Catch Me If You Can (1989)

A hotshot car racer persuades the class president of a small Minnesota high school to gamble on illegal car races to raise money for their school facing closure.

Director:

Stephen Sommers

Writer:

Stephen Sommers

Stars:

Matt Lattanzi, Loryn Locklin, Grant Heslov

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Matt Lattanzi	...	Dylan Malone
Loryn Locklin	...	Melissa Hanson
Grant Heslov	...	Nevil
Billy Morrissette	...	Monkey
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Mr. Johnson
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Johnny Phatmun
Dan Bell	...	Manney
Jefferson Slinkard	...	Dirk
Kevin Dewey	...	Quarterback
Chad Bell	...	Stoner
Tara Trooien	...	Debutante
Rhonda L. Rubertus	...	Cheerleader
Robert Kempe	...	Band Kid
Kathryn Lamb	...	Drama Kid
Peter Breitmayer	...	Stackowski

Storyline

The local highschool is threatened to be closed, unless they collect $200,000. The students' president Melissa struggles to collect the money, but lacks the support from her fellow students. So she accepts when car fetishist Dylan suggests to bet on him in car races against underworld king Phatman. At first everything goes well - too well ...

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Plot Keywords:

cheerleader | muscle car | blonde woman | not on dvd | not on blu ray | 

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Taglines:

If you can't win the race, move the finish line.

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 October 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Heart Power

Filming Locations:

Minnesota, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$800,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Management Company Entertainment Group (MCEG), Sterling Entertainment Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The auto shop used in the film was actually filmed at Tech High School also in St. Cloud.

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Goofs

In the movie it's stated that Fast Freddy successfully completed the "Twin City Run" thirty years ago. As the movie presumably takes place in 1989, that would mean that the race took place in 1959. When Monkey explains to Dylan everything he did to tune up Fast Freddy's 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, he says that the car has a 427 big-block engine. The 1957 Bel Air was not factory available with a 427 ci engine (or any big-block engine for that matter) and even if the motor was retrofitted into the car, the Chevy 427 did not exist in 1959, as it was not introduced until 1963 (as a special option) and not mass produced until 1966.

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Soundtracks

At the Hop
Written by Artie Singer, John Madara and Dave White
Performed by Danny and the Juniors
Used with permission of Arc Music Corp. and Six Continents Music Publishing, Inc.
Courtesy of MCA Records

User Reviews

Dated and Terrible

Wow! I remember so many awful films that loosely revolved around high school from the early 1980s. They usually had someincredibly strained plot and lots of 27 year old actors pretending to be students. As I watched this film I felt a little of the nostalgia of growing up in the 1980s. However, then I find out that this film was made in 1989? Say what! Well, the nostalgia factor ends right there, this is just bad. The plot has the city preparing to close a high school and threatening to bus all of the students to inner city high schools. Which is odd, in that the students at this school are both wealthy and abundant. In fact, the main character lives in a mansion. Makes you wonder how they cannot find money to keep this school alive, have they never heard of property taxes. Oh, but here is the kicker. The school board says that they will keep the school alive, if the students can raise $200,000. So the seniors go about doing this. Hmmm, you raise $200,000 but instead of saving that for college, you put it towards saving the high school that you are a Senior in? And why exactly would they close an overpopulated school before the year is out? And...ahh forget it, this film was stupid and made in 1989!?