Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Catch Me If You Can (Steven Spielberg, 2002)
Walken plays: Frank Abagnale Sr. -charming con-man and delightfully deadbeat dad


                                                 Not ANOTHER watch. OH wait...

Synopsis: There are none breezier than Spielberg's classic caper detailing the 'so-crazy-it-must-be-true' story of Frank Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio), who dropped out of high school to become a federally wanted criminal on charges of cheque fraud and impersonating a slew of professions, including commercial pilot, doctor, lawyer, and high school teacher (and working in some slick nods to 1960s-era 007, Spider-Man, and The Flash along the way). Spielberg makes sure it's more fun than it sounds along the way, allowing Tom Hanks' fed to do the moralistic knuckle-rapping so we can get whisked away by Abagnale's adventure.

Walken is pretty instrumental to the film's message as the father Frank Jr. idolizes - a slick, low stakes con artist who fancies himself a big man, only to reluctantly have to face up to his life caving in on him as he's bankrupted by the IRS, divorced, and forced to live vicariously through the exploits of his criminal son. It's an uncommonly meaty part for Walken, and he does it justice - he's consummately suave, with a perfect whiff of self-aware sadness hidden behind delusional bravado, and the preciously few moments where he allows emotion to well up are achingly moving, and remind you just how good - not just fun - he can be. It's no wonder he quite deservedly racked up his second Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his stellar work here.


                                                         Grinning practice, Walken style

Wacky Walken dialogue: The iconic "Two little mice fell in a bucket of cream" monologue. It's quintessential Walken: exuberant, strange but poignant, hugely quotable, and says everything you need to know about the character and the film's thematic core.

DOES HE DANCE: Oh yes - sweeping his wife off her feet to Frank Sinatra, as she recalls his glory days charming her in France during the war. Nothing could be more suave, and as Walken casts a long, meaningful look at Frank Jr. as he dips his wife, we, alongside DiCaprio, lap it up.



Overall Walken-o-meter: 8/10 cowbells. This is a staple in Walken's filmography, outmatched in respectability only by his Oscar winning turn in The Deer Hunter (and arguably Pulp Fiction), and a perfect example of his quirkiness being used to tremendous ends in quality work rather than playing for laughs as another eccentric weirdo in some B-list comedy (even Steven frickin' Spielberg geeked out about getting to work with him). The few who haven't seen it yet should consider it essential viewing. To da moon.