Tom Hanks plays Michael Sullivan, a hit man employed by John Rooney (Paul Newman). One night, in an attempt to find out what his father does for a living, Sullivan's eldest son follows him and witnesses a murder carried out by Rooney's son, Connor. This leads to a chain of events which involves Sullivan's wife and younger son being murdered and Sullivan going on the run with his eldest son while being pursued by a professional killer (Jude Law).
The film begins with the eldest son pondering over whether Michael Sullivan is a good or a bad man. One feels that this issue isn't really resolved by the end of the film. Tom Hanks' most memorable roles to me are in Splash', Big' and Forrest Gump' and despite my high regard for him as an actor of quality, I cannot find him believable as an amoral bad guy. Sullivan has kept his work a secret from his son to protect him, but in doing so finds that he is unable to show the affection that his son craves. The relationship between father and his surviving son is handled sensitively and convincingly with subtle humour.
Jude Law fans will be disappointed to witness him as a bit of a slimeball character with stained teeth and long filthy fingernails, who shoots dead people with both camera and gun. However, he does manage to carry off the part convincingly.
Road to Perdition' is one of those films which oozes with quality and talent, being directed by Oscar winner Sam Mendes and starring Oscar winners Tom Hanks and Paul Newman and Oscar nominee Jude Law.
The film is also a visually impressive one with effective use of lighting and good-looking costumes. These qualities are most apparent during the final encounter between Rooney and Sullivan: no one speaks; it is pouring with rain through which we see the actors as dark silhouettes and out of the darkness comes rapid gun fire. Cinema critics will love the poetry of the moment but to me the sequence is too affected.
This film has a number of good qualities which will impress critics and voters at next year's Oscar ceremony but from the point of view of the average cinema goer, Road to Perdition' is lacking the surprises and entertainment value to make it a memorable classic.
The film begins with the eldest son pondering over whether Michael Sullivan is a good or a bad man. One feels that this issue isn't really resolved by the end of the film. Tom Hanks' most memorable roles to me are in Splash', Big' and Forrest Gump' and despite my high regard for him as an actor of quality, I cannot find him believable as an amoral bad guy. Sullivan has kept his work a secret from his son to protect him, but in doing so finds that he is unable to show the affection that his son craves. The relationship between father and his surviving son is handled sensitively and convincingly with subtle humour.
Jude Law fans will be disappointed to witness him as a bit of a slimeball character with stained teeth and long filthy fingernails, who shoots dead people with both camera and gun. However, he does manage to carry off the part convincingly.
Road to Perdition' is one of those films which oozes with quality and talent, being directed by Oscar winner Sam Mendes and starring Oscar winners Tom Hanks and Paul Newman and Oscar nominee Jude Law.
The film is also a visually impressive one with effective use of lighting and good-looking costumes. These qualities are most apparent during the final encounter between Rooney and Sullivan: no one speaks; it is pouring with rain through which we see the actors as dark silhouettes and out of the darkness comes rapid gun fire. Cinema critics will love the poetry of the moment but to me the sequence is too affected.
This film has a number of good qualities which will impress critics and voters at next year's Oscar ceremony but from the point of view of the average cinema goer, Road to Perdition' is lacking the surprises and entertainment value to make it a memorable classic.