Catch Me If You Can
Barely 17 yet, Frank is a skilled forger who has passed as a doctor, lawyer and pilot. FBI agent Carl becomes obsessed with tracking down the con man, who only revels in the pursuit.
Directed by Steven Spielberg · Biography · Crime · Drama · 141 min · 2002
Trailer
Director
Steven Spielberg
Studio
DreamWorks Pictures / Amblin Entertainment / Parkes/MacDonald Productions / Kemp Company / Splendid Pictures
Release
25 Dec 2002
Runtime
141 min
Genres
Biography, Crime, Drama
Full Plot
A true story about Frank Abagnale Jr. who, before his 19th birthday, successfully conned millions of dollars worth of checks as a Pan Am pilot, doctor, and legal prosecutor. An FBI agent makes it his mission to put him behind bars. But Frank not only eludes capture, he revels in the pursuit.
Cast & Characters
Paula Abagnale
Nathalie Baye
Brenda Strong
Amy Adams
Roger Strong
Martin Sheen
Carol Strong
Nancy Lenehan
Jack Barnes
James Brolin
Earl Amdursky
Brian Howe
Tom Fox
Frank John Hughes
Special Agent Witkins
Chris Ellis
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $52.0M, Catch Me If You Can has grossed $352.1M worldwide — about 6.8x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Steven Spielberg has directed 7 films in our catalog, including Jaws, Saving Private Ryan.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
Leonardo DiCaprio appears in 6 films in our catalog, including The Wolf of Wall Street, The Departed.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
Frank Abagnale sold film rights to his autobiography in 1980.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know Steven Kunes was hired to write the screenplay after producers Bartlett and Lasky lost their original writer due to death.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
The film was shot in just 52 days at 147 locations, including Quebec City and Montreal.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Leonardo DiCaprio entered discussions to star in July 2000, with Gore Verbinski set to direct.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Critical Assessment
Catch Me If You Can holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (1,233,450 votes), 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 75/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of August 11, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.1/10 on IMDb (1,233,450 votes), 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 75/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Catch Me If You Can's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
Catch Me If You Can holds a 96% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is Catch Me If You Can's IMDb rating?+
Catch Me If You Can has a 8.1/10 rating on IMDb from 1,233,450 votes.
What is Catch Me If You Can's Metacritic score?+
Catch Me If You Can has a Metascore of 75/100 on Metacritic.
Is Catch Me If You Can good? What are critics saying?+
Catch Me If You Can holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (1,233,450 votes), 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 75/100 on Metacritic.
How long is Catch Me If You Can?+
Catch Me If You Can has a runtime of 141 min.
Who directed Catch Me If You Can?+
Catch Me If You Can was directed by Steven Spielberg.
Where can I watch Catch Me If You Can?+
Catch Me If You Can is available to stream, rent, or buy on Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Amazon Prime Video, Sky Go, Now TV Cinema, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Rakuten TV, Sky Store, JioHotstar, Zee5.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The public reaction to the movie "Catch Me If You Can" is largely positive, with many praising Steven Spielberg's direction and the performances of Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Matt Damon. The film has been described as entertaining and fun, with some reviewers noting its departure from typical Spielberg fare. Many critics also praise the film's clever trailer and the strong chemistry between the leads.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
This was an entertaining and fun piece of film making from the ever-reliable Steven Spielberg. It is a bit of a depart from his usual full-blown and hugely epic pictures, yet this does not detract at all from the fascinating story of Frank Abagnale Jr. I was interested in this ma…
**Catch Me If You Can is an entertaining and amusing film full of Spielberg, Hanks, and DiCaprio charm.** With Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio as leads and Steven Spielberg directing, I don't think it's possible not to enjoy this movie. Everyone loves Hanks and young Leo. Every S…
The Movie Mob · 7/10Just as great as expected. I'm not quite sure how I've never got around to watching this, for two reasons: Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. Literally two of my favourite actors. Well, at least I have now and I can only add to the general vibe around <em>'Catch Me If You Can'</em>…
r96sk · 9/10For me, this is one of Leonardo DiCaprio's most natural performances. He is Frank Abagnale, a hugely intuitive seventeen year old youth with a boundless imagination and a criminal mind that might have made "Moriarty" blush. He quickly realises that most of society is based on the…
CinemaSerf · 7/10**_Life on the run from the FBI_** From 1964-1969, a teen from New York (Leonardo DiCaprio) turns to confidence scams to survive, including posing as a Pan Am copilot, a doctor and a lawyer while raking in huge amounts of money via check fraud. Tom Hanks plays the FBI agent inten…
Wuchak · 7/10
From the trailer's comments
The fact that this is based on a true story is so cool
@lachimondala5455 · 4179 likesDicaprio was snubbed for an Oscar for this film, great performance
@Ethan-xl4me · 1685 likesImagine how many stories there are like this where they just never get caught
@abuesab97 · 921 likes"because Frank is still in high school" Man that was the best part of the trailer.
@vasudev_hk · 171 likesThis is a pretty well made trailer, especially for 2002. Really gets across the story and tone of the movie, the copy at the top is clever, and it has some great music cues. Also, no dated sounded voiceover narrator.
@natmagee7985 · 2243 likesLeo again proved why he is not actor. He is the character
@exam_dost · 27 likesLeonardo DiCaprio should get Oscar for every film he did
@enolaroseNA · 294 likes21 years later and this movie is still up there, terribly underrated... for those who haven't watched the film, don't watch the trailer - they always give too much away, its like watching the whole film in 2,5 minutes.
@aFriCan_Boi · 85 likes
