Road To Perdition Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES PLOT SUMMARY
Mike Sullivan works as a hit man for crime boss John Rooney. Sullivan views Rooney as a father figure. However after his son is witness to a killing he has done Mike Sullivan finds him self on the run trying to save the life of his son and at the same time looking for revenge on those who wronged him. Jude Law co stars as a hit man hired to kill Sullivan.
| Sam Mendes |
7.70 out of 10 (58579 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Good but some what shallow.
posted on 28 Aug 2009The Road to Perdition is a fine film, but for a film of such cinematic beauty, it feels very hollow in the center of it. Tom Hanks is always a great screen presence as well as Paul Newman, but even with their combine star power, the movie falls flat with out some kind of internal dialog. It's a great artistic achievement in the sense of mood and setting but lacks the conviction to put the story it had into focus. Which is a shame because the story trying to be told here is a fine one but it needed to be focus a pond more instead of just focusing on set pieces to fit a certain mood.It's by no means a bad film, but it's pretty shallow for what it's trying to put a cross.
Arguably the best gangster movie ever made.
posted on 26 Aug 2009This is one of the best movies I've ever seen. It has very good acting by Hanks, Newman, and everyone else. Definitely Jude Law's best performance. The cinematography is excellent, the editing is about as good, and includes a great original score that really fits in with the mood of the movie. The production design is also a factor in what makes this movie special. To me, it takes a lot to beat Godfather, but the fantastic cinematography displayed wins this contest. Definitely a Best Picture nominee in my book.
Most Beautiful!
posted on 26 Aug 2009This is truly one of the most beautiful pieces of cinematography I have ever seen. Each still is like a Jack Vettriano painting. The editing is wonderful, the acting superb and the story compelling. I thoroughly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys the finer details that make a film enchanting.
A light to the darkness.
posted on 26 Aug 2009I do not know the work of Mendes and Hill but after seeing this film last night I will definitely look for any other films that Mendes directs and the work that Hill completed before his death this year-I thought the visuals of this film were what I took with me after the movie ended.The other commentators have been able to express far better than I the artistic aspects of how these visuals were given to the screen; I can only say the camera angles, shot selection and lighting made a visual feast of memorable proportions.I would urge any person that has not seen this film to see it immediately and see it several times over: the script, the acting and the visuals make this film an exception in the body of films-not just in this century but taking in a considerably longer period.
am i the only one who noticed....(spoilers)
posted on 22 Aug 2009that if you removed the names "tom hanks, paul newman, and sam mendes" this would only be classified as a mediocre movie? if you consider tom hanks a god (as the moviemakers apparently do) then you'll love this movie. however, if you prefer to think objectively, you'll realize this is an over-hyped, typical hollywood movie. there are so many glaring problems with this movie- trite dialogue (stealing lines from MANY different movies is still plagiarism), characters who are supposed to be multi-faceted but are actually quite one-dimensional, and a plot that's embarrassingly predictable. the chemistry between tom hanks and his son is good, but nothing else works as it was intended to. what a waste of jude law in such a idiotic role. if a mafia head really wants you killed, why would he send one guy after you? and if he's sending one guy, he should be the best. please tell me why w/ a huge gun, he can only fire a series of missed shots that form a halo around hanks crouching behind a flimsy cardboard cover? yet a few seconds later, with one eye practically shot off, he can then drag himself to the window and with a tiny pistol, hit tom hanks on a moving vehicle? and why make the pretense of raising questions (is he a good guy or a bad guy) when you're already force-feeding us the answer? if you're comparing this to the godfather, you've obviously forgotten all that movie accomplished, so go back and watch it again. all through perdition, i amused myself by predicting the next line or what would happen next, down to jude law waiting with his camera in the house with the dog. when did movie audiences shut off their brains when they enter the movie theater? when did lines such as "i'll mourn the son i lost." and "now when ppl ask me if sullivan is good or bad, i answer, he was my father" become worthy quotes? movies need to be either entertaining or educational. this movie was neither. the only thing i learned is that no amount of gross make-up can make jude law ugly, and that i already knew.
Parts Are Greater Than the Sum
posted on 20 Aug 2009I am not a great fan of gangster movies and even less a fan of "Road to Perdition." I experienced boredom frequently during the film and felt that much of it had been done elsewhere, and to better effect. I kept asking myself why this film had to be made, and why Tom Hanks and Paul Newman wanted to be in it.I guess it works best as a character study. One with lots of rain, lots of murdering and pretty monotonous music throughout. Well at least the period music in the honky tonk was ok, until the shooting started.Imagine this script, in the hands of and rewritten by the Coen Brothers or even Sam Raimi. Maguire looked a bit zany when he smothered the nearly dead guy. That tone might have alleviated the ennui I experienced. Different movie, of course.The photography supported the story well, and is fine memorial for the late Conrad L. Hall.
Very fine gangster drama
posted on 18 Aug 2009Tom Hanks plays a hit-man Michael Sullivan.His wife is Annie Sullivan (Jennifer Jason Leigh).Their son, Michael Sullivan Jr. (Tyler Hoechlin) finds out the worst way possible what his father does for a living.He's a witness to a killing committed by his father.Soon the father and son are in danger of losing their lives.Paul Newman is doing the role of the crime boss John Rooney, the man Mike works for.Sam Mendes' Road to Perdition (2002) is a terrific gangster drama.It's very different from the Godfather movies, so don't make any comparisons.Those movies introduced the Italian mafia and this one presents the Irish mafia.Tom Hanks is great doing the lead role.He has done many nice guy roles in the past.In this one he's a bad guy with good qualities.I can't think of better actors than the young Tyler Hoechlin playing the son.The legendary Paul Newman, he's just amazing.He's worth all the praises.If it's true, that he's giving up acting and retiring soon, I think that's a real lost to the movie world.But the man has deserved his rest.I just hope he gets to make his final movie with Robert Redford.If they only find the right script. Jude Law's chilling work as Harlen Maguire, the hit-man hired to kill Sullivan, is really something to remember.Then there's also the new James Bond, Daniel Craig doing the role of Connor Rooney, John's son.The great actor, Stanley Tucci, is Frank Nitti.Everybody's just brilliant in the movie.There are many memorable scenes in the movie.The one, where Newman and Hanks play the piano together, that's beautiful.Amid all the killing there's a little beauty.That's nice.
Beautiful, Wonderful
posted on 16 Aug 2009A great film, beautiful and wonderful. The look and the writing and the acting and the score are all amazing. A few reviewers have said the movie did not touch them. I have to question their capacity to feel. It touched me deeply. I believe this is Hanks' best film, which is saying a lot. He deserves an Oscar and the movie deserves several. The boys' performance is great and the depiction of the father-son relationship is about as good as you will see. Bravo to Hanks for always choosing great material and giving us such integrity on the screen. This is his best, and the Academy should recognize him despite the violence.
Great Movie, Kinda Slow
posted on 12 Aug 2009I thought the movie was really good, but the only problem was its to slow. I also liked how they set up the ending. You think they live happily ever after, but something happens. Very good acting by everyone, and I think Tom Hanks deserves a Oscar for his role.
Family Values
posted on 12 Aug 2009The narrative of 'Road to Perdition' follows Michael Sullivan, father of two and a hit man for the mob. Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks) keeps his work and private life separate. However, when these two worlds unintentionally collide resulting in the murder of his wife and son, he decides he has to revenge the crime whilst protecting his remaining son Michael Jr. from the mob. The title of the film, 'Road to Perdition', symbolises the path that the father is travelling along towards his damnation since the word 'Perdition' denotes hell, where the soul is damned for eternity.The main theme explored by director Sam Mendes, is the relationship between father and son. Mendes develops the theme of parental protection through this relationship and the fact that a parent will do anything to protect their child and keep them safe from harm. A scene that visually represents this theme is when Michael Sr. covers up his gun with his coat to prevent his son from getting a good look at it.Mendes also explores this theme from the viewpoint of his son. Michael Jr. respects his father and this is depicted in a scene at the start of the film when, instead of entering his father's room, he remains at a distance on the upstairs landing in order to ask his father to come to dinner. This respect is further reinforced through the dialogue when Michael addresses his father as 'Sir'.The image of the good and moral man that Michael Jr. had believed his father to be is shattered when he discovers what his father does for a living. Michael Sr. tells his son never to tell anyone what he has witnessed and this authority is emphasised by the camera adopting Michael Jr.'s point of view at a low angle. However, the need for Michael Jr. to continue to have a morally righteous father figure is symbolised by him reading a Lone Ranger comic book, where the Lone Ranger represents the perfect moral role model; righteous and just and which is in contrast to how he now views his own father.The acting in 'Road to Perdition' includes some strong performances, with Tom Hanks and Paul Newman standing out as Michael Sullivan and John Rooney respectively. The editing is visually representative of the collision of two worlds and is achieved through the use of crosscutting which works to good effect.The music used in 'Road to Perdition' is classical and therefore for the most part un-intrusive, which allows the audience to concentrate on the well-constructed narrative. The only time the soundtrack is noticeable is when it switches from non-diegetic to diegetic and an example of this switch is when Michael Sullivan is playing a duet on the piano with John Rooney.'Road To Perdition' has a well-crafted narrative, exploring themes that strike a cord with every member of the audience, and is a testament to the tender direction of Sam Mendes and the superb acting of Tom Hanks and Paul Newman.8/10
The movie's lineal ancestor
posted on 10 Aug 2009The limit of 1,000 words for comments is certainly greater than the total dialogue in THE ROAD TO PERDITION. The prime plot devise is not what the characters say to one another, but how they are arranged in space and light. In fact, most of what IS said could have been eliminated for all intents and purposes, leaving the camera to tell the story. The acting triumph is how "verbal" actors such as Hanks, Leigh, Tucci, and Newman make their impact without words and without pandering to the camera. The real "star" of the movie is the overwhelming darkness of everything. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I tried hard to find a character with "light hair" and "fair complexion." Only Newman might qualify, but his coloration is the effect of age in this movie and not his famous "blonde and blue." Every single scene is under lit and most space is either crowded or cramped into corners. Even the "opened up" final scene focuses on the tree line and the house instead of the water, and the light is artificial--digital?--in its feeling. The movie takes us away from our normal locus in film and asks us to almost photographically engage light and composition. Certainly the Coen brothers did some of this in O, BROTHER! and THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE, but not to the almost exclusive use of composition and light set forth by Mendes and (I hope when credit is due, credit is given) his lighting designers and cinematographers. It's brilliant and different, though not unique. The most direct analogy as far as I can remember is DAYS OF HEAVEN, Terrence Malick's 1978 tour de force (done with the incomparable Nestor Almendros). However, in this case, "varieties" of light instead of "types" of dark made up the scenes and open spaces predominated in the composition. (I could be wrong about this distinction since it's been almost 24 years.)DAYS was Malick's second major film, as ROAD is Mendes's. One could argue Malick's BADLANDS was a "domestic" drama as was AMERICAN BEAUTY; then DAYS addressed power and morality as ROAD does. I hope Mendes doesn't follow his predecessor into more than 20 years of obscurity.
Good and evil all mixed up
posted on 08 Aug 2009Where is the line that separates good from evil? Can a gangster have good feelings and even be a good father and a good husband? This movie may have the answer to these questions because it's a story of love after all, of love of a father for his son despite that father is a hatchet man working for a top gangster of the Irish mafia of the thirties in USA. That same top gangster has got a fatherly love for his hitman whom he adopted as a son which doesn't prevent him of trying to have him killed when he thinks that he's staying alive can endanger his (the top gangster's) safety. And we can see how sorrowful he is because he's got to do it. The plot has got a few flaws maybe not exactly flaws but things that are not well explained and if they are not coincidences are a bit doubtful. For instance how did the hitman played by Hanks found out that the man sitting before him in the road restaurant was there to kill him? And how did it happen that that same killer knew that Hanks would go to the hotel where the accountant was whose books he wanted to see? Anyway these small unexplained scenes don't impair the good quality of a movie directed with firm hand by Sam Mendes and whose main actors perform their roles with high efficiency and convincing acting including the little boy.
The sound track gives the movie its appropriate atmosphere and the scenery does the same. All the scenes where there is danger, threat and suspense take place at night and with heavy raining. The only scenes taking place in open daylight are almost only those taken in the farm of that old couple who at a given moment give shelter to the runaway hatchet man and his son in an atmosphere of friendship and peace.
It Doesnt Get Much Better (Contains Spoilers)
posted on 08 Aug 2009There is only one word needed to describe Road to Perdition..... AMAZING. Alot of gangster movies have gun fights that steal the show but Road to Perdition has some of the best acting I've ever seen. I thought nothing was going to contend with The Godfather or Goodfellas but Road to Perdition can be put aside the movies and not be overlooked. Thats not to say that Road to Perdition doesnt have exciting gun fights. My favorite would have to be when Mike Sr. is hiding in the shadows and starts killing off John Rooney's men and eventually the big man himself. Tom Hanks and Paul Newman give one of the greatest, if not the greatest performances of their career (up till now). I love the scene when Tom Hanks comes up to Newman and points the machine gun at him. You see the fear in both of their eyes', just as Hanks is about to kill him Newman says "I'm glad its you." That one line just gave goosebumbs. But everybody knows that Newman and Hanks can pull off a great performance but the one that really suprised me was Tyler Hoechiln (Mike Sullivan Jr.) He gave a performance that could stand up to both Newman and Hanks. When he looks at the camera you can see a great wisdom in his eyes that overshadows his age. The Godfather needs no introduction, neither does Goodfellas, but Road to Perdition was what the word "underrated" was created for.
Road to Perdition
posted on 08 Aug 2009Sam Mendes' much-hyped follow up to the over-rated American Beauty suffers firstly from comparisons made to The Godfather; few films could hope to overcome such a cheap and lazy comparison, and it's to Perdition's credit that it manages at least to establish an identity of its own. Having said that I was reminded more of Millers Crossing than The Godfather by the look and tone of the film.Tom Hanks plays against type as a reserved, almost staid, foot soldier for the mob, and he does well in a role that is largely underwritten – as most of the characters are, come to think of it; perhaps a consequence of the film's 'grown-up's comic book' roots. All we know about him is that he was taken in by mob boss John Rooney (Paul Newman, clearly relishing his role) – and even that is awkwardly shoehorned in to a conversation between his two sons. Rooney's real son, Connor (Daniel Craig, as far from Bond as he could probably ever get), is a greedy weakling, and it was this father-son relationship that was the more intriguing of the two. Rooney Sr., must make the choice between sacrificing his more worthwhile 'son' to save the life of Connor, or allow his real son to be murdered by Michael (Hanks) in revenge for the murder of Michael's wife and youngest son. Unfortunately, this dilemma is only briefly touched upon, and Rooney's decision never satisfactorily explained.Despite these gripes, Road to Perdition is a terrific reward for those with the patience to allow a film to unfurl at its own pace. It looks both exquisite and authentic, manages to avoid glamorising the gangster lifestyle, and benefits from good performances throughout. Jude Law gives his best performance to date (not a high hurdle, admittedly) as the creepy hit-man/photographer Harlan Maguire; Stanley Tucci is reliably smooth as real-life enforcer Frank Nitti, and Craig is convincingly slimy as Connor Rooney. Newman's character is somewhat undernourished, but even he has more flesh on his bones than Jennifer Jason Leigh's stereotypical all-American mom.
Worthwhile journey to an incredibly weak ending...
posted on 04 Aug 2009There was a lot to like about this film. Hanks and Newman are superb and the photography wonderfully evokes the dirty thirties. However, as happens all too regularly in Hollywood films, the plot is really weak. The ending was *so* trite and formulaic that I found myself acting out the scenes in my mind and mouthing all the lines before they appeared on the screen. Even though I sympathized with where the film wanted to go, I found the finish to be completely unbelievable. Surely there had to be a less clumsy way to tie up the loose ends and get the message across. A morality play doesn't need to be a Sunday school comic.
So close to being a masterpiece, that it hurts.
posted on 27 Jul 2009Road to Perdition ****
directed by Sam Mendes with Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, Tyler Hoechlin, Stanley Tucci and Jennifer Jason Leigh Problem is... what do we say when the only flaw we can see in a movie is that the obvious willing is not art or money, but Oscar?When a movie has flawless direction, acting, a wonderful screenplay, amazing cinematography, a delightful score, perfect art direction... when it is perfect in every single detail... but it doesn't have soul?This is my problem with Road to Perdition. I don't see the soul beneath the skin. It's - like many other films that usually show up at Oscar night - a skilled brilliant exercise that doesn't last. A great movie, for sure, but not in the same league as this year's Minority Report, One Hour Photo, Talk to Her or even Powerpuff Girls: The Movie.What's the difference between one and the others? Well, it's quite easy. The four others are made by people who was able to give soul to their stories. Maybe the best example is to compare the two Toms performances in Perdition and Report... Tom Hanks gives his usual I-want-my-nod tone to skillfully portrait a hit-man who happens to be a caring and loving father, and of course, despite that little fact, he's the good guy. Tom Cruise, in exchange, gives it all as the Kafkanian character trapped in his own trap... there are multiple layers in his "hero", and good Cruise show them all, making us CARE for him. There are several times in which both Cruise and Spielberg made me forget I was actually watching a movie. This is not happening in Road to Perdition. The movie uses so showy techniques, it's SO beautiful that you really can't get trapped in it. Sam Mendes should see "lesser" movies as "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", "Raising Arizona", "All about my mother" or even "Battle Royale" to understand what is energy in a movie, what is SOUL.Of course it is not that "Road to Perdition" is a bad movie. It is great. But not one to treasure. Regretfully I can see now this people scoring 10 Oscars and being lauded as one of the bests of the year... technically, it deserves it, but my guts claim for other picks.In the acting, Paul Newman is the stand out. He's on his way for a well deserved third Oscar (the first was an HONORARY! one, and the second for "The Color of Money"), this time as supporting. A pity, because he would kill all chances to reward the subtlety of newcomer Tyler Hoechlin, in one of the best child performances of the last years (just behind Osment's A.I. and The Sixth Sense) which has gone unnoticed by critics and audiences.Jude Law, as usual gives a mesmerizing performance and is well deserving praise. Hanks, in exchange is good but not great. Tucci and Leigh take profit of their limited screen time, and give life to two undefined characters, which is saying a lot of their talent.Technically, the movie is perfect and in its way to sweeping the nominations at this year's Oscars. But, I can't, with the hand in my heart, praise the movie itself with the adjective "masterpiece". A pity... it was so close...
Forget what you've heard and just go watch it, you'll be stunned. Forget what you've heard.
posted on 30 Aug 2009Wow what can i say about this film? Well its a nice simple straightforward film. Its about a mafia enforcer Mike Sullivan (Tom Hanks) who goes on the run with his surviving son after the people he works for, kills off his family. The film follows us thru to how about he plans to dish out revenge and his relationship with his son on the road. It did good to show the natural inquisitiveness of a young boy and to justify the way things went. Tom Hanks does superbly in portraying Michael Sullivan, i was skeptical that he would be able to pull it off but he did it and it has cemented for me that hes a fantastic actor who can play any role he wants. His kid in the film also does a great job. Paul Newman was suberb in it also, bringing to the film his years of honed experience into this film, and those eyes. The film has a nice Irish/mafia theme to it and brings all the trimmings. Jude Law does good to portray a evil quirky bounty hunter. Forget what others say so they dont overhype it for u or put u off seeing it, its a must see. Forget what people say and see it for yourself.<-------------------------------<Spoilers>------------------------- ---->Wow what a fantastic film, Id go so far as to say its one of the best movies ive seen in a long time, to think this came out of hollywood without a bit of hollywood in it, is amazing. Sam Mendez did a great job, at first i didnt believe he directed it because i thought American beauty was good but quirky. The Cinematography was fantastic, many times i was stunned by the scenes, particulary the sea ending. The sound was also great, the way they cut out the bullet sounds sumtimes made me extremely tense for the ending, when i was expecting a loud gunshot or maybe not for tom hanks. A Masterpiece truly. The ending was fantastic also, i was so tense expecting that bullit, i thought the scene was done really well what with the sea etc and i felt it was tainted by evil Jude Law's character the bounty killer. The way he pulled out a camera and actually set up to shoot Tom on film, it made me see red. I wanted revenge. I knew Tom would have to die in the end, theres no way out of it and the ending line, i say hes my father, it brought a tear in my eye. All thru the film i found myself reflecting on my own relationships with my father. I agree its a film about fathers and sons.