Catch Me If You Can -  2002   - Steven Spielberg - Director & Producer

  Reviewed 4 February 2003   Steven Spielberg claims CATCH ME IF YOU CAN is 'inspired' by the story of Frank Abagnale, a 1960's con artist.  It would have been a little more honest to say it was based on Abagnale's book by that title.  It would have been a whole lot more honest if he had also come out and said he just plain ripped Robert Mulligan's presentation for The Great Impostor (1961).  The only difference is in Impostor, Tony Curtis played real-life Ferdinand Demera, Jr, where this time around, DiCaprio plays real-life Abagnale.  Here, Spielberg shamelessly jumps on the Hollywood bandwagon; we are meant to sit down, eat our popcorn, and actively condone Abagnale's blatantly criminal antics.   We are meant to conveniently suspend our social and moral upbringings so that we can root for this 'underdog' felon.  Miraculously, Moms, Dads and social do-gooders continue to concern themselves with movie violence, but not a word on the long list of Tinseltown glorifications of common criminals.  I guess the 'moralizing majority' makes no link whatsoever to the Enron-like scandals in which they find themselves inundated.
       But this review is not intended to be another now-popular 'Spielberg Bash' - Spielberg ably tells the story of the youthful Abagnale Jr, who idolizes his parents, but when they divorce, he runs away rather than choose which parent he will live with. A teenager, out on the world alone, he finds that crime, indeed, pays.   While still idolizing his eccentric, IRS-hating father (Christopher Walken), he can't quite communicate with him in any real sense.  Ironically, young Abagnale's only anchor to reality is his pursuer, an uncouth FBI agent (Tom Hanks), whom he calls every Christmas.  If Walken doesn't get the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor this year, I will personally crash the Oscar ceremonies and wreak havoc on stage.  -If you miss him, it is your loss.
      Enduring Line or Phrase:  "You're not a Lutheran....!?"
       Meet the REAL Frank Abagnale:  * CLICK HERE & go to his site.
       

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