  catch me if you can is a 2002 american biographical crime drama film based on the life of frank abagnale, 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 experienced that the fbi eventually turned to him to help in catching other check forgers. the film was directed by steven spielberg and stars leonardo dicaprio and tom hanks, with christopher walken, amy adams, martin sheen, and nathalie baye in supporting roles. development for the film started in 1980 but did not progress until 1997 when the film rights to abagnaleâs book were sold to spielberg's dreamworks. david fincher, gore verbinski, lasse hallstrÃ¶m, miloÅ¡ forman and cameron crowe had all been possible candidates for director before spielberg decided to direct. filming took place from february to may 2002. the film was a financial and critical success, and the real abagnale reacted positively to it. ==plot== in 1963, teen-aged frank abagnale (leonardo dicaprio) lives in new rochelle, new york with his father frank abagnale, sr. (christopher walken), and french mother paula (nathalie baye). when frank sr. is denied a business loan at chase manhattan bank due to unspecified difficulties with the irs, the family is forced to move from their large home to a small apartment. paula carries on an affair with jack (james brolin), a friend of her husband. meanwhile, frank poses as a substitute teacher in his french class. frankâs parents file for divorce, and frank runs away. when he runs out of money, he begins relying on confidence scams to get by. soon, frankâs cons increase and he even impersonates an airline pilot. he forges [[pan american world ai
2000s_crime_films 2002_films Amblin_Entertainment_films Biographical_films_about_fraudsters Chase_films DreamWorks_Pictures_films English-language_films Film_scores_by_John_Williams Films_about_con_artists Films_about_identity_theft Films_based_on_biographies Films_directed_by_Steven_Spielberg Films_produced_by_Steven_Spielberg Films_set_in_Atlanta,_Georgia Films_set_in_California Films_set_in_Florida Films_set_in_France Films_set_in_Louisiana Films_set_in_New_York_City Films_set_in_the_1960s Films_shot_in_California Films_shot_in_Montreal True_crime_films