There is a misconception amongst many movie goers (especially the young ones) that a picture can't be entertaining if it doesn't consist of violence, sex, special effects and some type of monster and/or space alien.  This type of thinking could possibly deny a person the pleasure of seeing one of this year's best made and most memorable pictures.  I say this because none of those things were present and this picture is, in fact, one of the best representations of good film making that Hollywood has offered this year.  True stories are hard to turn into good
screen stories but Spielberg did it and did it well. 

This is the true story (with some literary license) of Frank Abagnale Jr., a brilliant and misguided 17-year-old that wreaks havoc on the FBI by way of becoming the youngest and shrewdest check forger in the history of American crime.  We're talking about $5,000,000 by the time he was 19, and he would have still been going strong had it not been for the tenacity of an FBI agent named Carl Hanratty played affably by Tom Hanks.  After getting on young Frank's trail, Carl (Hanks) chases him all around the world and even catches him once, only to be tricked into
letting him go.  We like this kid and even root for him because Leo DiCaprio brings a likeable quality to the character that makes us forget that crimes are actually being committed.  It is a cat and mouse game that has us liking both animals.  We cheer for the chaser AND the chasee without prejudice.  They are both heroes but as you all know, only ONE can triumph.  Which? 

The name Spielberg says it all.  Production values are the highest when he is around, and add to that Hanks and DiCaprio, and you've got a winner.  I was amazed that a story like this could light up the screen the way it did, but it was nice to see.  The one flaw, and ONLY one, was the accent that Tom Hanks tried to pull off.  It was HORRIBLE and I kept wondering why he was doing it.  That aside, this is first-class story telling and will be mentioned at Oscar© time.  I liked it. 

RECOMMENDATION:  Many reasons to see this one. Hanks,  DiCaprio (hey, I like the kid!), Spielberg and a rollercoaster ride that will make the price of the ticket look pretty small. 

TWO RUNNIN' FOR YOUR LIFE THUMBS UP!!!  (Hangin' paper!  LOTS of it!!!) 
 

Movie Review  © 2002 by Terry Anderson