Catch Me If You Can

Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Written by: Jeff Nathanson
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Nathalie Baye, Amy Adams

New Rochelle, the 1960s. High schooler Frank Abagnale Jr. idolizes his father, who's in trouble with the IRS. When his parents separate, Frank runs away to Manhattan with $25 in his checking account, vowing to regain dad's losses and get his parents back together. Just a few years later, the FBI tracks him down in France; he's extradited, tried, and jailed for passing more than $4,000,000 in bad checks. Along the way, he's posed as a Pan Am pilot, a pediatrician, and an attorney. And, from nearly the beginning of this life of crime, he's been pursued by a dour FBI agent, Carl Hanratty. What starts as cat and mouse becomes something akin to father and son.

Based on a true story, Catch Me If You Can is a great tale of cat and mouse. I never heard of the story of Frank Abagnale Jr before, so watching the story play out on film was great to watch (Whether the facts in the film are loosely based on the book or not doesn't matter). Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio are great in this film, especially DiCaprio. I thought he was terrific in this film, playing, essentially a con man. Whether he portrayed a pilot, or a lawyer, he played the part really good. Hanks is funny in this film, and his interactions with DiCaprio are great. I think this was their first and only film together, which is a shame because they work really well together. Also, Christopher Walken and Martin Sheen are great in the film, playing Frank's father and (almost) father-in-law, respectfully. The score by John Williams in the film perfectly set the tone for the 1960s', and I loved the choice of songs throughout. A shame that the film didn't get any Oscar recognition, as I thought it was a great film! If you like crime dramas with a mix of comedy, I recommend this film!

9/10