Pennie and I watched Catch Me If You Can tonight…

Titanic sealed the fact that Leonardo DiCaprio was not a very good actor. Don’t get me wrong, I thought Titanic was decent, but I had high hopes for him as an actor after a great performance in The Basketball Diaries, and I thought he was horrible in Titanic, and I don’t even want to talk about The Beach. The only reason I wanted to see this movie was that the story intrigued me. What I realized as I was watching this, is that after this and Gangs of New York, Leo seems to have focused, and that he can act again!!! As for the movie itself, it’s wonderful. It’s funny, it has a fresh approach to filmmaking – well at least it seems fresh in this age of special effects and computer enhancement driven films – it’s called STORY TELLING! Frank Abagnale Jr’s life of crime is a good story and I think that Steven Spielberg has turned in his best directorial work in quite some time. The pacing is like an action film, as it moves flawlessly through over 100 scene and wardrobe changes, but it is always the story that keeps you glued.This film should land as a case study in good direction at film schools. Watch the scene in the hotel hallway where he picks up Jennifer Garner as a former Seventeen cover model. Not the conversation – before that… the shot when he walks to his room. Good stuff – all you reel students.

It is also in the three leading performances, that the film is such a joy to watch. Leonardo DiCaprio very much suits the role of the conman Frank Abagnale and delivers a better performance than he does in Gangs of New York. Christopher Walken is also superbly witty as Abagnale’s father – stealing every scene he comes near, and as FBI agent Hanratty, Tom Hanks is as brilliant as ever. This one is definitely worth the watching.
RATING 7 out of 10

LEONARDO DICAPRIO (left), who stars as Frank W. Abagnale, meets with the real FRANK W. ABAGNALE on the set