Movie Critique

I am writing about the movie 'Catch Me If You Can' as i grew up watching it many times and is
one of my favourite movies of all time. It is a comedy drama inspired by real life events directed
by Steven Spielberg.The film revolves around a con artist Frank Abagnale Jr played by
Leonardo DiCaprio, who forges checks and cashes around $4.5 million from the age 16 to
21.He is chased around the world by an FBI agent Carl Hanratty played by Tom Hanks.For
years they engage in a cat and mouse chase with Carl always a few steps behind Frank.
The lighting of the scenes, along with the musical tonality and sound effects, varies across the
film depending on the mood that the director wants the viewer to experience.The movie
highlights beautiful cinematography, where we see soft warm lighting with a nostalgic air of the
60's in the happy and high moments of the film, compared to low cool lighting during the dark
low moments.To add to that we see people wearing suits and hats and driving around in
Vintage cars giving retro vibes.The film is light, visually pleasing and has a nice holiday season
feel. From the beginning of the film, the director shows Frank the protagonist as an innocent
charismatic boy, full of life, who runs away from his home when his parents are about to get
divorced. He learns the art of conning from his father who at the time was running away from
the IRS. His Father, Frank Abagnale Sr, played by Christopher Valken, is the most influential
person in his life,from whom he has learned everything and is the only person he looked upto.
His father tells him that an honest man has nothing to fear, so that, even during the most difficult
moments, he keeps a straight face while lying.He is fast-thinking and pleasure-addicted during
the five-year joy ride that features the best of clothes and all the women he can handle.
We can also see Carl's character, a smart FBI agent who is a humourless divorcee with no
family or social life,obsessive about his work, but we can also see how during the film his
sympathy for Frank increases, while he learns more about him and even establishes a
relationship with him.The screenplay of the film is well written,and goes wonderfully along with
the cinematography.There are some deeply touching scenes, including a scene between Frank
and his father in a bar, telephone calls between Frank and Carl on Christmas Eve and a
sequence on an aeroplane when some sad news comes from Carl. There are also elements of
thriller with Frank being almost cornered by the authorities sometimes,just to see him slip
away.The actors played a huge part in the success of the film with their great performances
throughout.There were some scenes in the film that were unexplained and unnecessary making
the film a little too long.Frank finally ends up joining hands with the FBI and helps them solve
hundreds of cases while also forming a bond with Carl.

-Sarosh Alva