Road to Perdition (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Tom Hanks takes a stab at portraying a mobster in 'Road to Perdition', a crime drama directed by Sam Mendes. Mike Sullivan (Hanks) works as a hitman for Irish crime boss, John Rooney (Paul Newman). Rooney is a sort of father figure to Mike. But after Mike's son witnesses what his dad does for a living, the 2 of them must go on the run; Mike runs not only to save his & his son's own lives, but to look for revenge against the very loved one's who had wronged him. This is a stirring, if bleak tale of family, loyalty, & betrayal. The production values of the film are great. And I find the ensemble performances to be top notch, as well.
Chicago, 1931: Mike Sullivan is hit man #1 for John Rooney, who has treated Mike as a son since he took him in as an orphaned boy. Interestingly enough, Mike's relationship with Rooney is so close that the crime boss' own son, Connor (Daniel Craig), is jealous of their bond. One night, Connor kill's Mike's wife (Jennifer Jason Leigh) & youngest son; only Mike's eldest son (Tyler Hoechlin), survives to witness the horrific event. Complications from this incident arise which sends father & son on the road. Mike loves Rooney as a father, but the fates of all parties involved are already determined by the combustive lives they lead.
Parallel plotlines commence: Mike wants to start a new life with his son. But he cannot rest until Connor is dead. Simultaneously, Rooney (recognizing that blood is more important than close emotional ties) plots to find & kill Mike; by way of a homely little hitman named Harlen Maguire (Jude Law). Like most gangster/mobster films involving 'the family' (The Godfather, Goodfellas), it's often the most loved of people (Mike) who'll suffer the biggest blow by the men in charge. Will Rooney change his mind? Can Mike & his son outrun the hitman hired against them? Can anyone's life and/or reputation be restored?
'Road to Perdition' is excellent because it gets so many things right. Right off the bat, you can get a real feel for the time, place, smells, & sights of the 1930's Chicagoan lifestyle (the rich & the poor). Conrad Hall's cinematography is exquisite. The sets, costumes, sound design, & musical score are stellar, as well. And the atmosphere created by the predominantly mahogany visuals allows us to sink into the story. Sam Mendes (coming off the hugely successful American Beauty) weaves an intriguing tale, once again. And you can't praise the film without praising the performances ...
We've known Tom Hanks to nail every type of role down the pike, and he does it again as a cold-blooded, but family-loving hitman. That said, because we love Hanks so much, his portrayal (while excellent) makes us feels, perhaps, a bit uncomfortable. We don't want to see Hanks as a bad guy; but there it is. Jude Law (with his stooped figure, bulging eyes, greasy hair, & brown teeth) gives a creepy performance that will turn a lot of heads. Tyler Hoechlin is an effective child actor, here. His adoration & fear of his father is well handled. And Paul Newman is brilliant as the rattled, melancholic authority figure.
The story is very straightforward. For a gangster film, there are barely any twists or action sequences. Aside from Hanks & Newman, there aren't as many multi-faceted characters (or women) as most would like or assume. And the movie may be too deliberately paced & somber for mainstream audiences (often slow, dark, dirty, & brooding). But I love it's deliberate pace. It forces us to focus on the intimate story even more so. Though it's often a numbing story, we can easily witness the suppressed emotion that's always bubbling below the surface of the main characters; I like to see that. Though there isn't much joy in 'Road to Perdition', I recommend it if only to see the chemistry btwn. 2 of cinema's biggest hitters, Hanks & Newman. They'll put a stranglehold over you.
Chicago, 1931: Mike Sullivan is hit man #1 for John Rooney, who has treated Mike as a son since he took him in as an orphaned boy. Interestingly enough, Mike's relationship with Rooney is so close that the crime boss' own son, Connor (Daniel Craig), is jealous of their bond. One night, Connor kill's Mike's wife (Jennifer Jason Leigh) & youngest son; only Mike's eldest son (Tyler Hoechlin), survives to witness the horrific event. Complications from this incident arise which sends father & son on the road. Mike loves Rooney as a father, but the fates of all parties involved are already determined by the combustive lives they lead.
Parallel plotlines commence: Mike wants to start a new life with his son. But he cannot rest until Connor is dead. Simultaneously, Rooney (recognizing that blood is more important than close emotional ties) plots to find & kill Mike; by way of a homely little hitman named Harlen Maguire (Jude Law). Like most gangster/mobster films involving 'the family' (The Godfather, Goodfellas), it's often the most loved of people (Mike) who'll suffer the biggest blow by the men in charge. Will Rooney change his mind? Can Mike & his son outrun the hitman hired against them? Can anyone's life and/or reputation be restored?
'Road to Perdition' is excellent because it gets so many things right. Right off the bat, you can get a real feel for the time, place, smells, & sights of the 1930's Chicagoan lifestyle (the rich & the poor). Conrad Hall's cinematography is exquisite. The sets, costumes, sound design, & musical score are stellar, as well. And the atmosphere created by the predominantly mahogany visuals allows us to sink into the story. Sam Mendes (coming off the hugely successful American Beauty) weaves an intriguing tale, once again. And you can't praise the film without praising the performances ...
We've known Tom Hanks to nail every type of role down the pike, and he does it again as a cold-blooded, but family-loving hitman. That said, because we love Hanks so much, his portrayal (while excellent) makes us feels, perhaps, a bit uncomfortable. We don't want to see Hanks as a bad guy; but there it is. Jude Law (with his stooped figure, bulging eyes, greasy hair, & brown teeth) gives a creepy performance that will turn a lot of heads. Tyler Hoechlin is an effective child actor, here. His adoration & fear of his father is well handled. And Paul Newman is brilliant as the rattled, melancholic authority figure.
The story is very straightforward. For a gangster film, there are barely any twists or action sequences. Aside from Hanks & Newman, there aren't as many multi-faceted characters (or women) as most would like or assume. And the movie may be too deliberately paced & somber for mainstream audiences (often slow, dark, dirty, & brooding). But I love it's deliberate pace. It forces us to focus on the intimate story even more so. Though it's often a numbing story, we can easily witness the suppressed emotion that's always bubbling below the surface of the main characters; I like to see that. Though there isn't much joy in 'Road to Perdition', I recommend it if only to see the chemistry btwn. 2 of cinema's biggest hitters, Hanks & Newman. They'll put a stranglehold over you.