.

Catch Me If You Can

Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks

Directed by Steven Spielberg
Rolling Stone: star rating
5 2
Community: star rating
5 2 0
January 2, 2003

Con artist Frank Abagnale Jr. made quite a career for himself in the 1960s, passing bad checks, chasing babes and working at whatever suited his fancy – pilot, teacher, you name it – until the feds shut him down. Abagnale, who now works on the side of the angels as a security consultant, wrote his autobiography in 1980. So why did Hollywood delay so long in bringing this material to the screen? Maybe they were waiting for this kind of name cast: Leonardo DiCaprio as Abagnale and Tom Hanks as Carl Hanratty, the FBI agent who caught him. Actually, director Steven Spielberg claims he was less compelled by the action than by the psychological underpinnings of the tale, especially Abagnale's relationship with his father (Christopher Walken) and how that transferred to Hanratty. So expect Catch me If You Can to veer in unexpected directions. Just don't expect a TV-movie lite.

prev
Movie Review Main Next

ADD A COMMENT

Community Guidelines »
loading comments

loading comments...

COMMENTS

Sort by:
    Read More

    Movie Reviews

    More Reviews »
    Daily Newsletter

    Get the latest RS news in your inbox.

    Sign up to receive the Rolling Stone newsletter and special offers from RS and its
    marketing partners.

    X

    We may use your e-mail address to send you the newsletter and offers that may interest you, on behalf of Rolling Stone and its partners. For more information please read our Privacy Policy.

    Song Stories

    “Youth Knows No Pain”

    Lykke Li | 2011

    “Like on 'Youth Knows No Pain' — we are the ones that should demonstrate, because we can take it,” Likke Li said. “We can pierce ourselves, take Ecstasy, dance all night and still go to work at our McDonald's jobs.” Despite the hedonistic sentiment in the song, the Swedish singer also admitted in hindsight her youth had repercussions. “I remember when I was 18-19 and feeling that I know it all,” Li said. “I always feel that I know it all. But that song is about realizing you don’t, and reflecting, ‘Boy, if I only knew what would follow.’”

    More Song Stories entries »