Have you ever wanted to pretend to be someone else, if even for a day? Ever wondered what it would be like to be a doctor, a lawyer, an airline pilot? Ever dreamed about being wealthy and admired? Believe it or not, someone exists who did all these things….before his 21st birthday!

“Catch Me If You Can” is based upon the true life story of Frank W. Abagnale, Jr. When Frank was just 16 years old, in 1964, his beloved parents filed for divorce. He was told he would have to choose which parent he wanted to live with. Rather than choose, he fled. But how could someone without even a high school diploma survive on the streets? With the aid of a book of checks, identification and appearance altered to that of someone 10 years older, and a massive amount of charm, Frank re-invented himself, not once, but several times. His spree of forgery, deception and subsequent reformation is recounted in this incredibly entertaining film.
What is amazing is that if this were a complete work of fiction, it would strain credibility. But Frank Abagnale really did successfully impersonate a Pan Am airline pilot, then a medical doctor, and then a Louisiana lawyer. He also cashed false checks over the course of five years, totaling over 2 million dollars! He personally worked with
director Steven Spielberg and the cast as a consultant, which ensured that most of the details of the film were true. A few incidents were left out in the interest of time, and the scenes showing Abagnale’s meetings with his father were added for dramatic effect, but nearly everything else stayed intact.
As if the story line of “Catch Me If You Can” weren’t juicy enough, the all-star cast makes it even more fun to watch. Leonardo DiCaprio successfully portrays the clever, charismatic, but ultimately vulnerable Frank. Tom Hanks plays the FBI agent who chases Frank all over the world, has him brought to justice, and incredibly, redeems
the young man by giving him the chance to go legit. Christopher Walken is Frank’s father, a man who believes he can charm his way out of his financial and marital troubles. Frank uses methods that worked for his father to distract attractive women from catching onto his wily ways. Jennifer Garner has a bit part as a hooker who thinks she has taken Frank for a great deal of money, when in fact she is conned. Martin Sheen is the father of the girl Frank finally falls for and wants to marry. All of the performances are excellent.
While a great deal is packed into this two hour 20 minute movie, the plot is not confusing and the action not exhausting, so it is okay to watch when you are feeling brain fogged or are nearly out of spoons.
The viewer is aware that they are watching the actions of a criminal who will eventually be captured, but the antics and chameleon-like quality of Frank are so charming that one doesn’t mind. Frank never resorts to violence or outright cruelty, such as stealing a wallet from someone on the street, but does sweet talk many an unsuspecting
woman, usually flirtation but sometimes more. His fraudulent checks are mainly at the expense of wealthy large banks and the airline industry. A large part of his success was due to his youth with no prior criminal record, the fact that it could take up to two weeks for a check to be traced, and the trusting nature of most Americans
in the mid 1960’s.
There is also an undercurrent of sadness in the film. Frank’s crime spree is partly motivated by the fervent hope that his wealth can get his parents back together. He is vulnerable, especially when he realizes he can no longer have a normal life. And he is lonely, because despite the company of beautiful women, he can’t be truly honest with any of them.
This movie also provides a fairly accurate glimpse into the world of the FBI forty years ago. An agent who actually worked during the 1960’s was consulted for the film. Tom Hanks does look as though he has travelled back in time. He plays a no-nonsense fraud investigator who is astounded to discover that the mastermind he is tracking is in
fact a child. Though this doesn’t stop him from the pursuit, it does affect the outcome when Frank W. Abagnale, Jr. is finally captured.
The second disc of the DVD set is a delight. It contains a behind the scenes documentary, interviews on how the movie was cast, the FBI’s view, and how the score and soundtrack were developed. There is also a photo gallery and background on cast and crew. The best part of the bonus material, though, is the lengthy interview with the real Frank Abagnale, Jr. He reveals how it felt to elude the authorities for five years, some of the things he did that weren’t included in the film, how he managed to fake four different professions, and how he turned his life around. Even though some forty years have elapsed since his international crime spree, you can catch glimpses of his
former charm. My only complaint about the bonus material is that some of the white text appears on a yellow background, making it extremely difficult to read (it gave me a headache as well).
So if you have a hankering to be a jet-setter in a glamorous era, you can’t go wrong with “Catch Me If You Can”.
Reviewed by Karen Brauer, 2006 butyoudontlooksick.com