'Ocean's Eleven' + 'Full House' = 'Catch That Kid'

Finally a crime caper for the kiddies and any fan of "Ocean's Eleven." This movie is pretty similar, except 12-year-olds are committing the crime, and they're not nearly as flashy as Brad Pitt and company. \n"Catch That Kid" revolves around Maddy (Kristen Stewart, best known as Jodie Foster's daughter in "Panic Room"), a sporty but sweet young girl who loves to climb more than anything. Her mother ("Flashdance" expat Jennifer Beals), a head of bank security, strongly disapproves of the dangerous hobby, but Maddy wants nothing more than to follow in the footsteps of her father (Sam Robards), who once climbed to the top of Mount Everest. \nBut then disaster strikes. Apparently an injury suffered during his climb causes Maddy's father to become paralyzed. An experimental surgery is available in Denmark, but their insurance will not cover it and the family cannot afford the $250,000 price tag. Maybe Christopher Reeve should take a look into this operation. \nSo Maddy gets an idea: rob the bank where her mom works. She enlists the help of her friends Gus (Max Thieriot), who is something of a mechanical whiz, and Austin (Corbin Bleu), a film-loving computer guru. They both have crushes on Maddy, but for anyone expecting a gratuitous love scene, remember, these are 12-year-olds. \nThe bank robbery scene is well directed and reminiscent of "Ocean's Eleven," with each kid doing his or her task, and the best part is it ends with an escape via go-cart. \nThen the "Full House" gear kicks in. Just like the time when Michelle destroyed a museum's dinosaur exhibit and Uncle Jesse took the rap -- punitively cleaning the museum for a month, Maddy's mom covers for the kids when they are nearly caught. "You know what you did was wrong," are the only words she tells her daughter regarding the matter, because at least her heart was in the right place. \nStewart delivers a strong performance that really holds the movie together. There is also a great performance by John Carroll Lynch (Frances McDormand's husband in "Fargo"), who plays a bank administrator obsessed with Robert De Niro. To top off the cast there are two bumbling security guards and an evil Mr. Burns-like bank president who denies the family a loan that could have solved everything. \n"Catch That Kid" moves forward at a good pace and it does not get bogged down in insignificant details. These kids get down to business. However, this flick is definitely one for the tween set. If you want to relive your childhood crime-caper style, it might be worth checking out. Otherwise, don't bother.