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Road to Perdition

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This suspense-filled story of hitman Michael Sullivan, directed by Sam Mendes, has as much style and cinematic brilliance as his American Beauty, though it is much darker. Sullivan (Tom Hanks), the adoptive son of John Rooney (Paul Newman), is a cold-blooded killer working for his crime boss "father" in the winter of 1931, when his own twelve-year-old son, Mike Jr., inadvertently witnesses a "hit" in which his father participates.

Subsequently, the Sullivans, father and son, take off for Chicago to meet with Frank Nitti (Stanley Tucci), underworld lieutenant to Al Capone. Mike Sullivan, Sr. is also hoping to get to Perdition, an appropriately named Midwestern town, so he can leave is son with his sister-in-law. Sadistic hitman Harlan Maguire (Jude Law), who enjoys photographing the death throes of his victims, is soon on the Sullivans' trail to through the midwest.

Conrad L. Hall, to whom the film is dedicated, uses photography to its fullest advantage winning a posthumous Academy Award for his cinematography. Shot in winter, the film preserves the flavor of early black and white films, with sharp contrasts, and the use of dark, somber colors, when colors are used at all. Snow, ice, rain, and fog perpetuate the cold darkness of the scenes, and Hall's use of architectural framing is stunning, particularly his repeated use of windows. He keeps the scenes simple, often focusing on individual characters in contexts which reveal their emotional states. In one memorable scene, for example, light from a streetlight outside a window casts the shadow of rain on an interior wall, suggesting both tears and cleansing.

Newman is terrific as an aging mob boss, playing his part with just the right mix of frailty and cruelty (for which he was nominated for an Academy Award). Tyler Hoechlin, as 12-year-old Mike, Jr., reveals his fears and vulnerabilities at the same time that he shows his satisfaction as the center of his father's attention (winning Best Young Actor from the Broadcast Film Critics Association). Jude Law, made up to look like a true, wild-eyed psychopath, is terrifying. Hanks looks menacing and acts viciously until his concern for his son overtakes all other emotions in a moving, climactic scene, though it is difficult to accept him in the role of a hitman.

Period music adds style to the film, and original music by Thomas Newman (and the title song by John Williams), mostly piano and strings, preserves the period tone. Filled with the horror of violence and considerable suspense, this noir film gives a human face to mob violence in the thirties. Mary Whipple

Sam Mendes' "The Road to Perdition" is a film about family: extended, brother against brother, father and sons and ultimately father against sons. It's about the world of Men in much the same tradition as "East of Eden," which it thematically resembles. Mendes tackles big ideas here: the sanctity of the family, a father's love of family, a father's right to protect his family and a natural versus an adopted son's place in a family (the right of succession). But Mendes uses the small details of life to develop these themes so that his lofty ideas have a pervasive as well as persuasive effect on the viewer.
Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks) is a family man (2 sons, Michael Jr. and Peter) who works for John Rooney (Paul Newman) as a bodyguard and hit man. John has a son, Connor (David Craig)who is intensely jealous of his father's relationship with Michael. It is obvious that John prefers Michael: strong, obedient, intelligent, over his natural son, Connor: weak, smarmy, conniving, underhanded, hotheaded.
One evening, Michael Jr., eager and curious to find out what exactly his father does for a living, hides in his father's car while Michael Sr. goes out on a "business call" with Connor to strong arm an associate that ends with Connor recklessly killing the associate with Michael Jr. witnessing the entire event.
This proves to be the turning point in the film and the event that sets the remainder of the film in motion: can Michael Jr. be trusted to keep his mouth shut? Connor has some definite ideas about this.
One of the most impressive set pieces of the film is a showdown between Michael and John Rooney and his henchman on a public street at night in the pouring rain, shot with absolutely no sound nor blood in sight. It is as effective in it's way as the last, very bloody scene in "Bonnie and Clyde."
Conrad Hall has shot the film in a dark, grayish, almost colorless palette very similar to
"The Yards," also coincidentally a film about a family involved in crime. The criminal life for Hall and Mendes then is not the chiaroscuro life that Coppola envisions it in his Godfather trilogy, but one of black and gray signifying a life of hiding, back alleys and drudgery devoid of color, enjoyment and living. The music is also extremely effective and evocative especially since Mendes has shot large portions of the film without dialogue.
The acting is top drawer with Tyler Hoechlin as Michael Jr. almost stealing the picture away from the always effective Tom Hanks, Jude Law and Paul Newman.
Sam Mendes has fashioned a film of the utmost purity and beauty: a tone poem to the family and to the father-son relationship in particular.
"The Road to Perdition" is a film that resonates with regret and sadness but more importantly an over-riding feeling that, as gangsters "getting into heaven"as John Rooney states... is not a possibility.

ROAD TO PERDITION is a major departure for Tom Hanks. He kills people. And don't expect to see Meg Ryan as a cutely tousled co-star. Besides, it rains so much in this film that it would've made her look like a wet doggie.

It's 1931, and Hanks plays Michael Sullivan, an enforcer working for crime family head John Rooney (Paul Newman). Though Rooney has an adult son, Connor (Daniel Craig), he regards Michael with the affection reserved for the son he wishes he'd had. Sullivan himself has a wife and two boys. In the film's first half-hour, Connor botches a job assigned to him and Michael by the elder Rooney. In the aftermath of the debacle, Connor kills Michael's wife and his youngest (and favorite) son for reasons too complicated to explain here. For the remainder of the film, Sullivan goes on the lam with Michael, Jr. (Tyler Hoechlin) seeking revenge against Connor while evading a hit man named Maguire (Jude Law) reluctantly hired by John Rooney to pre-empt the reprisal slaying of his own badly behaved offspring.

Those who are turned off by ROAD TO PERDITION because of the bloody deeds performed by Hollywood Good Fella Hanks, akin to watching Jimmy Stewart in the role of someone who kicks puppies, are perhaps missing the point. This is a powerful tale of the dynamic that exists between fathers and sons: John and Connor, Michael and Michael, Jr., and John and Michael. This is a Guy Story to be sure. Indeed, in the entire film there's no female lead worth mentioning and very little softness. Much of the magnificent cinematography is done in the dark, brooding atmospheres that one could expect in the Male's Cave. That's not to say that there's no humor. There's a sequence of scenes depicting the young Sullivan's mastering of driving skills that, in the context of the storyline, is positively priceless.

Early on, Newman, the mega-star of yesterday, and Hanks, the mega-star of today, play a piano duet (for real). But the sentimental favorite of ROAD TO PERDITION has to be the former, and I foresee a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Newman's blue eyes continue to shine out of a face that age (and perhaps cosmetic surgery) has only made more striking. Moreover, Paul's Rooney expresses more raw emotion in his relationship with his son than Tom's Sullivan can manage in his. Perhaps this was an intentional part of the script, or perhaps it's a reflection of the accomplished old pro that Newman is and Hanks has yet to be. And Law is especially good as the sinister and creepy Maguire whose hits provide fodder for his day job.

I liked this film a lot because it focuses on the nature of the father/son relationship, something which Tinseltown usually ignores. This is likely to be one of the better films of 2002.

Director Sam Mendes' highly anticipated follow-up to 1999's American Beauty didn't reach the level of excellence of the Oscar-winning masterpiece; nevertheless, it certainly delivered. The film boasts an Academy Award-winning team both on and off screen. It is a story about crime, guilt, redemption, and, above all, family.
Tom Hanks plays Michael Sullivan, a depression-era father of two and hitman for mob boss and surrogate father John Rooney (Paul Newman), who has always loved him more than his real son, Connor.
Their lives are changed forever when Sullivan's older son, Michael Jr., witnesses one of his father's hits, which leads Connor to kill Sullivan's wife and little kid.
What follows is a wonderful tale of love and survival, in which Sullivan and his son must save their lives.
The reunion of Sam Mendes and legendary DP Conrad Hall gives the film an unprecedented visual flair, a true feast for the eyes. The grayish monochromatic cinematography, the reflex of rain on the faces and walls (in a Sam Mendes film, rain marks the anticipation of death) and the touching Thomas Newman score are all works of genius. Not to mention Hanks' remarkable performance of a mysterious and mythic father figure.
One could point to the melodramatic ending or to the fact that Michael Jr. is immune to violence in the midst of all the bloodshed that ensues.
In my opinion, the scene of the murders in the rain is one of the best shot scenes in recent film history.
I can't wait for what Mendes is up to next.

"Road to Perdition" is brilliantly conceived by director Sam Mendes ["American Beauty"] and stunningly photographed by the late Conrad Hall, whose illustrious career garnered him two Oscars and ten nominations. One of those nominations is for this film. Tom Hanks, Paul Newman and Jude Law, among others, give great performances. It is among the best movies of 2002, but it is only fair to warn potential viewers that this is no lighthearted joyride. It is an unrelentingly dark and somber tale; `perdition', after all, is another word for hell.

The year is 1931, the place is a small town not far from Chicago. Prohibition has spawned a nation of thugs and gangsters. Legitimate businesses have become hubs of criminal activity. The town is run by a ruthless Irish family headed by John Rooney [Paul Newman] His real son, Connor [Daniel Craig], is his cynical, hot-headed heir, and his adopted son, Michael Sullivan [Tom Hanks], is his enforcer. A great rivalry exists between the two sons. One rainy night, one of the Michael's boys, twelve year old Michael Jr. [Tyler Hoechlin], hides in his father's car and goes along on a job. What he witnesses forever changes his life, puts the rest of his family in mortal danger, and gives John the perfect opportunity to rid himself of his rival. It also gives Michael Sullivan his only chance to see that his son does not become like him.

The movie is beautifully rendered in dark tones, giving it the look of a nightmarish dream. This is appropriate because the story is told from the boy's point of view and is a memory from his childhood.

"Road to Perdition" is not intended to be realistic. It, like the graphic novel it is based on, is a fantasy. It plays like an updated Greek / Shakespearean tragedy, and its mood is almost operatic. From a commercial point of view, it might have benefited from a bit more levity, but I admire Mendes, a true artist, for keeping his vision consistent and true. It is a movie which will be remembered long after most of 2002's releases are forgotten.

Based on the graphic novel by Max Allan Collins, which was in turn based very loosely on various factual stories of the 1930s, THE ROAD TO PERDITION tells the story of Michael Sullivan, a family man and thoroughly nice guy who also happens to be an enforcer and hit man for the Irish Mob. Sullivan strives to keep his homelife separate from his work--but son Michael Jr. precipitates disaster when he follows his father and witnesses a murder. Determined to both protect his son and have revenge on the mob boys who have suddenly turned on him, Sullivan goes on the run with Michael, and in the process finally "finds his heart" through his determination that young Michael will never walk his road.

There is a great deal to like about this film. The cinematography is astonishingly beautiful and extremely well supported by the editing, which is among the best I've ever seen, and the soundtrack, which lends the story a meloncholy depth. Many of the cast members are also exceptional, most particularly Jude Law, who creates perhaps the most chilling killer seen on screen in a decade. But the film has two significant problems: the plot and the star.

There are several issues with the plot, and the overwhelming one is its predictability. There is nothing new until one reaches midpoint, when Sullivan--with the assistance of his son--attempts to force the mafia to permit his revenge via a series of bank robberies in which he takes only mafia money. This was quite an original idea, and very intriguing, so I was doubly frustrated when the film took yet another predictable twist that effectively negated that rather large chunk of film time. The other issue here is Tom Hanks. Hanks is an extraordinary actor, and the role of a hitman seemed a unique opportunity for him to blow off the super-likeable parts for which he has become famous. But instead of doing this, Tom Hanks essentially gives a standard super-likeable Tom Hanks performance, and I found it increasingly difficult to believe him as a mob enforcer, much less to give his drive for bloody revenge any creedence.

When all is said and done, what is left is a film that essentially holds you by virtue of sheer cinematic technique. THE ROAD TO PERDITION has an amazing sense of style and creates an amazing visual portrait of the era, and that--along with such performers as Jude Law--held my interest to the end. But far from "finding its heart," the film is hollow, a matter of style over substance, and I found the story obvious, the conclusion foregone, and the statement commonplace. While I did enjoy the film, I do not expect to revisit it. As for the DVD itself, it is a nice package, with the visual and aural elements extremely well done; I found the bonus material, however, as bland in content as the film itself. Now, this film has garnered many fans, and I say if you can get something out of it, more power to you, and it will be well worth the investment. But at the same time, I would suggest that you rent this one before you purchase it, for you may just as easily fall into the other catagory--in which case you'll consider THE ROAD TO PERDITION barely worth the trip.

Sam Mendes' "Road to Perdition" is for sure the most incredible motion picture of the year. Wonderfully directed by the acclaimed Sam Mendes (Academy Award Winner-Best Director-American Beauty). Don't let that scare you though! This film has no sexual nature to it at all. The R rating is due to pervasive disturbing violent content, and profanity is scarce. Tom Hanks gives the opposite performance than usual, as a killer and bankrobber. Jude Law and Paul Newman gave exceptional performances as well. The feature length was about 2 hours long, and certainly was not an action-packed, special effects thriller, rather a slower moving, yet still very interesting piece of art. Tom Hanks, who usually takes on very emotional characters, gave a rather unemotional performance, but there was a very subtle hint of the normal Hanks. As my closing comment, every aspect of this movie was perfect, and I can't wait until Feb. 25 to purchase the dvd.

Road to Perdition is so ambitious that any flaws it may have are made irrelevant by the film's grandiosity of vision, technical brilliance, and unique sensibility.

Several members of the production team were carried over from American Beauty -- director Sam Mendes, legendary cinematographer Conrad Hall, brilliant composer Thomas Newman -- but the two films are apples and oranges. What they do share is a sense of boldness, narrative voices that are unique and distinctive.

Hall's photography is once again superlative -- and the larger, more elegiac tone of this film allows him even more room to dazzle with his visual magic. Thomas Newman's score is inscrutable, once again so intrinsically woven into the fabric of the film that it becomes a seamless part of the whole, enhancing the action rather than sticking out from it.

The acting as a whole is wonderful. Paul Newman still has the ability to ignite the screen with a look; young actor Tyler Hoechlin is terrific as lead character Michael Sullivan, Jr., the gangster's son in danger of following his father's path; and Jude Law is fantastic and eccentric as psychotic hitman Maguire, opting for an engrossing low-key menace. Tom Hanks is the weak link in the first half of the film; his character is not a well-defined one for a good 45 minutes, and his repressed performance doesn't help. Fortunately he comes to life in Act 2 of the film with the first bank robbery. A good thing, for the film's emotional impact hinges on him, and from this point on he acquits himself well. However, I can't help but think an actor like Liam Neeson (remembering his powerhouse performance in Neil Jordan's Michael Collins) could have brought much more fire, volatility and charisma to this role. Nonetheless, Hanks works well enough, even if he's one of the flawed elements. There is a small number of scenes that last a little longer than they need to, as well, even though as a whole the film is quite well paced, and even when scenes run long, the eye-melting cinematography tends to keep you from becoming disengaged.

One of Road to Perdition's greatest strengths is that it is unlike any other gangster film in history. While its themes have been touched upon by the Godfather series, its approach -- kind of a hybrid noir gangster/mismatched buddy/road movie -- is very original indeed. Just for that, I'd recommend it as essential viewing. And there is more to be discovered.

For those of you confused by the title, this is not Hope and Crosby's version of the Faustian myth. It's Sam Mendes follow-up to "American Beauty". It's Tom Hanks most internalized acting performance. It's Paul Newman making a rare, and much needed, return to the big screen. It's Jude Law with bad teeth and a balding patch, Jennifer Jason Leigh with almost no lines, and Conrad Hall with another virtuoso example of how to light a movie. It's all these things and more. But somehow, it also manages to be all these things and less. But more on that later.

Like in his previous film, Sam Mendes gives away the fate of his main character within the first couple lines of dialogue. The wheel has been set a-spinning, and the only question is how it all plays out. Mendes is a director less interested in the final destination than in the road taken to get there ("Road to Beauty" might have been a better title for his first film; then again, "American Perdition" would be quite apt here). Although, to be fair, the final outcome appears more in doubt here than in that last effort, even with all the gangster talk about "the life we chose" and "none of us will see heaven."

Visually, Mendes knows how to frame a scene. Mostly, we see things from the point of view of Michael Sullivan, Jr. (Tyler Hoechlin), the eldest son of Mike Sullivan, Sr. (Tom Hanks), lead enforcer for town boss John Rooney (Paul Newman). Mike Jr. stows away in his father's car one night, in the hopes of finding out how the old man pays the bills. Through a hole in the wall, at feet level so all he can see of his dad are his shoes, he witnesses the brutal, tommy gun murder of a bootlegger. This is the moment that sets the film down its road. Mendes handles it perfectly, allowing the audience to experience the scene as Young Mike does: the visceral destruction and the sorrow of it all, the sonic boom of guns going off in unison, twinkling as bullet shells hit the floor. Watch how this scene, with its over-the-top cacophony of sounds, is contrasted by a later shooting. Scored only by the powerful rhythm of the ocean, which sounds like the breathing of a giant, and bathed in white light, whereas the earlier scene was set on a rainy night, the emotional resonance of this scene is heartbreaking. It's a skillful cinematic moment, made more impressive when one realizes it was filmed by a man making only his second movie.

Hanks is quiet and reserved as the cold-blooded mob killer. It's not a very glamorous role, though. Sure, he shows prodigious talent at his job. And he gets to stomp around armed with a cool noir get-up: fedora, overcoat, tommy gun. But he looks worn down, dirty, unshaven, and, quite frankly, pudgy for the majority of the film. No matter. Because even when he's not saying anything, Hanks manages to say everything. His eyes do much of the work here, replacing the charm that he usually uses to get through big parts. It's not as fine a piece of work as his best performance, "Saving Private Ryan", but it's got many of the same characteristics, and is surely in the same ballpark.

Newman, relegated to playing supporting character parts these days, proves he still has the chops to rise to the occasion. Rooney must be a lovable old coot (he is), a distant father (he is), a feared dictator (he is), a man capable of menacing anger (he is; to my surprise, Newman still has the force of will to bang on a table and make the whole room feel it), and one who can just as easily resign himself to his own fate (he does). The silver in his hair and the wrinkles on his face may age him, but that low, tremulous voice help him deliver another in a long line of vintage Paul Newman performances. He's still a treasure.

Jude Law has a fairly enigmatic part. Best known for works where he is the definitive male object of desire, here Law sports a thinning hairline, unkempt fingernails, and rotting brown teeth. I question the choice of casting Law for this role, like I question the choice of casting the gorgeous Cameron Diaz in "Being John Malkovich": why not just get an uglier actor? But, like Diaz, Law acts his way into my good graces (just like he always does). His photographer/killer moves like an agitated cat. Even though the character is somewhat two-dimensional, Law manages to bring him to life.

Sadly, these three actors, some of my favourites, don't get many chances to shine together. But when they do, you aren't going to find anything better. A cast full of fine actors supports them. Stanley Tucci is reserved and business like as Capone right-hand man Frank Nitti. Daniel Craig does well showing the envy and pettiness of Connor Rooney, a son tormented by a father who'd prefer he was a different man. Jennifer Jason Leigh, an actress of stunning power, has absolutely nothing to do here. If I counted right, she has but three lines. Shame, that. And young Tyler Hoechlin doesn't do anything outstanding as Young Mike, but that's probably for the best. Inexperienced kid actors who try too hard get on my last nerve. Hoechlin plays it close to the chest and it works.

Although greatly marred by an opening and closing narration, which felt forced, tacked-on, and unrealistic in a film rife with harsh reality, "Road to Perdition" is a fine technical piece of work. While something intangible keeps it from becoming a great film, one that you can clutch to your bosom as an example of the human condition writ large, it still manages to be very, very good.

Normally I write fairly long reviews, but I think I can get through this one pretty quickly. The plot of 'Road to Perdition' is not especially remarkable. It involves well-worn themes from Mafia films like honor, revenge, family and the desire to get away from this violent world, and the characters are nothing particularly new either. (Tom Hanks is the cold, workmanlike killer, Daniel Craig the crazy wild card protected by his position as the son of Paul Newman, who is the surprisingly warm and kind mafia boss who is, nevertheless, utterly ruthless at heart etc.) There's certainly nothing wrong with this plot, and it has some fine lines and a few particularly affecting scenes, but it's nothing to get to overly worked up over. Still, the sheer craft displayed herein makes the film remarkable. The performances are all perfect, the score, while perhaps overly conventional, is powerful and emotive, the cinematography is consistently stunning and the period detail is utterly convincing. Again, this is a world we've seen before, but it's more fully realized then ever before, and it makes the film nearly mesmerizing even in the scenes where little is actually going on. Also, there's one scene late in the film, a firefight in the streets during fierce storm, which is simply breath taking. It's definitely one of the most powerful examples of pure cinema I've seen in a long time.

Yeah, that's it. Just a stunningly well made film.

Grade: A-