Catch Me If You Can

About Catch Me If You Can

Catch Me if You Can is a 2002 black comedy-drama film loosely based on Frank Abagnale Jr.'s autobiography. Steven Spielberg directed the film, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Abagnale, as well as Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Amy Adams, Martin Sheen and Nathalie Baye. Catch Me if You Can tells the story of Frank Abagnale Jr. who, before his 19th birthday, successfully conned millions of dollars' worth of checks as a Pan American World Airways pilot, Georgia doctor and Louisiana prosecutor.

Development for the film started as far back as 1980. With the beginning of the 21st century, filmmakers such as David Fincher, Gore Verbinski, Lasse Hallström, Miloš Forman and Cameron Crowe were at one point involved with Catch Me if You Can. Spielberg (who was originally involved as producer) decided to become the project's director, dropping out of Big Fish and Memoirs of a Geisha. Filming took place from February to May 2002. Catch Me if You Can received financial and critical success, and the real Abagnale greeted the film positively. A Broadway musical adaptation, (with the same title as the film) is in development.

Frank Abagnale Jr (Leonardo DiCaprio), 15 years old, lives happily in 1963 New Rochelle, New York with his father Frank Abagnale Sr (Christopher Walken), and French mother Paula (Nathalie Baye). When a loan for Frank Sr. is denied at Chase Manhattan Bank, due to a series of IRS tax frauds by Frank Sr, the family is forced to move from their grand home to a small apartment. Paula carries an affair with Jack (James Brolin), a friend of her husband. In the meantime, Frank poses as a substitute teacher in his French class. Frank's parents file for divorce, and Frank runs away. When he runs out of money, he begins to use confidence scams. Frank's cons grow ever bolder and he even impersonates an airline pilot. He forges Pan Am payroll checks and succeeds in stealing more than $2.8 million.