tune carries weight in the film as it is replayed constantly displaying the cat and mouse game unraveling on screen.
The film opens where it ends. Many filmmakers get caught in a pratfall when utilizing a jumping timeline in films, yet thankfully due to Spielberg's craftsmanship, the jumps are seamless until the final 20 minutes of the film. Despite our knowing how the film will end, it does not serve as a detriment to the movie going experience; instead, Spielberg slowly introduces us to the ensuing relationship that develops between the cat (Tom Hanks' FBI Agent Carl Hanratty) and the mouse (Leonardo Di Caprio's Frank Abagnale). Yet, in some instances, it could be completely the opposite as the roles are reversed. Spielberg shrewdly and meticulously demonstrates that despite Abagnale's reckless attempts in breaking the law, he is still a troubled young teenage boy searching for solace in all his wranglings.
In the 1960's, Frank Abagnale was a young and extremely successful con man who passed himself as a Doctor, a Lawyer and even as an airline pilot for Pan Am. To add to all this, he was not even 18. Spielberg goes into great length to show the troubled relationship his parent's had and their divorce served as the catalyst for Abagnale's troubles. On the run, with no means of cash, he stumbled upon the art of forging checks. This is where his real claim to fame lie, he began passing fraudulent checks all over the country for large sums of money. Therefore, in a sense he was a successful and calculating bank robber, utilizing his smile instead of a gun to prey on innocent female tellers.
Of course the film is a cat and mouse game and Hanks' character makes it a mission to hunt down and capture Abagnale's streak of scams. Hanks incarnates the loneliest of FBI Agents and packs on a few pounds and an annoying Southern accent to play the role of a gullible yet at times brilliant and compassionate man who comes to respect and even admire his catch.
Without giving too much away, the imprisonment sequences at the end of the film are short and unclear in terms of timeline. Our Master Storyteller loses control in the editing room as we see Abagnale not serving out his full sentence due to a plea bargain; yet, the timeline is lackluster as we jump from one year to the other without grounding ourselves in the calendar.
Perhaps this was intentional as Spielberg aims to recreate the lunacy of the situation and aims to propel the viewer into a whirlwind as Abagnale was. Furthermore, the cast profits from some memorable scenes thanks in part due to Jeff Nathanson's (Speed 2: Cruise Control) sporadically enjoyable script. Di Caprio uses his charm to engineer his character and Spielberg just adores bringing out his blue eyes in the film whereas Hanks adds another notch to his belt playing this weightful 'fella' who obsesses over the capture of Abagnale.
While it does have its' memorable moments where Abagnale and Hanratty aim to outdo one another in terms of the 'oneup' (e.g. The airport sequence and the Limo Driver), I cannot make myself understand how such a sluggish film could be concocted by the filmmakers. The most radiant aspect of the film lies in seeing Christopher Walken be himself on screen. Playing Abagnale Senior, he relishes every scene he is in and adds class to a film that should have been a surefire hit.
Instead, it seems as if the crew decided to take a Holiday and made a film simply for the sheer angst of it and release the project. When one is working on a project of this magnitude, perhaps it is easy to expect much more, consequently increasing the expectations of a film. But when a filmmaker who has brought us bold films such as 'Minority Report' and 'Saving Private Ryan' reduces himself to a charitable film such as this, it is quite easy to be disappointed.
Giancarlo's Rating: **