Staying ahead of the game is often a message of this sort of film. The parallels to DiCaprio's other law-breaking production Catch Me If You Can are startling. In that movie also, he gets carried away and tries to take too much. In staying with his company, riddled with corruption and with an awful personal criminal record, Belford ruins his chances of survival. Having ignored his father, Jordan falls out of favour with the law, his money and his second wife. Scorsese is giving the movie theatre a powerful message. Don't overdo it, he seems to scream, don't play the system, don't break the law. But if you do, you better know when to stop.
