Catch Me If You Can is one of two Steven Spielberg films that are now available on 4K Ultra HD and in a Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD SteelBook. Minority Report is also now available on 4K Ultra HD.

What follows is my original review of the film from a few years ago:

Steven Spielberg manages to change up his filmography with the incredibly true story of Frank W. Abagnale Jr. in Catch Me If You Can.

Spielberg may be reuniting with Tom Hanks, but the film marks his first collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio. Frank W. Abagnale Jr.’s story was ripe for filmmaking, yet the project sat in development hell from 1980 onward and never gained momentum until Spielberg decided to take it on. His touch elevates the material while grounding the extraordinary true events in emotional truth.

Frank W. Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) was an 18-year-old con artist who managed to pass himself off as a pilot, lawyer, and doctor before turning 21. When Frank’s father, Frank Sr. (Christopher Walken), gets into trouble with the IRS, the family downsizes and Frank Jr. enrolls in public school. Not long after, he runs away and begins posing as a Pan Am pilot, cashing millions in fake checks. This attracts the attention of FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks). Their first meeting results in Frank pretending to be Secret Service agent Barry Allen. Hello, Flash!

When Frank begins portraying himself as a doctor, he falls in love with a young nurse, Brenda Strong (Amy Adams). Their romance grows to the point of a proposal. Frank uses Brenda’s father, Roger (Martin Sheen), to help him pass the Louisiana bar exam. Meanwhile, Carl is still on his trail, but Frank escapes yet again. Believing Brenda betrayed him, Frank leaves for France to find his mother (Nathalie Baye). It’s there that Carl finally catches him. Rather than a tragic ending, Frank helps Carl on a case from prison, leading Carl to pull strings so Frank can work for the FBI.

There’s also a recurring Spielberg theme in Catch Me If You Can: the broken home. Frank Jr. comes from one, and similarly, Carl is divorced from his wife, with their daughter living in Chicago. Knowing Spielberg’s background and frequent exploration of fractured families, it’s no surprise he was drawn to direct this story. The emotional undercurrents of abandonment, longing, and fractured identity are woven throughout the narrative.

The film marked the 20th collaboration between Spielberg and composer John Williams. Stylistically, it’s unlike anything Spielberg had done in his filmography to that point, and Williams adapts accordingly. This is easily the jazziest score Williams ever composed for Spielberg. Leaning into the 1960s setting, the music captures the breezy, stylish tone perfectly. The score earned one of the film’s two Oscar nominations; the other went to Christopher Walken for Best Supporting Actor—a nomination he absolutely deserved.

The relationships behind the camera also help shape the film. Up through this point, Michael Kahn had edited all but three Spielberg films. It also marked the seventh collaboration with cinematographer Janusz Kaminski. Kaminski, one of the greatest cinematographers of recent decades, excels in lighting and camera placement. With substantial location work, the entire team had to operate at full speed to keep up with the film’s pace, and their craftsmanship shows in every frame.

When producer Walter Parkes sent the script to Hanks, he assumed Hanks might make a cameo as Frank Sr. Instead, Hanks signed on to play the FBI agent. Carl Hanratty is essentially an antagonist with the heart of a protagonist—a role that suits Hanks perfectly as he reunites with Spielberg. His performance adds warmth, humor, and emotional grounding to the cat-and-mouse dynamic.

Jennifer Garner’s small role as call girl Cheryl Ann came about because Spielberg had been watching Alias. The encounter is something that happened in real life, though the scene almost didn’t make it into the final cut of the film.

Catch Me If You Can, aided by strong performances, makes for an entertaining addition into the Steven Spielberg filmography.

Bonus Features

• Catch Me If You Can: Behind the Camera
• CAST Me If You Can:  The Casting of the Film
• Scoring: Catch Me if You Can
• Frank Abagnale: Between Reality and Fiction
• The FBI Perspective
• Catch Me if You Can: In Closing
• Photo Galleries

DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg
SCREENWRITER: Jeff Nathanson
CAST: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Nathalie Baye

DreamWorks released Catch Me If You Can in theaters on December 25, 2002.

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