Catch Me If You Can

Imagine a case of a kid called Nathan (Ryan de Boer) who thinks he is too smart for anyone's good, even making the life of the cop who is looking after him (Tim Matheson as Norm) just so miserable.

This is the plot outline here.

I wondered at times when Norm will be able to catch up with Nathan's latest antics because the kid is just too smart. In the adults' eyes, someone like Nathan is just too hard to handle. Maybe I was this sort of goody-goody girl as I was growing up, so I almost could not tolerate Nathan at times.

But then I soon realised, one really needs the wit to overcome someone who is a generation younger than you.

Interestingly that this is called 'A Deadly Game' here when I saw it few days back on the television here. Anyhow, wit is the key to this made-for-TV movie.

There is a possibility - slight, but still there - that some kids might enjoy "Catch Me If You Can" (a.k.a. "Deadly Game") But if your kids have a reasonable amount of intelligence and good manners, chances are they may have as much feeling of dislike to the movie's child character as adults probably will. It should probably come as no surprise that the child actor playing the kid in the movie has more than a passing resemblance to Macaulay Culkin. Indeed, his prank-playing child character probably was inspired by the "Home Alone" movie. But while you rooted for the kid in "Home Alone", I greatly disliked the child in this movie I'm reviewing. He's so mean-spirited, so cruel with his pranks that he is a real hateful figure. That alone sinks the movie, thought there are other significant flaws like low production values that make this viewing experience one to avoid.

A bit of action, a bit of danger, a bit of comedy and even a little light romance (toasted oat cereal by candlelight - perfect!). I really enjoyed this movie, Ryan DeBoer was terrific as the obnoxious kid you start out hating and end up appreciating for his wit and guts. William Katt was positively evil, Tim Matheson did a great job of someone struggling against his own guilt and sense of duty. Luther, completely menacing in his silence was portrayed perfectly by C. Ernst Harth. Sit back and enjoy the scenic ride this movie takes you on, all sorts of little twists and turns to keep you guessing.