Catch Me if You Can

Review by Clint Morris

Though more lightweight than his accustomed fare, there’s nothing feather malleable about Steven Spielberg’s latest stint in the directors chair with Catch Me if You Can – so don’t listen to the cynics.

How can anything with such ostentatious talent as Tom Hanks, Leonardo Di Caprio, Christopher Walken and Martin Sheen be measured a bubbly – albeit less challenging – departure for the illustrious one?

And while one can admit it’s a departure of some sort for the man who brought us such sci-fi classics as E.T and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the packaged luggage is still nothing short of crammed delight.

And, in some respects, swimming in a totally different genre seems to be much more a challenge than sticking to the same old path, don’t you think?

The isle Spielberg swims in is the chase movie - a fun chase movie - a movie with a true tale to tell, but an adventurous, jocular way of telling it.

Di Caprio plays Frank Abagnale Jr., the youngest con man to ever make the FBI’s “Most Wanted" list. He'd cashed millions of dollars in forged checks, posed as a co-pilot for a major airline, landed a job as a surgeon in Atlanta, and passed the bar exam in New Orleans. At the time, he was barely old enough to drive.

Tom Hanks is FBI agent Carl Hanratty, the ‘Cat’ to Abagnale’s ‘Mouse’, a man who spent six years trying desperately to catch the haughty scoundrel.

Sounds like quite a different movie for Spielberg doesn’t it? Well, it is. But it’s actually invigorating to see him doing a fun and enjoyable popcorn movie again. The screenplay – from Jeff Nathanson and based on Abangnale’s autobiography – has been written with panache, and it shows on the screen.

The one problem the screenplay does have is that it tries to squash too many genres into the one story – and that too shows on screen. For instance, in earlier scenes where we’re starting to learn about what makes Frank Abagnale tick, we merely get an uneven idea of how he’s feeling.

And, for the rest of the movie, such causal emotions of the characters are merely skimmed upon, and their motivations and inner thoughts never really scrutinised.

To the film’s merit though, Spielberg wanted to make a fun escapade of a movie – and he’s succeeded. Leonardo Di Caprio is outstanding in the role of Abagnale – he’s obviously having some fun too.

Tom Hanks is good too, but in contrast to Di Caprio, he’s somewhat sleepwalking through the role. It’s great to see Hanks giving someone else their moment in the spotlight – but at the expense of a toned down performance?

Christopher Walken as Frank Abagnale Sr. gives an amazing performance. The likes we haven’t seen from the Oscar winner for quite a spell. Combining his trademark oddness with the susceptibility of the film’s nice-guy father, Wallken immerses himself in the role.

And in smaller support parts, Amy Adams (Drop Dead Gorgeous) has a few humorous moments as Abagnale’s fiancée, Brenda, while Martin Sheen gives an appropriately intrusive turn as her unassailable lawyer Father.

One of the stars of the film, not on the screen, is long-time Spielberg collaborator, musician John Williams. Williams again provides a fantastic score for Spielberg. Obviously influenced by Jazz musicians of yesteryear, his opening theme sets the scene for the film’s vivacious nature, and he keeps proceedings bouncy and light throughout.

While less ‘Oscar’, and more ‘MTV’, for Steven Spielberg, Catch Me if You Can is still a delicious serving of comedy, romance and thrills – I’m sure you’ll be begging for more.

3.5 out of 5

Catch Me if You Can
Australian release: Thursday January 9
Cast: Stars Leonardo Di Caprio, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Garner, Martin Sheen, Christopher Walken, Amy Adams, Nathalie Baye.
Director: Steven Spielberg.
Website: Click here

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