We didn't need further proof that Leonardo DiCaprio is arguably the biggest movie star of his generation. A decades-spanning filmography that includes "Titanic," "Inception," "Django Unchained," "The Wolf of Wall Street," "The Revenant" and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," among others, more than proves that point.
But DiCaprio clearly isn't resting on those Oscar-winning, box office-breaking laurels, what with his new Paul Thomas Anderson-directed epic "One Battle After Another" soaring to the top of the theater charts last weekend and marking the director's biggest ever global opening. In the new action-packed dark comedy, the actor plays an ex-revolutionary who assumes a false identity to protect himself and his young daughter after his violent political activism paints a target on his back.
Of course, it's not the first time that DiCaprio has played a character who masquerades as someone else while on the run from the law. We're talking, of course, about his 2002 classic "Catch Me If You Can," which saw a young Leo portray the real-life teen fraudster Frank Abagnale, Jr.
The flick paired DiCaprio up with another iconic filmmaker — the one and only Steven Spielberg — to similarly celebrated returns: In terms of Rotten Tomatoes approval ratings, both "Catch Me If You Can" and "One Battle After Another" boast an excellent 96% critical score, the highest of the actor's career. Need more convincing? Here's why you should add "Catch Me If You Can" to your watchlist.
What is 'Catch Me If You Can' about?
In "Catch Me If You Can," a Golden Globe-nominated Leo DiCaprio stars as Frank Abagnale, Jr., a teenage runaway turned cunning con artist who skillfully uses deception, forgery and his own clean-cut good looks to pose as a Pan Am pilot, a pediatric doctor and an attorney, among other scams, all the while cashing millions of dollars in bad checks in one of America's most successful financial heists. Did we mention this is all before his 19th birthday?
On the hunt for Frank is FBI agent Carl Hanratty (a particularly squirrely Tom Hanks), who has become obsessed with capturing the boyish crook and bringing him to justice. As their cat-and-mouse game crosses not only state lines but international borders, DiCaprio's character must also deal with the familial troubles and emotional woes that have been nipping at his heels, too.
Why you should stream 'Catch Me If You Can'
Slickly directed by Spielberg and strongly acted by not only DiCaprio and Hanks, but also Christopher Walken (who earned an Oscar nomination for his role as Frank Abagnale, Sr.) and Amy Adams (as a besotted young nurse wrapped up in one of Frank Jr.'s schemes), "Catch Me If You Can" is "stylish, breezily entertaining, and surprisingly sweet," praises the critical consensus over on Rotten Tomatoes.
The crime comedy not only played into DiCaprio's strengths but also flexed new ones. He segues seamlessly between marquee-star charisma and boyish vulnerability and also gets to show off the hilarious franticness and physical comedy chops that he'd display in later films like "The Wolf of Wall Street" and "One Battle After Another." After teen-dream parts in "Romeo + Juliet," "Titanic" and the like, "Catch Me If You Can" helped usher DiCaprio into the commanding leading-man roles that would dominate his adulthood.
Though "Catch Me If You Can" is available to rent or buy on several VOD platforms including Amazon and Apple TV, you can also stream it for free through Hoopla if you have a library card. The title will be available on that free streaming service until Dec. 30.
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