Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase. A prostitute propositions Frank in his hotel room; they come to a financial agreement in exchange for her spending the night. Catch Me If You Can illustrates the costs, rewards, and ethical dilemmas of deception and self-disclosure in interpersonal relationships. CATCH ME IF YOU CAN is based on a true story about a criminal forger, con man and impersonator. Family Activities: Use these creative ideas for free activities to move, learn, relax, and connect as a family. Underneath the entertaining veneer, however, is a 1960s adolescent sensibility that condones sex and illegal activities. "T-ts," "goddammit," "hell.". Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive, diverse representations in books, TV shows, and movies. Interactive Literacy Lesson Plan for Catch Me If You Can! © Common Sense Media. After getting others to handle that, he goes into a janitor's room and we hear him vomit. Our annual guide to the businesses that matter the most. Our ratings are based on child development best practices. She not... Catch me if you can is a movie directed by Steven Spielberg, based on a true story, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Amy Adams, and Christopher Walken. Synopsis the The CSM reviewer led me... Not a family movie, even with older kids. It is light, clever, comical, and a bit suspenseful. Frank runs away when his tax-dodging father and adulterous mother split. There are several intense scenes and narrow escapes. Frank didn't go to law school -- because Frank is still in high school. Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986). Combined with the charm and panache he learned from his father, the ability to appear innocent to give him apparent credibility and -- just as important -- youthful fearless (he just doesn't know how outrageous his scams are), he becomes one of the most successful con men in history. And What To Do If You Experience One. All rights reserved. It's set in the candy-colored ring-a-ding 1960s where jet pilots were glamorous and even bank tellers in big cities had a small-town belief in the honesty of someone cashing a check, especially if he had a charming smile. The film centres on a big lie. Guns are frequently drawn by the FBI while in pursuit of Frank. Underneath the entertaining veneer, however, is a 1960s adolescent sensibility that condones sex and illegal activities. How were Frank Sr. and Hanratty like opposing father figures in Frank's life? What to Watch, Read, and Play While Your Kids Are Stuck Indoors, Common Sense Selections for family entertainment, Check out new Common Sense Selections for games, Teachers: Find the best edtech tools for your classroom with in-depth expert reviews, 5 Ways Video Games Can Help Kids with Special Needs, Which Side of History? Catch Me If You Can | 2002 | PG-13 | - 5.4.5. Frank comes home from school to find a man leaving his parents' bedroom -- strongly implied adultery. Families can talk about the different ways Frank and Hanratty felt about each other at different times. Thus, it is not the movie parents should show to impressionable adolescents, who are among its target audience. The performances are extremely well done. Parents need to know that Catch Me if You Can is a 2002 Steven Spielberg crime biography based on a true story, in which Leonardo DiCaprio plays a teenage con artist who managed to convince people at various times that he was an airline pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer, while making and cashing forged checks all over the world. Where do you think the movie heightened the action, drama, and tension for the sake of making the movie more engaging, even if it wasn't exactly what really happened? Plot Summary Frank didn't go to medical school. It's a very well made film. Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. Overview. Brief strong language, including one use of "f--k" to the punch line of a knock-knock joke. A man sobs after learning that his father fell down some stairs and died. A man learns of his father's death. His father (Christopher Walken) relies on using an angle to get what he wants and employs his teen son in his scams. Many characters are estranged from their relatives. A character says that her parents refuse to see her following her out-of-wedlock pregnancy and abortion. Real sentences showing how to use Catch me if you can correctly. How Technology Is Reshaping Democracy and Our Lives. A master of deception and an excellent forger, he was also a bank robber and acquired over $4 million by passing bad checks. Spielberg's parents divorced when he was a teenager, similar to Frank Abagnale's situation. PG-13 | 2h 21min | Biography, Crime, Drama | 25 December 2002 (USA) 2:32 | Trailer. Overall B-. CATCH ME IF YOU CAN is based on a true story about a criminal forger, con man and impersonator. Catch me if you can is the best example of how a great film should be made. Frank didn't go to flight school. Want to help us help them? See our. ‘Catch me if you can’ Catasauqua and Bethlehem Area were both pushed to hire Monek after the increase in students attending charter schools. FBI agent Carl, becomes obsessed with tracking down the con man. We won't share this comment without your permission. But eventually he gets the family into serious financial trouble. $27.98 Original price was $27.98, current price $21.99 $21.99 21% off Frank Abagnale, “Catch Me If You Can” ... “The Super Smart Cyber Guide for Kids” was published in 2020. The film follows the true, captivating story of Frank Abagnale Jr. - depicted flawlessly (and I mean flawlessly) by the ever-impressive Leonardo DiCaprio. 2. Steven Spielberg film, ostensibly based on true events, about con man extraordinaire Frank Abagnale, Jr. (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) who worked as a doctor, a lawyer and as a co-pilot for a major airline before he was even 18. Edit. We were unable to submit your evaluation. One of the many morals to the story is that money and prestige cannot satisfy the basic human need to be known and loved by others. Taglines Add your ratingSee all 35 parent reviews. Name of Activity: Let’s Play Hide and Seek Students Participating; size of group: Parents and children; whole group Lesson Goal: Parents and Children will enjoy reading and playing a related game together. He can't handle it and he runs away. This is the 1960s of big hair, smooth surfaces, and bikinis, fueled by martini music like Sinatra's "Come Fly with Me.". But Frank not only eludes capture, he revels in the pursuit. Women admire a young man as he walks by. Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fak e is a nonfiction book written from the perspective of Frank Abagnale, a famous conartist and check-forger. Glorious production with gorgeous music, dancing. Like a child, he thinks he can recreate the perfect world he once thought he had. DiCaprio captures us from his first moment as an awkward 13-year-old to his sheer pleasure in his own ability to master the adult world. Brenda (a nurse Frank falls in love with) has been disowned by her parents for having an abortion. Pan Am Airlines is featured prominently, as are other now-defunct airlines. What are some other examples of movies in which outlaws or antiheroes seem to earn a kind of respect and admiration due to the audacity of their actions and their gifts at escaping from authority? It informs us that Frank Abagnale Jr. practiced medicine without attending medical school, practiced law without a law degree and passed as a pilot without attending flight school--all for the excellent reason that he did all of these things before he was 19, and had not even graduated from high school. Release date January 2, 2003. Catch Me If You Can repeatedly portrays familial disintegration as grim and emotionally crippling. Do you think this movie glamorizes the misdeeds of Frank Abagnale Jr.? Frank Abagnale Jr. ( Leonardo DiCaprio) adores his parents. It includes some non-explicit sexual situations and a negotiation with a call girl. He uses humor and sadness pitch perfectly at all the right times. Tom Hanks, as the FBI agent who chases, admires, and ultimately inspires Frank, makes each moment on-screen a small masterpiece. There's some mature material, including the fact that the … Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free. | 560 talking about this. Your privacy is important to us. Smart, stylish '70s caper has language and violence. My first instinct when watching this was that the Inciting Event was Frank’s first day at his new school, when he decides to impersonate the substitute teacher—since this is the first time he “cons” someone. Catch Me If You Can (2002) Parents Guide Add to guide . This film a... Martin and Caine scam women in sly '80s comedy. Instructors should feel free to add or remove activities as needed. Mostly social drinking, but some scenes feature drunk partygoers and passed-out bar patrons. The story behind ''Catch Me'''s retro opening credits -- The cool animation at the beginning of Speilberg's cat-and-mouse ''Catch Me if You Can'' came from a French duo of artists The FBI finds a way to use Frank's extraordinary criminal gifts for good, eventually leading him to become a millionaire through his consulting work with banks and Fortune 500 companies. Thus, it is not the movie parents should show to impressionable adolescents, who are among its target audience. This empowering, informative book encourages and inspires children ages 6-12 to develop valuable habits that will help them to thrive in the digital world. Leo's performance, as a juvenile con man, is especially sympathetic and relatable. In recent articles, the real Frank Abagnale, Jr. has said that … No real positive messages. Catch Me If You Can. Part period piece, part chase film, part drama, Steven Spielberg's movie about the youngest person ever to make the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List is terrifically entertaining. | Before he is imprisoned in France, he manages to pass himself off as a pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer. The famous director, Steven Spielberg worked hard to do this film unpredictable and to create very interesting plot twists. Excellent account of youngest FBI's Most Wanted. Carl Hanratty, the lead FBI agent in charge of finding and capturing Frank Abangale Jr., is determined to see that justice is served but also does everything in his power to ensure that Abangale is not left to nearly die in a squalid French prison. Introduce the characters and explain the slang expressions for Part One. Carl approaches Frank's room with his gun drawn and then holds it on him (although not played for true suspense). Rated PG-13 for some sexual content and brief language. Catch Me If You Can is a 1980 book based on the early life exploits of Frank Abagnale Jr., a former con artist. While the movie does show the roots and reasons behind Frank's deceptions and con artistry, he is still someone who made a fortune through lying, cheating, and defrauding the lives of innocent people. PG-13: Some Sexual content/nudity, violence and language and for smoking. Catch Me if You Can Inciting Event: Frank’s father loses their house because of his IRS debt. Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners. What do you see as the appeal in movies centered on characters like these? The manual sales method that your parents passed down to you doesn't work effectively. Catch Me if You Can deals with themes of broken homes and troubled childhoods. Use these free activities to help kids explore our planet, learn about global challenges, think of solutions, and take action. ... Nelson grew up with adoptive parents in Rockford, Illinois. When Frank is 16, his parents get divorced, and he's told to choose which one he will live with. We display the minimum age for which content is developmentally appropriate. He also manages to pass off bad checks worth over $4 million. Turn on Closed Captions for Prince Michael's commentary. Paula smokes around 5 times, while various miscellaneous people smoke in various scenes (1 with a cigar). Though styled as an autobiography, the book was co-written by Abagnale and author Stan Redding. If you chose to provide an email address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment. See our. CATCH ME IF YOU CAN is based on a true story about a criminal forger, con man and impersonator. The film is intriguing with everything that happens from start to finish. The screenplay by Jeff Nathanson (based on Abagnale's book) is excellent, as crafty as its subject and with just the right touch of heart. The book is co-written by Stan Redding, and was adapted into a 2002 film of the same name by director Steven Spielberg, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as … Based on a true story, Frank Abagnale (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) learns at an early age that a confident persona is all he needs to pass himself off as anybody he wishes.. and launch a life of crime. Catch Me If You Can is a highly satisfying 141 minutes of film drama. Day One 1. A character says that her parents refuse to see her following her out-of-wedlock pregnancy and abortion. The trailer for "Catch Me If You Can" is so obvious it could have written itself. Keeping Kids Motivated for Online Learning, PG-13 with Prostitution and Extreme Sexism, Amazing performances, moves at a steady pace, and has a surprisingly likable criminal, 5 Tips to Make Family Movie Night a Success. Catch Me If You Can Sample Lesson Plan Note: The following is only an example. But he has one very un-childlike quality: an astonishing eye for detail. But eventually he gets the family into serious financial trouble. Two characters have sex in a hotel room -- moaning and heavy breathing, no nudity. Parent Guide. While pretending to be a doctor, Frank witnesses an injured young boy crying, injured, with lots of blood on his legs. Plot Keywords. a family gathering). Catch me if you can "This is a great game for completely untrained kids and completely untrained dogs," says Schuurmans of this four-legged take on tag. Please try again later. There’s no way you can get out of our super stronghold rope ties made especially for thieves like you two!” They both throw them in the back of the caddy and head back to Milly Garden’s Town Hall. Catch Me If You Can. When they're forced to sell the house and car, the marriage begins to crumble and the parents then inform their son of the inevitable - they're getting divorced. Catch Me If You Can is great for an evening's entertainment in a large group (e.g. Suggest a diversity update. Get full reviews, ratings, and advice delivered weekly to your inbox. Get 2 Steven Spielberg classics in this double feature including Catch Me If you Can and The Terminal. Aj laughs and says “Save it you creeps! Originally published in 1980, Catch Me If You Can was popularized by a 2002 film directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Leonardo DiCaprio. | The star rating reflects overall quality. We can see a 19 years old boy, Frank Abagnale, his father, the other Frank Abagnale and the FBI agent Carl Hanratty. Tell the class they are going to be watching a movie. Characters drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes. See examples of Catch me if you can in English. As a young man, Abagnale reportedly cashed $2.5 million worth of bad checks while impersonating a Pan Am pilot, a doctor, a teacher, and an attorney. There's some mature material, including the fact that the main character is a con man who never considers the impact that his lies and scams may have or the risks he's taking until it wreaks havoc on his relationship with a woman he seems to honestly love, despite all his myriad false pretenses. The Parents Guide items below may give away important plot points. Searching for streaming and purchasing options ... Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. He also seeks a way to use Abangale's gifts for the good of the FBI as well as a second chance for him to live an honest life. CATCH ME IF YOU CAN is a wonderfully made film from the master: Steven Spielberg. Thank you for your support. Prince Michael helps the neighbor babysit her kittens. While serving as a doctor, Frank has to see an emergency room case where a boy has blood all over him and what looks like a small bloody hole in his leg. We hear that a man dies when he trips on a set of stairs. Showing all 8 items Jump to: Certification; Violence & Gore (2) Profanity (2) Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking (1) Frightening & Intense Scenes (2) Spoilers (1) Certification. It features two masterful performances from Leo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. Characters drink and smoke and use strong language, including one instance of "f--k." The scene where Frank's parents tell him they're getting a divorce may be upsetting to some kids. Spielberg's parents divorced when he was a teenager, similar to Frank Abagnale's situation.