Bank fraud never looked so easy…
We’ve reached that special time of the week.. You know, the weekly segment where we hit you with five concrete, impossible to argue against arguments as to why you should rewatch a certain movie on a streaming platform of your choice. Last week was the Adam Sandler breakthrough Uncut Gems, but today, we’re going back in time, back to 2002 for the Leonardo DiCaprio classic Catch Me If You Can.
Baseed on the true story of Frank Abagnale Jr. (played by DiCaprio), the two-and-a-half hour epic follows a young runaway who falls into a life of fraud and deception; and his struggles to outrun a hellbent FBI agent (Tom Hanks). Throughout the two-and-a-half-hour runtime we see him take on the role of a pilot, lawyer, and my personally favourite, a doctor (that’s terrified of blood).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-7pyIxz8Qg
And so, our minds are made up, and soon yours will be too. Here are five bulletproof reasons why you should rewatch Catch Me If You Can below.
Tom Hanks’ Boston Accent
Contrary to the masses, I personally think that the Boston accent and slight of tongue is really quite satisfying, and Tom Hanks’ Carl Hanratty has one of the satisfying of them all. It can be super soothing when he’s trying to get through to Frank, but can be absolutely unbearable when he’s taunting him, shown perfectly in this little Chrissy phone call between the pair.
The 60s
For any fan of 60s fashion and culture as whole, Catch Me If You Can is a total treat. From the many three-piece suits Leo dons throughout the film to the pilot getups and the overall vibe of the many cities he visits, it manages to transport you to way back when. Fun fact: old mate had over 100 wardrobe changes for this flick, which proves to pay off in this steamy as hell scene with Jennifer Garner, who’s also decked to the nines. Enjoy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31lZFoSS-VQ
Life of a Pilot
I’ve always assumed that being a pilot would be boring as hell, that it would consist of countless training programs and regulations, and barely any globetrotting. But Leo makes riding backseat in 747s and A380s across the world look like an absolute time-and-a-half. Sure, there’s the added rush of him not knowing what the hell he’s doing and only us (the audience) knowing this, but still, to be decked out in a pilot get-up while travelling the world for free? Sign me up for that gig.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow8mG8qutkw
THIS Scene
The amount of sheer confidence needed to con an FBI agent right to his face would be astronomical, but Leo makes it look easy as can be in this with Tom Hanks’ Carl Hanratty. Sure, he’s an actor, so he probably has a leg up in the realm of make-believe, but the way he convinces him that he’s a fellow government official (when in reality he’s barely out of his teenage years) is mind-boggling. And you gotta admit, the bit where Carl is realising he just got played is perfect.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFr0_ywVdhY
Leo’s Transformation
One of the perks of a longer film is that you can see a character’s growth in a more holistic light, only for Leo in Catch Me If You Can, it’s more a descent into total madness. He starts off as a wise-ass teenager, progresses into a overconfident criminal, and finally, ends up as a paranoid and tortured convict. And when you see him losing his mind at the end, well, it’s pretty heart wrenching (but beyond satisfying).
