Catch Me If You Can Movie Review

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Rent Catch Me If You Can on Amazon Video (paid link) // Buy the book (paid link)
Written by: Jeff Nathanson (screenplay), Frank Abagnale Jr. and Stan Redding (book)
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Amy Adams, James Brolin, John Finn, Jennifer Garner, Elizabeth Banks
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer

Plot
Barely 21 yet, Frank is a skilled forger who has passed as a doctor, lawyer, and pilot. FBI agent Carl becomes obsessed with tracking down the con man who only revels in the pursuit.

Verdict
It's a wonder to think someone can not only beat the system, but fake it and convince everyone else too. Frank charms everyone he meets and even the us the viewer. Being based on a true story makes this all the more stunning, but if it sounds too outlandish it just might be. It's a fun movie despite rooting for a criminal. Frank chases validation and his past as he scams money with outlandish schemes. Somehow he manages to succeed despite all of the obstacles he encounters, including an FBI agent fervently pursuing him.
Watch It.

Review
Based on a declared true story, the real Abagnale claimed to have worked as an assistant state attorney general, a hospital physician, and a  pilot. Abagnale's claims has been questioned, and inquiries fail to validate the stories. It should be no surprise that a con-man's book was exaggerated at best and at worse fabricated.

I've seen this movie before, but it's a fun ride. Not every movie can make a criminal  so relatable. You root for Frank Jr because of his outlandish cons, and that he manages them while being a kid. It helps that in the movie we don't see any victims. How does he manage to impersonate three prestigious occupations?

Christopher Walken, Leonardo DiCaprio play Frank Sr, Frank Jr

With the animated opening it makes the movie feel older than it is while providing a few clues for what the plot contains. The next scene is three Frank's on a game show with the game guessing his exploits. This is an odd scene as it's a one off. I though these scenes might intercut during the movie but it doesn't. Then there's a scene with Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) in prison and then jumps backwards to Frank in high school. This could have started with high school Frank after the credits and been fine.

You get why Frank became a con man. He learned it from his father, though Frank had no idea just how many criminal dealings his father had. What helps Frank is that he's detail oriented, which is a boon in these schemes. The first con we see is how he pretends to be a substitute teacher for his class in a new school. We're reeled in by that first con and are more likely to ignore the legality of his next cons. His exploits increase in risk quickly. He keeps stumbling into one scheme after another, and you have to wonder how he's made it this far. It's a marvel and incredibly lucky. Even in the rare moments when Frank is completely honest, people don't realize it or mistake his confession for a metaphor. He in turn succeeds again.

He's incredibly daring. You've got to give it to him when he's face to face with the FBI and through quick thinking he manages to react without missing a beat and escape. He's a criminal, but he's charming and the movie presents him as a hero. Confidence goes a long way. You don't have to be right, you just need to be confidant. We've all seen that carry in reality. Frank uses television as a learning tool to fake being a doctor and lawyer. Despite Frank's success with his criminal enterprise, he still seeks his father's attention by writing him letters. Does Frank Sr. (Christopher Walken) wonder how his son became a pilot so quickly with so little training? Surely dad knows something is odd about that situation.

Amy Adams, Leonardo DiCaprio play Brenda, Frank

Despite what happens, Frank wants his family back. This is detail that deviates from the book, but it provides Frank an underlying drive. It allows us to ascribe a reason for these crimes though the movie doesn't really connect the two. At his core, Frank is a kid playing dress up. He's just incredibly smart, scamming his way through life and hoping he can buy his old life back while having a bit of fun.

Sooner or later everyone gets caught. That and Frank got used to living a fantasy. He couldn't stop these scams as he had become accustomed to an expensive lifestyle. Hanratty (Tom Hanks) doggedly pursues him as they are both devoted to their occupation. It just so happens that Frank's occupation is the reason for Hanratty's. It's a neat dynamic that the movie builds upon as they eventually become some form of friends. 

I can't help but be impressed that Frank accomplished this. That based on a true story fact really increases the wonder. The only problem is that this sounds unbelievable because it is. Despite that, we want to believe someone can beat the system and succeed. This is a bit of an underdog story. This is one guy that doesn't need the expensive education and years of training to succeed. You've heard people say they could have been a doctor or a lawyer and it's just talk. In this case, Frank does it... well at least in the movie.