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Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Nathalie Baye ... see more see more... , Amy Adams , James Brolin , Brian Howe , Frank John Hughes , Steve Eastin , Chris Ellis , John Finn , Jennifer Garner , Frank Abagnale Jr. , Jim Antonio , Candice Azzara , Lilyan Chauvin , Alfred Dennis , Joe Garagiola , Dave Hager , Alex Hyde-White , Thomas Kopache , Nancy Lenehan , Anthony Powers , Sarah Rush , Robert Ruth , Jimmie F. Skaggs , Robert Symonds , Guy Thauvette , Malachi Throne , Steve Witting , Wendy Worthington , Gerald R. Molen , Kitty Carlisle Hart , Robert Curtis-Brown , Matthew Kimbrough , Ritchie Montgomery , Jan Munroe , Ana Maria Quintana , James Morrison , Fred Datig Jr. , Guy-Daniel Tremblay , Stephen Dunham , Kam Heskin , Jessica Collins , Phil Reeves , Roger Leger , James DuMont , Jack Wagner , Elizabeth Banks , Brian Goodman , Margaret Travolta , Lauren Cohn , Robert Peters , Thomas Crawford , Jane Edith Wilson , J. Patrick McCormack , Amy Acker , Ray Proscia , Kyle Davis , Morgan Rusler , Ellen Pompeo , Sarah Lancaster , Alexandre Bisping , Jeremy Howard , Brandon Keener , Patrick Thomas O'Brien , Jack Knight , Jasmine Jessica Anthony , Mike Baldridge , Jean-François Blanchard , Stan Bly , Jane Bodle , Dominic Bond , Joshua Boyd , Jonathan Brent , Jean-François Brousseau , Francis Campeau , Raphaël Cardin , Ashley Cohen , Kelly Cohen , Mercedes Cornett , Marc-Antoine Côté , Jonathan Danker , Kaitlin Doubleday , Antoine Drolet-Dumoulin , Celine Du Tertre , Patrice Dussault , Léon Dussault-Gagné , Shane Edelman , Joel Ewing , Eugene Fleming , Mathieu Gaudreault , Vincent Généreux , Ellis Hall , Simon Houle-Gauthier , Kelly Hutchinson , Jean Sebastien Bou , Jennifer Kan , Deborah Kellner , Max J. Kerstein , Donna Kimball , Pascal Larouche , William Lauzon , Florent Legault , Jennifer Manley , Jill Matson , Kelly McNair , Jason McNally , Andrew Meeks , Steven Meizler , Maggie Mellin , Jamie Moss , Benita Krista Nall , Jaime Ray Newman , Julien Normandeau , David Parent-Laliberté , Alexandre Pepin , Nicolas Radeschi , Jonathan René , Angela Sorensen , Samuel St. Amour , Jamie Anderson , Paul Todd

A gifted forger and confidence man attempts to stay one step ahead of the lawman determined to bring him to justice in this comedy-drama from Steven Spielberg, based on a true story. Frank W. Abagnale... read more read more... Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a 16-year-old high school student who finds himself emotionally cut adrift when his mother, Paula (Nathalie Baye), leaves his father, Frank Abagnale Sr. (Christopher Walken), after Frank Sr. falls into arrears with the Internal Revenue Service. One day at school, Frank Jr. attempts to pass himself off as a substitute teacher, and easily makes the subterfuge work. His small-scale success gives Frank some ideas, and he soon discovers bigger and more profitable ways of hoaxing others, passing himself off as an airline pilot, a doctor, and an attorney. Along the way, Frank learns how to become a master forger, and uses his talent and charm to pass over 2.5 million dollars in phony checks. Frank's increasingly audacious work soon attracts the attention of Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks), an FBI agent who is determined to put Frank behind bars. Frank seems to enjoy being pursued by Carl, and even goes so far as to call Carl on the phone to chat every once in a while. While posing as a doctor, Frank falls in love with Brenda Strong (Amy Adams), a sweet girl working as a candy striper. When Frank asks Brenda to marry him, he decides to assume a new identity to impress her father, Roger (Martin Sheen) -- who happens to be the District Attorney of New Orleans, LA. Catch Me If You Can was based on the autobiography of the real Frank W. Abagnale Jr., who has a cameo in the film and today works on the side of the law as a top consultant on preventing forgery and designing secure checking systems. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

81% liked it

655,725 ratings

Critics

96% liked it

193 critics

PG-13, 2 hr. 20 min.

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Release Date: December 25, 2002

Keywords: funny, chase, clever, mouse

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DVD Release Date: May 6, 2003

Stats: 27,382 reviews

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Leonardo DiCaprio Catch Me If You Can Catch Me If You Can Catch Me If You Can Catch Me If You Can Catch Me If You Can Jennifer Garner catch me if you can Catch me if you can Leonardo DiCaprio Jennifer Garner Jennifer Garner Jennifer Garner Catch Me If You Can Leonardo as Frank Abignale Jr. Christopher Walken Catch Me If You Can Jennifer Garner
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Flixster Reviews (27,382)

  • fb100001592288964
    December 17, 2011
    fb100001592288964
    What was the beginning of Leo's new dawn as an actor, he certainly delivered a strong performance. Add on very stylish direction by Spielberg and a jazz-infused score by John Williams, you have one of the best films of 2002.
  • TheGame90
    November 29, 2011
    TheGame90
    Very entertaining movie. Highly interesting story. DiCaprio and Hanks does what they do best. But we have all the other folks aswell. Walken is great. Martin Sheen is great. Amy Adams is great. And who else to put it all together but Steven Spielberg? Could it be anything else bu... read moret good?
  • StarCrossedVoyager
    November 13, 2011
    StarCrossedVoyager
    Top notch film from Spielberg with a brilliant cast including DiCaprio, Hanks and Walken. Loved the story and it does seem plausible to be real (just wondering how much was true story and how much was fiction), which always kept me guessing as to what was going to happen. With th... read moree time/location changes it did get confusing at times to remember which part of the story we were in but very well done. I just don't know why they had that little tv show intro in the beginning. A tad too long but well worth a watch!
  • danperry17
    November 11, 2011
    danperry17
    It's almost inexplicable that this movie made me happy. Frank Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) strikes out on his own as teenager when he's left to the side in parents' divorce, and begins conning and forging his way to millions. On his tail is Federal Agent Carl Hanratty, possib... read morely the squarest character Tom Hanks has ever played. He too has an unhappy home life. Abagnale seems to want to be caught as badly as Hanratty needs to catch him, and from these rather dark places, the characters embark on an entertaining, almost cartoonish chase; a matching of two obsessives that Spielberg succeeds in making... fun! Excellent film-making, one of Spielberg's best, buried in a period of his career that has generally been forgettable. Catch Me If You Can is a great ride.
  • fb1216165431
    September 9, 2011
    fb1216165431
    Catch Me If You Can is a Steven Spielberg film so pretentious I thought I was watching a film based on fiction. Superb interpretation, direction, and performances. Excellent storytelling of the Frank Abagnale story with underlying worthwhile themes on family. Fun. Fascinating.
  • blkbomb
    July 29, 2011
    blkbomb
    Paula Abagnale: Just tell me how much he owes and I'll pay you back. 
    Carl Hanratty: So far, it's about 1.3 million dollars. 

    Frank Abagnale Jr's story is remarkable and translates to Steven Spielberg's film, Catch Me if You Can really well. The movie is one of the most entertai... read morening and fun films I've ever had the pleasure to watch. After around ten viewings now, it still has lost no appeal to me. The performances are all really good, the score fits the movie perfectly and the movie, although pretty long, has a fast pace to it. It never gets boring and one of the major reasons it never gets boring is because of the performances from both DiCaprio and Hanks.

    Out of all the great roles DiCaprio has had, this might be my favorite. He plays the con artist who acts like a pilot and then a doctor and then a lawyer to perfection. He's funny and really easy to cheer for. He's the criminal, but you don't want him to get caught; you want him to continue doing what he's doing forever. I can't say this Hanks best role, but it is a good one nonetheless. He plays the FBI agent who is chasing Abagnale. I don't really need to talk about Hanks though because you know what you're getting fro him every time out; a solid performance. Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen and Amy Adams give good performances as well. 

    Even without amazing performances this movie still could have been okay. The great performances just put it over the top. The story alone makes for a good movie and in the hands of a great director like Spielberg, there was no chance it was going to fail. If there was any doubt Spielberg was among the best American directors(which there shouldn't be), this put that doubt to sleep. He adds this to the enormous list of great movies. I mean how can you argue with a list that includes Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I mean, for most people that's a great career, two masterpieces. Yeah, but he also has Schindlers List and E.T. and Jurassic Park, oh and Saving Privet Ryan, and then there's Indiana Jones. Ok, I could go on forever, but I think we get the point. Spielberg makes great movies.

    Catch Me if You Can is among my favorites from Spielberg. It doesn't rely on big special effects or a sad story like some of his other films. I'm not at all saying those movies are bad because I love them too. With Catch Me... though Spielberg can just focus on the story because that's enough to entertain and he knows it. We don't need to be won over by gimmicks. He's straightforward with this movie and it really works because of that. 

    A truly brilliant film that can be enjoyed over and over again. This really is a must watch movie for any filmgoer, be it casual or frequent.

    Carl Hanratty: Knock knock. 
    Earl Amdursky: Who's there? 
    Carl Hanratty: Go fuck yourselves. 
  • murphmann93
    June 24, 2011
    murphmann93
    Great performances and the fact it was a true story had you more intrigued. A must see!
  • DreamExtractor
    June 23, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    Steven Speilberg at his best. Frank Sbagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a very smart 16 year old who leaves town once his mother leaves his father. Soon after he is able to forge himslef as a pilot, then doctor, and an attorney. But will Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks) be abhle to c... read moreatch this genius kid and his amazing forging skills, or not. Leonardo DiCaprio has a talent, he is able to play a emotional mad guy while also being able to make us love him, just because we know this is acting and what a tremendous actor he is. Tom hanks doesn't get enough recognition for this because its not Oscar worthy but not enough people remember his awesome performance. The plot was a great and long chase and heist film because Frank is always one step ahead of Tom Hanks in this film, whic we love about him. One of Spielbergs best and definently one of the greatest films of all time.
  • fb100001048934982
    June 19, 2011
    fb100001048934982
    Speilberg's prowess as a director easily leads 'Catch Me if You Can' towards success with each scene its given. The performances by DiCaprio and Hanks are both spectacular, and Walken does a very impressive job as well. Despite some pacing issues that may alienate some younger au... read morediences, this film is a proven point of the talent of these actors, and the amount of heart Spielberg is capable of pouring into his films.
  • fb1576983399
    May 31, 2011
    fb1576983399
    The movie does drag on for longer than it should, but you still don't want it to end. A well written and acted movie. It gets a little out of hand towards the end and is less than plausible at times, but over all a great picture.

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Critic Reviews

Stanley Kauffmann
January 16, 2003
Stanley Kauffmann, New Republic

DiCaprio has the breeze and aplomb to keep it all bouncing along.

Peter Rainer
January 16, 2003
Peter Rainer, New York Magazine

Breezily enjoyable but thin. Full Review

David Ansen
January 14, 2003
David Ansen, Newsweek

A delicious cat-and-mouse game flecked with intriguing Oedipal undertones.

Richard Schickel
January 13, 2003
Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine

A gently funny, sweetly adventurous film that makes you feel genuinely good, that is to say, entirely unconned by false sentiment or sharp, overmanipulative Hollywood practices. Full Review

Ben Schwartz
January 10, 2003
Ben Schwartz, Chicago Reader

Catch Me if You Can is one of those deceptively slight offerings that manages to reveal more about its maker than the intended masterpieces often do. Full Review

Peter Travers
January 9, 2003
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

What begins brightly gets bogged down over 140 minutes.

Desson Thomson
January 3, 2003
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

A pleasant, mildly diverting story.

Richard Roeper
December 30, 2002
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

Spielberg perfectly re-creates the fashions, the mood and the trends of the '60s, and DiCaprio and Hanks have a lot of fun with their roles. Full Review

David Edelstein
December 27, 2002
David Edelstein, Slate

After a series of dud roles, DiCaprio is back in star form. Full Review

Stephen Hunter
December 27, 2002
Stephen Hunter, Washington Post

One of the most enjoyable films of the year. Full Review

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Facts

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    • TWA Stewardess: Would you like a drink after take off?
    • Frank Abagnale Jr.: Milk?
    • Carl Hanratty: Well, would you like to hear me tell a joke?
    • Earl Amdursky: Yeah. Yeah, we'd love to hear a joke from you.
    • Carl Hanratty: Knock knock.
    • Earl Amdursky: Who's there?
    • Carl Hanratty: Go fuck yourselves.
    • Frank Abagnale Sr.: Two little mice fell in a bucket of cream. The first mouse quickly gave up and drowned. The second mouse, wouldn't quit. He struggled so hard that eventually he churned that cream into butter and crawled out. Gentlemen, as of this moment, I am that second mouse.
    • Frank Abagnale Sr.: Must've slipped right off your neck.
    • Frank Abagnale Sr.: Two little mice fell in a bucket of cream. The first mouse quickly gave up and drowned. The second mouse, wouldn't quit. He struggled so hard that eventually he turned that cream into butter and crawled out. Gentlemen, as of this moment, I am that second mouse.
    • Frank Abagnale Jr.: Mom! you've been smoking again?
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Catch Me If You Can Trivia

  • Who connects the following movies: True Romance, Pulp Fiction, Catch Me If You Can and Suicide Kings  Answer »
  • Which movie has the tagline "The true story of a real fake."?  Answer »
  • Which one of these movies does *not* have a bunny in it?   Answer »
  • in which movie is the question 'do you concur?" asked.  Answer »
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