Catch Me If You Can (2002) Parents Guide: Is the movie OK for kids?

Name: Catch Me If You Can
Director: Steven Spielberg
Released: 2002
Duration: 141 min
Rating: 8.0

Age Rating, Sex, Violence & Language

A true story about Frank Abagnale Jr. who, before his 19th birthday, successfully conned millions of dollars worth of checks as a Pan Am pilot, doctor, and legal prosecutor. An FBI agent makes it his mission to put him behind bars. But Frank not only eludes capture, he revels in the pursuit.

Rated PG-13 • 2002 • 2h 21m

Directed by Steven Spielberg

8.0

10K+

Average rating by Bontent members

Age

13+

Based on a true story, this sleek caper film earned its PG-13 rating primarily for some sexual content and brief language. The film contains one use of the F-word, several implied but non-graphic sexual encounters (including one involving a prostitute), and a frank discussion of a past abortion. Thematic material is significant, exploring family breakdown from divorce and infidelity, the emotional consequences of a life of crime, and… Sign up for the full guide

Cast

Leonardo DiCaprio

Tom Hanks

Christopher Walken

Martin Sheen

Nathalie Baye

Amy Adams

James Brolin

Brian Howe

Frank John Hughes

Steve Eastin

Chris Ellis

John Finn

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Is Catch Me If You Can appropriate for kids?

Content severity in Catch Me If You Can

Sex Strong 6/10

Violence Moderate 3/10

Language Strong 7/10

Substances Mild 2/10

Themes Strong 7/10

What happens in Catch Me If You Can, moment by moment

0:12 🔥 Mature Themes 5/10
0:15 🔥 Mature Themes 4/10
0:25 🍷 Substances 2/10

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Sex and nudity in Catch Me If You Can

Content is moderate, but non-explicit. One scene involves a character hiring a high-class escort, though only a kiss and a financial negotiation are shown. Sex is implied between a man and a woman through sounds and suggestive positioning, but there is no nudity. In another scene, a shirtless man and a woman in her underwear are in bed discussing her past sexual history, which includes a prior abortion. There is passionate kissing and women are seen in bikinis.

Violence and gore in Catch Me If You Can

Violence is infrequent and mild. The most notable scene involves a medical emergency where a boy is seen with a bloody leg injury; a character reacts by going to another room where he is heard vomiting. FBI agents draw their guns and point them in several tense scenes, but they are not fired. A character's death is mentioned to have occurred off-screen from an accidental fall.

Language in Catch Me If You Can

Language is moderate and includes a single use of "f--k" spoken as the punchline to a joke. There is also one use of "s--t" and several instances of "Goddamn," "hell," and "damn."

Drugs, alcohol, and smoking in Catch Me If You Can

Substance use is mild. Several characters, most notably the main character's mother, smoke cigarettes frequently throughout the film. Adults are also seen drinking alcohol socially (wine, cocktails) at parties, in restaurants, and at home, but there are no scenes of drunkenness or illicit drug use.

Mature themes in Catch Me If You Can

The film contains moderate thematic material. The central catalyst for the plot is the painful divorce of the protagonist's parents due to his mother's infidelity, causing him to run away. The film explores themes of deception, fraud, loneliness, and identity. The death of a parent is a key emotional moment, and a character's past abortion is discussed in a serious scene.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Catch Me If You Can appropriate for kids?

Bontent's parent guide suggests Catch Me If You Can is best for ages 13+. It's rated PG-13. Based on a true story, this sleek caper film earned its PG-13 rating primarily for some sexual content and brief language. The film contains one use of the F-word, several implied but non-graphic sexual encounters…

What age rating does Catch Me If You Can have?

Catch Me If You Can is officially rated PG-13. Bontent's independent parent guide recommends it for ages 13+.

What is Catch Me If You Can about?

Is there sex or nudity in Catch Me If You Can?

How violent is Catch Me If You Can?

Is the language in Catch Me If You Can appropriate for kids?

Language is moderate and includes a single use of "f--k" spoken as the punchline to a joke. There is also one use of "s--t" and several instances of "Goddamn," "hell," and "damn."

Are drugs, alcohol, or smoking shown in Catch Me If You Can?

What mature themes appear in Catch Me If You Can?

How long is Catch Me If You Can?

Catch Me If You Can runs 141 minutes, directed by Steven Spielberg, released in 2002.

Where can I read the full Catch Me If You Can parent guide?

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