If you think about it, Steven Spielberg hasn't made a purely conventional film since Always in 1989. Over the last decade alone, his movies have pushed the boundaries in one way or another, whether they were heavy-handed history lessons (Schindler's List, Amistad, Saving Private Ryan), special effects-laden companion pieces to theme park rides (Jurassic Park, The Lost World), or provocative sci-fi stories with timely messages (A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Minority Report).

Perhaps that's why you can practically hear the collective sigh of relief that passes through Catch Me if You Can. Costing only $52 million--a low budget by Spielberg standards--the cat-and-mouse romp is more like a walk in the park for the Oscar-winning director, not to mention acting talents like Leonardo DiCaprio (who previously endured a long, troubled shoot on Gangs of New York) and Tom Hanks (who previously played a hitman with a heart in Road to Perdition). Though there's certainly nothing wrong with seeing these cinematic titans take a breather and kick back for a change, it still would have been nice to see them break a little sweat.

Catch Me if You Can takes place during the mid-1960's and is based on the autobiography of Frank W. Abagnale, Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio), a veritable master of disguise who became the youngest person to ever make the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list. Before he was 21, Abagnale successfully impersonated (among other things) an airline pilot, a lawyer, and a doctor while simultaneously passing millions of dollars in stolen funds. Hot on his tail, but always one step behind, was Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks), the dedicated FBI agent whose sole mission in life was to catch him...if he could.

On the surface, Catch Me couldn't be any more different from Spielberg's recent Tom Cruise thriller Minority Report even if it tried. The groovy retro vibe is set almost immediately with the Saul Bass-inspired opening credits and a jazzy John Williams score. The colorful sets and costumes also serve to accentuate the innocence of the period, although there are times when Janusz Kaminski's moody lighting can be so distracting that you feel like you're watching a different movie.

Beyond that, Catch Me has the same man-on-the-run premise that fueled Minority Report, and since Spielberg himself was a master of disguise in the early 70's--he snuck onto the Universal lot and pretended like he had an office there--it's easy to see why he warmed to the material. That's why it's surprising that the film fails to resonate on an emotional level, and like many of his recent movies, it goes on a little too long. In addition, many of the key plot elements seem contrived, and the uneven tone tends to shift between being an intense character study and a vibrant cat-and-mouse game.

After being MIA since washing up on the cinematic shores in 2000's The Beach, Leonardo DiCaprio is back with not one, but two impressive--though very different--undertakings. There's his gritty portrayal of an Irish immigrant out for revenge in Gangs of New York, but the fans who made him the King of the World with 1997's top-grossing Titanic will most likely embrace the smashing, dashing Leo of Catch Me. He's perfectly suited for the role, and the film ultimately glides through its flaws because of his strong, charming performance.

On the other hand, there's something a little off about Tom Hanks here. Taking a supporting role for the first time since his own directorial effort (1996's That Thing You Do!), the two-time Oscar-winner plays Agent Hanratty like a one-dimensional, bumbling buffoon, and with his way-too-thick accent, you'd swear that he just stepped off the set of a Pink Panther movie. At least Christopher Walken is incredible as DiCaprio's insecure father, and he shows a hidden vulnerability that makes his character the strongest in the film. It's hard for Spielberg, DiCaprio and Hanks to make a film these days without generating a great deal of buzz, but put them together in the same movie, and you have ridiculously high expectations and hype that no film could possibly match. That's certainly the case with Catch Me if You Can, but since there's really not much at stake here to begin with, you can simply enjoy the movie for what it is: an entertaining, cool breeze that you should definitely catch...if you can.

Scott Mantz, 2002