The title promises a cat and mouse game of cops and robbers with excitement and suspense thrown in. The reality is somewhat different.
Catch me if you can is a pretty good film, I don't think that Spielberg makes bad ones often, but in my opinion it has been totally mis-marketed. Anyone who has seen the trailer will expect a pacey chase movie based on larger than life, but altogether real events. The full length feature unfortunately has more of a documentary pace. Think 'Blow' (which incidentally is a better movie all together). None of Spielberg’s timing skills (think Jaws, ET and most recently Minority Report) have made it to this movie. Instead Spielberg uses a fairly weak shifting timeline to move the story on when the pace slows to a stop. On occasion this lack of pace is welcome, particularly in the scenes with Christopher Walken. It is these almost static scenes between Di'Caprio and Walken, which are the most watchable parts of the movie giving perhaps the most insight in to why Frank Abergnale Jr turned to a life of crime so easily. In fact comparing these scenes to the Di'Caprio / Hanks scenes it made me wonder whether Tom was actually trying to upstage the far superior Walken as the Cop versus Robber scenes should be key to the plot though they merely move the story on, slowly.
Hanks plods through the movie playing his 'Woody' cute, hapless nice guy card all too often. A better choice would have been a lesser star with a bit of edge to their character such as James Woods. Hanks gives no indication as to why his character Carl Hanratty chases Di'Caprio's Frank Abergnale Jr for so long. His enthusiasm for investigating fraud is given little focus. The other clues are there in the subtext as his peers mock his prolonged failure to bring Abergnale to justice. Hanratty's boss even taunts him at points in the movie but Hanks' character appears not to take the bait.
Gripes about Hanks' apart (believe me I like many of his films but he I'm not sure that he is trying anymore) the film is well shot. Costumes are great and the period sets are very believable (as they should be with Spielberg's budget). There are some good supporting performances in the film (step up Mr Sheen) but much of their good work is wasted as the story wanders along. At no time during the movie is the end in doubt. Despite the facts of the subject matter I think that the director has missed an opportunity to play a few more games with the audience. On one occasion the movie promises a moment of suspense as Hanks' is given the slip in a French prison but this is so near the start to be lost amongst the rest of the pedestrian plot of the film.
The pace and lack of suspense is made up for by a fascination with the methods employed by the loveable fraudster, using his charm to become a pilot / doctor / lawyer / FBI agent. This interest could easily be fulfilled by a good documentary on Frank Abagnale Jr, which perhaps Mr Spielberg could have considered as a departure from his attempts at another blockbuster. Perhaps this story could have been better told by someone else on the silver screen but at least Spielberg has provided access to a great story which is how this movie will be best remembered.
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